In 1985, Durgin, Lindsay and Hamilton, estimated that 13% of ail travelers had some form of disability and this figure was predicted to rise, particularly with the aging of the baby boomers, advances made in medical science that had become more adept at saving lives and with greater access to travel by a range of people. However, people with disabilities have a significantly different tourism experience than their fellow Australians (Darcy 1998). This paper explores these issues and presents directions for greater inclusion of people with disabilities with- in tourism experiences. The following three observations from a recent study highlight the range of experiences people with physical disabilities encounter when traveling. Recent research by Darcy (1998) has presented the first empirical quantitative research investigating the constraints and barriers that people with physical disabilities experience when traveling. The research shows the many constraints and barriers that exist, and general physical access is still the major constraint encountered by people with a physical disabi...
It is hard to live with disability, because everyday things become a challenge. U.S. Census Bureau report from 2008 states that 3.3 million non-institutionalized Americans over age 15 years use wheelchairs. The reason why there are so many people with disabilities is that U.S. spent decades at war. This is why mobility industry is rethinking the products it provides to support a growing demographic. Vantage Mobility International (VMI) and Braun Ability are two leading industry players that spent decades converting wheelchair vans from companies such as Chrysler , Toyota , and Honda into wheelchair-accessible modes of transportation.
Nancy Mairs article, “Disability” (1987), explains that the world is trying to block out the fact that disability is known to be everywhere and how companies and commercial advertisers are trying to not show disabled people on their commercials so that is shows that everyone can use their product besides disabled persons. Mairs doesn 't believe this though, she believes that advertisers are scared to depict disabled people in the ordinary activities of daily life is to admit that there is something ordinary about disability itself, that it may
What comes into one’s mind when they are asked to consider physical disabilities? Pity and embarrassment, or hope and encouragement? Perhaps a mix between the two contrasting emotions? The average, able-bodied person must have a different perspective than a handicapped person, on the quality of life of a physically disabled person. Nancy Mairs, Andre Dubus, and Harriet McBryde Johnson are three authors who shared their experiences as physically handicapped adults. Although the three authors wrote different pieces, all three essays demonstrate the frustrations, struggles, contemplations, and triumphs from a disabled person’s point of view and are aimed at a reader with no physical disability.
In David Birnbaum’s “The Catbird Seat”, the author gives his readers his perspective of a handicapped person’s experiences (228). Birnbaum lost the use of this legs during a car accident and is now only able to move through the use of a wheelchair (Kirszner, Mandell 228). Although Birnbaum’s disability is physical, “Disabilities can manifest as a physical or cognitive issue, coming from a range of factors – genetics, accident, external circumstances, or advancing age”(Bowman 6); therefore, most people who have a disability are not born with it and in some situations a disability can be eliminated with medical treatment and surgeries
Disability is defined as a long term condition that restricts an individual’s daily activities (Government of Western Australia Department of Communities, n.d.). A disability can be identified in numerous types which are physical, sensory neurological and psychiatric. Due to the assistance with appropriate aids and services, the restrictions experienced by individuals with a disability may be overcome. However, the ways society perceives disability may have a significant impact on individuals living with it and also families around them. Therefore, the aim of this essay is to reflect on the social construction of disability through examining the social model of disability and how it may impact on the lives of people living with disability.
Because of the ambiguity of the definition, there is a requirement to have the social model to help to provide the answers. As the social model illustrates how the social institutions, labels, and stereotypes impact the perceived abilities of a disabled person, it is shown that the definitions of what is “normal”, “good”, and “functional” all come from the current society in which the person lives. Additionally, as culture and these definitions change with time and new ideologies and technological advances, what defines a disabled person will also change with time. This is also true across cultures as there may be different requirements to be considered “functional” or in good health in other cultures. For instance, a man unable to walk may not be as hindered in his freedom of movement if he is only required to stay in a small local area, such as a village, in comparison to a large city. However, it is also important to point out that the social model requires the medical model as well because the social model fails to focus on the individual at a more micro level. A person may see others in a similar circumstance and react in a different
Ability and disability entails the ability to do things others can do or the inability to do something due to physical challenges, mental or emotional challenges that one possesses within their immediate surroundings. Basing on positionality, ability and disability is a key attribute that can make a person to be viewed different within their immediate societies. These attributes can make one to be embraced or sideline within their immediate surroundings.
