Planning a Labor Day vacation, day trip, or simple excursion takes a lot more work when you need to think about more than just throwing some sunscreen in a bag and jumping in the car. The U.S. has become a lot more accessible in the more than 30 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act went into effect, but there are ever-changing challenges.
"There's some apps that are rolling out that are starting to gain traction in terms of accessibility," says Patricia Dawson with the Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities. "A couple that come to mind are Role Mobility and Access Now. Those are both crowdsourced apps where you rate the location. It's basically Yelp for people with disabilities."
Restrooms are another hurdle for many people, especially if you need access to a universal (adult) changing table. There aren't a lot of those and they can be even harder to find, especially when traveling.
"We're seeing a big shift in the state of Ohio and Butler County as well," Dawson says, noting the county is focused on expanding bathroom access. "We've recently purchased several universal changing tables. We're working with partners throughout the county and getting those installed. That's one of our big goals this year."
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Dawson recommends a website that tracks restroom facilities that offer universal changing tables. You can find the map at ChangingSpacesCampaign.com/map. The site also lets you add locations or report problems.
In general, traveling requires a lot more research to ensure accessibility. An older hotel, for example, may have been grandfathered in and not meet modern access and user-ability standards. Finding a rental home on a site like AirBnB could take a lot more time and require more communication through the website.
Entertainment destinations are increasingly finding ways to make their spaces more inclusive. You may just need to seek out or ask about the various options, like sensory-friendly spaces, calming rooms, social narratives and other tools.
"I'm super happy to see that there is some attention expanding to other types of needs — sensory needs, for instance, and needs similar to that," Dawson says. "You'll see a lot of places nowadays where there are considerations for sensory friendly spaces. The Cincinnati Zoo, for instance, has several quiet rooms. You can find that at Kings Island [and] places like that."
Communication is key, says Dawson, in more ways than one.
"I just was talking to a mom who travels a lot with her son who has an intellectual and developmental disability, and I was asking her what are the things that she needs to think about while she's traveling?" Dawson recounts. "[She said] it's just communicating with the staff at the onset: 'My son has an intellectual disability. He might not be able to follow your instructions fully at TSA, for instance.' "
She says the mother tells her that's been highly effective for her. Dawson says people can also help each other by being aware that people have different needs, and offering grace, generosity, and understanding.
