Helpful Ways To Engage With People With Disabilities

People with disabilities around the globe tend to see the world in a different light. Whilst living with their illnesses and disabilities can make life challenging, these individuals prove to be more resilient and highly knowledgeable beyond their years. Because of this, conversing and truly engaging with these people can help change another person’s worldview. If you know someone dear who is struggling to deal with these situations, here some helpful ways you can try and engage with them:

Establish a Connection

Children have a great way of initiating conversations with just about anyone. As a matter of fact, their sense of innocence is what tends to connect them with other people. Just take a look at kids walking at other people in the park, school or even restaurants. The need to satisfy their curiosity allows them to directly have a connection with other individuals.

To help you jumpstart your conversation, try to find similar interests. You could ask them about the kind of books they like to read, their favourite food, the activities they like to do in their spare time and so on. Playing games can also be an icebreaker, especially when these people can seem shy and withdrawn at first.

Never Give Unsolicited Advice

Most of the time, some people feel entitled to give unsolicited health advice. This can stem from their desire to help other people in difficult situations. In other cases, some are most likely to provide aid even without being asked. However good their intention might be, to individuals with disabilities, this can be downright annoying and even damaging. To most recipients of such unsolicited advice, these can be quite invalidating. Most who hurt by their chronic illnesses feel that they aren’t enough and that they have simply resigned to a life of suffering. To avoid burning bridges before it has even been built, refrain from giving unsolicited advice, particularly about their health. Unless they ask you to help them walk, take them out on their wheelchair or simply accompany them, don’t do anything without their say so.

Look into Independent or Assisted Living

Caring for individuals with disabilities and chronic illnesses can be demanding, especially when you don’t know where to start. To ensure that you get the best help for their needs, consider asking if they are keen on trying independent or assisted living arrangements. This would mean that they can gain a level of independence whilst still having the comfort and assurance that they would be helped in times of need. Take them to see house styles and communities around the area. Exposing them to these places can help them gain more awareness of the kind of life they intend to live. After all, these places provide round-the-clock care by professionals who have attained a certificate III in disability. No one will be more capable of handling their concerns than those who are properly trained and educated in the specific field. In these difficult and unsure circumstances, starting out small can be your best bet. By winning them over through your exceptional conversational skills, you can breeze through these other ideas over time.