French, S. & Swain, J. 2008. Understanding Disability: A Guide for Health Professionals. Philadelphia: Churchilll Livingstone Elsevier: 4
This act established old age benefits and funding for assistance to blind individuals and disabled children and the extension of existing vocational rehabilitation programmes. In present day society, since the passage of the ADA (American with Disabilities Act of 1990) endless efforts of the disability rights movement have continued on the focus of the rigorous enforcement of the ADA, as well as accessibility for people with disabilities in employment, technology, education, housing, transportation, healthcare, and independent living for the people who are born with a disability and for the people who develop it at some point in their lives. Although rights of the disabled have significantly gotten better globally throughout the years, many of the people who have disabilities and are living in extremely undeveloped countries or supreme poverty do not have access nor rights to any benefits. For example, people who are in wheelchairs as a transportation device have extremely limited access to common places such as grocery stores, schools, employment offices,
Persons with Disabilities have their image in society. It may be positive or negative. Media plays a significant role in creating the right image of persons with disability in society. Today, world population is 7,113,968,427 billion (GeoHive 2013) and hence estimated population of person with disabilities is 711 million, if we consider that 10% of world population are persons with disabilities as estimated by World Bank (2004), Sanchez (2010) and Cumberbatch (1992). If the current population (on 29th April 2013) of India is 1,271,876,934 billion...
The World Health Organisation, WHO, (1980) defines disability in the medical model as a physical or mental impairment that restricts participation in an activity that a ‘normal’ human being would partake, due to a lack of ability to perform the task . Michigan Disability Rights Coalition (n.d.) states that the medical model emphasizes that there is a problem regarding the abilities of the individual. They argue that the condition of the disabled persons is solely ‘medical’ and as a result the focus is to cure and provide treatment to disabled people (Michigan Disability Rights Coalition, 2014). In the medical model, issues of disability are dealt with according to defined government structures and policies and are seen as a separate issue from ordinary communal concerns (Emmet, 2005: 69). According to Enabling Teachers and Trainers to Improve the Accessibility of Adult Education (2008) people with disabilities largely disa...
There are numerous disabilities that exist in the world today that can affect people’s physical or mental ability which can be taken care of through rehabilitation or medication. Despite science and psychology’s progress at providing more help for people with disabilities, they are still at risk for discrimination and segregation in society. Even regardless of the societal barriers that exist against people with disabilities, environmental barriers such as stairs or lack of transportation can greatly limit a person with disabilities’ access to the world. These obstacles exist in Hong Kong and it can lead to isolation, depression and restricted opportunities. Although Hong Kong along with other countries has passed ordinances to help combat some of the discrimination that they face, it is still an ongoing process for people with disabilities to be included. They are often denied by opportunities because there is an assumption that they wouldn’t be as good anyways or that it wouldn’t matter because they are disabled. These notions deny the opportunity for disabled people to have the chance to have a good life and to build their capacity for their talents whatever it may be. Many organizations have popped up in the last decade or so in Hong Kong and also in other countries to provide a place where disabled people can have a chance to do arts such as Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong. These organizations have helped raise awareness of such a need to include disabled people rather than to render them invisible. This essay argues that art is powerful and it provides a space of creativity and innovation that can be critical at societal perceptions of disabilities and to allow people with disabilities to gain an important place...
...eglected social issues in recent history (Barlow). People with disabilities often face societal barriers and disability evokes negative perceptions and discrimination in society. As a result of the stigma associated with disability, persons with disabilities are generally excluded from education, employment, and community life which deprives them of opportunities essential to their social development, health and well-being (Stefan). It is such barriers and discrimination that actually set people apart from society, in many cases making them a burden to the community. The ideas and concepts of equality and full participation for persons with disabilities have been developed very far on paper, but not in reality (Wallace). The government can make numerous laws against discrimination, but this does not change the way that people with disabilities are judged in society.
Disability has more prevalent among elderly people, past literature suggests that there is already a GAP of in-depth understanding of elderly with physical, visual, and hearing disabilities motivations of selecting hotel accommodation. Currently, to our knowledge, so far no one has systematically investigated elderly tourist and elderly tourist with disabilities accommodation necessities that are presently in high demand. Few papers have started to provide insight into the different aspects of accommodation necessities through predominantly focusing on one dimension of disability or access mainly mobility, may be due to the complexity of employing methodology across different dimensions of an embodiment. However, no papers have explicitly reviewed the difficulties faced by elderly with physical, visual, and hearing disability tourist preferences of use hotels in New
In Closing, there is no clear demarcation between society’s perception of disability and the individual’s adjustment to his/her disability. Sadly, out of all the groups in today’s society PWD have experienced a high level of prejudice and discrimination. Although PWD have had a hard time overcoming obstacles of prejudice and discrimination assistive technology, environmental control devices etc has made life easier to live with a disability.