Now, see, that stick thing - passing someone on the non-stick side - is something I didn't know. I think if anything I'd have gone for the stick side, expecting that having a stick between me and the person would be reassuring (I'm not likely to joggle them).
I think what's surprising me is that I've got friends who use sticks and crutches, and I've done a certain amount of being a carer when required, but I'm still having to discover things for myself. It's almost like all the thinking or empathy in the world won't get you anywhere, you have to actually try it yourself to find out.
And by "try it" I mean "really try it" :) I've certainly played at using others' crutches before (as a kid) but never appreciated that (a) there is a world of difference in doing it for a few minutes and doing it all the time (sore hands!) and (b) it is massively more difficult when falling over is going to be genuinely terrifying and painful. The other day, I was putting my shoes on standing up (rookie error) and ended up where I needed to pick my 'good' leg up off the floor to put its shoe on. Now, I'm pretty sure I'm strong enough to just balance on my arms while I do that. Would I do it ordinarily? Of course. Would I do it knowing what the cost of overbalancing and having to put weight on my 'bad' leg was? Hell no.
But if nothing else, it means that if I'm ever in charge of sorting out access arrangements for something, I've learned that I need to go and find some people in wheelchairs, with sticks, on crutches and with various different requirements and just flippin' ask them what it is they need. No matter how much time and thought I put in, I won't be qualified to work it out.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2016-03-01 05:05 pm (UTC)I think what's surprising me is that I've got friends who use sticks and crutches, and I've done a certain amount of being a carer when required, but I'm still having to discover things for myself. It's almost like all the thinking or empathy in the world won't get you anywhere, you have to actually try it yourself to find out.
And by "try it" I mean "really try it" :) I've certainly played at using others' crutches before (as a kid) but never appreciated that (a) there is a world of difference in doing it for a few minutes and doing it all the time (sore hands!) and (b) it is massively more difficult when falling over is going to be genuinely terrifying and painful. The other day, I was putting my shoes on standing up (rookie error) and ended up where I needed to pick my 'good' leg up off the floor to put its shoe on. Now, I'm pretty sure I'm strong enough to just balance on my arms while I do that. Would I do it ordinarily? Of course. Would I do it knowing what the cost of overbalancing and having to put weight on my 'bad' leg was? Hell no.
But if nothing else, it means that if I'm ever in charge of sorting out access arrangements for something, I've learned that I need to go and find some people in wheelchairs, with sticks, on crutches and with various different requirements and just flippin' ask them what it is they need. No matter how much time and thought I put in, I won't be qualified to work it out.