Etiquette question regarding wheelchairs.

[eternaldisneyfan]

Tikkipoo-

I am happy to explain my disabilities to children. I like it when they ask. I think it helps them understand and accept. I really dislike it when parents drag their children away when they start to ask questions or shush them when they ask them (the parent). I think this makes kids afraid of the disabled or that they shouldn't be mentioned. I am happy to explain. I just say that my muscles are really weak. Knowledge is power!

Christamae

 

[Laurajean1014]

Im going to cross post this here as well ( as Deb suggested thanks Deb) because I am really concerned I did the wrong thing.




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I was at a trade show recently and began a conversation with a man in a wheelchair. I sat down in a chair next to him and we talked for quite a while.
Well I noticed several others approach him and carry on similiarly long conversations and remain standing.


It certainly wasnt my intent to offend him and now Im afraid I did.

It was my intention to make him more comfortable by not having to look up at me. Actually truth be told, I didnt even think about it. It was just a reflex.


Was I wrong?

Nothing wrong with it. I would consider it a gesture of politeness.

 

[simba928]

Bwalker: I have the same vantage point as you. My grandparents are in wheelchairs (they can walk short distances). My family usually takes them to the mall on the weekends. The WHOLE family (my cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.) goes somewhere on vacation every summer. We took them to WDW a couple years ago. This year, we took them on a cruise (we just got back a week ago). The crew was generally very nice. In the dining room, my grandma got out of the wheelchair and got in a regular chair, but my grandfather stayed in his wheelchair. After the first night, their waiter made sure that the one chair was out of the way before we even got there. The worst part was the elevators. We of course had to use the elevators. 11 of us used the stairs while the other 5 (2 in wheelchairs, one person pushing each wheelchair, and my cousins 83 year old great grandmother) took the elevator. We had to go from deck 9 down to deck 3. Going down the stairs really isnt that difficult. So many people took the elevator to go down or up, even one flight of stairs. It was ridiculous. They waited, no lie, 10-15 minutes every night for an elevator. Another day, it was raining and I went with my aunt (she had my youngest cousin in a stroller) down stairs to shop and I counted about 7 older people. The rest of the people were very young (kids up to 30s) that could easily use the stairs. Most of them were only going up or down one flight of stairs and eventually (after growing impatient 10 minutes later) they did walk. Another thing is that we were waiting for an elevator for a while one day and when one finally came, a lady who had just gotten there tried to rush on before us. Whoever was pushing my grandma in the wheelchair almost ran her over and she moved out of the way. (she was "pooh-sized" to say the least). After we had gotten on the elevator, which was full, she decided to squeeze into the elevator with another lady she was with (who was about the same size). It was ridiculous. I can't get over how ignorant some people can be. It was horrible.