Accessibility in Public Facilities: Insights from a Recovered Patient
Lately, I have been immersed in the world of User Research. I have been reading tons of articles, listening to a lot of podcasts about UX and Design, even enrolled in online courses to gain more insights.
The more I dive into the UX world. The more I realized that basically User Experience Design principles are applicable in our daily life, not only in the apps or software. Most of the resources of UX Design talk about functionality, efficiency, and desirability when designing products.
However, there is one more thing to highlight when it comes to a good design. The accessibility. I believe the world is already in a wake of accessibility and inclusivity issues. Sadly, in Indonesia, the awareness of these issues is yet to be taken into account seriously in public facilities.
My Journey as a Patient
I am trying to raise awareness through this article as a recovered patient, who spent 4 months of her life using crutches. Last year, my life completely changed thanks to a surgical procedure I had in December 2018.
I was diagnosed with a tendon rupture injury. I injured my self in June 2018 while boarding a flight. I didn’t know that my injury was serious until I visited an orthopedist in December because the pain became unbearable. I had to undergo reconstructive surgery to fix the torn tendon. Little did I know, the surgery would affect my life for the next 10 months.
My thesis research project was delayed because of my temporal immobility. I had to wear a brace and walked using crutches. My orthopedist strictly told me to take baby steps in everything. Just like a baby, I had to learn how to walk, jump, squat, and run. It took me 10 months to get back on my feet again.
Going Places as a Patient
One day, I went to the mall to watch a movie with my family. It was two months post-surgery and I finally can walk a little bit further. I remembered that I was very timid that day. I wasn’t very sure if I could walk that far, because the cinema is located on the top floor of the mall. It would take so much energy and effort for me to reach the cinema.
I kept questioning myself whether it is worth it or not.
I tried to visualize the mall map in my mind, calculating how far should I walk, and would I make it to the cinema? I picked a mall close to home because based on my calculations, I didn’t have to walk far. After all, the elevators are very close to the mall entrance and the cinema itself.
Guess what? The elevator was out of order. We made a u-turn and drove to another mall.
The second mall was quite new. Their elevators are located close to the entrance, so I didn’t have to walk far. I was overjoyed until the security told me that the elevators only reach the 2nd floor.
To reach the 3rd floor where the cinema is located, I had to take an escalator. I barely walked by myself, how could I balance myself and hop onto the escalator?
I was so close to giving up because the escalator location was at the end of the mall. I had to walk quite far in crutches! Then, I discovered something. Near the escalators, they have a service elevator. It saved my life. Who knew my journey to the cinema would be that adventurous?
My discomfort and unpleasant experience in public facilities triggered something in me. Over time, I started to notice how accessibility is a huge issue that needs to be taken seriously.
The tale continued…
One eventful day, I almost tripped and fell because the sidewalks were uneven and bumpy. It was such a pain to walk on an uneven surface with crutches. It was hard to balance yourself. Then, there was a time when I desperately needed to go to the restroom and the accessible restroom was broken and even used as a storage room!
I realized that public facilities are required to provide accessible features to accommodate people with disabilities. The accessible restrooms, ramps, safety bars are built in public facilities. The point that I would like to address here. Are they genuinely maintained and available all the time to people with disabilities? We all know the answer, I guess.
Those experiences made me wonder.
“Are people with disabilities not allowed to have fun too?”
“Are people with disabilities can’t go to public places independently because of the lack of access?”
According to an intercensal population survey conducted by Indonesian Statistics in 2015, there are around 21 million people with disabilities across Indonesia.
I am wondering if their needs are being catered to in every aspects of life. In big cities and the capital, the facilities are available. How about people who live on the other islands outside of Java?
So far, the most pleasant experience I had as a person with (temporary) disability happened in our airports. Most of the facilities that I mentioned above are well taken care of. It’s regularly maintained to the utmost condition, maybe because airports are the “doors” to Indonesia, so they have to show the best impressions to the visitors.
The coolest thing that I experienced while confined in crutches was picked up in front of the planes and transferred to the other terminal just like a business class passenger. Our national carrier provides a special car equipped with a lift to transport passengers with a wheelchair, so they don’t have to get up from the wheelchair. Kudos to Garuda Indonesia!
How these experiences changed my life?
I learned to be more vocal
I became more courageous to voice my discomfort and took action by complaining to the management of the places that I went to. I want them to understand how important this accessibility issue is.
Besides sending feedback and complaint emails, I also sent appreciation messages to the airlines that really catered to my needs while I flew as a special needs passenger.
I tried to educate people
I am eager to share my experience as a special needs passenger every time I meet people with a disability who didn’t demand their “rights” while flying. Of course, my overthinking self did my research before we flew home for Chinese New Year to ensure my comfort while flying home.
Most people don’t know that the first row (bulkhead seats) of the economy are entitled to passengers with disabilities and their one companion.
You can demand your rights for bulkhead seats with one companion to be seated next to you. Thus, if you have limited mobility, it will not be tiring to walk down the aisle to reach your seats should you be seated in the back.
My Takeaway on Accessibility
I truly wish that people can be more aware and considerate to people with disabilities. They are human too. They want to have fun. They want to live a life as independent as possible. What can we do to support them?
Take universal design into account whether you are designing tangible or intangible products.
Back in college, I used to take the environmental psychology class. The ultimate insight that I learned throughout the semester was “the physical environment has an impact on human behavior”. A poorly designed building might be a stressor to the users.
Take on my case of visiting a mall without an elevator earlier. Lack of access to an elevator made me change my mind and choose another mall instead. Do you think as a consumer I will come back? Of course not. I will choose the other mall where my needs are accommodated. The poorly maintained facility influenced my decision at the end of the day.
Designing accessible public facilities might empower, help foster the independence and autonomy of people with disabilities.
By opening access to people with disabilities to participate in the hustle-bustle of everyday life independently, I believe the awareness of accessibility will grow. More people will be educated and support the idea of inclusivity in daily life. And hopefully, as the result, there would be no stigma, no judgments, no stares or whispers at the people with disabilities because everyone treats each other equally as a human being.
I once attended a UX conference session about accessibility and inclusive design. The speaker suggested us to read Microsoft Inclusive Design Guide to gain more perspective and understanding in Inclusive Design.
The most insightful thing I learned from the book was..
Inclusive design not only helped with people with disabilities but also extending the benefit to others as well.
A flat and properly designed sidewalk not only benefited people who use wheelchairs or using crutches to walk but also the parents who take their kids for a walk in strollers or people who carry heavy stuffs with carts. It solved the issues for people with disabilities yet extending the benefits to many others.
Now, what can you do to help?
A small action like complaining to building management if you see the accessible restroom is out of order does matter. Let us all be more aware of this issue and raising awareness about inclusivity in daily life.
