SARA ISLIM TOMCZAK 

1. What is your name?

Fred Postles 

 

 

2  What type of disability do you have?

A mobility impairment which affects the speed and ease of getting around

 

 

3.  Is the correct terminology Disabled or Impaired?

The impairment is the individuals condition what they suffer with, such as a hearing impairment means the individual can’t hear properly, an amputee has a impairment which is the fact that his leg or arm has been amputated. A person with a visual impairment is incapable of seeing things as well as their fully able friend. 

 

The term disability is how society is organised under a social model of disability. It is a term that is used for individuals with impairments no matter how big or small.  

 

 

4.  What is your main method of getting around?

I can walk, so am mobile in myself however do find stairs tedious and prefer slopes and lifts. I also have access to a car which I use very often to get around; there are many benefits to impaired drivers who are still mobile. We have the blue badge which allows us to park as close as reasonably acceptable to entrances of retail establishments. There are also accessible bays that are of close proximity to the main entrances of retail centres or close to lifts in retail parking centres.  Being registered as disabled we can also park on yellow lines as long as our blue badge is visible.

 

 

5.  Were you born with your disability/ impirement?

No I wasn’t it happened at a later stage of life so I had to learn to adapt to society and how things are done and tackled, it’s not until I was impaired that I recognised the struggles faced by people with disabilities in everyday life.  A primary example is Newton Building and the lack of adaptations and seriousness taken to disability.

 

 

6.  Please explain further about the Newton Building and what you find that it lacks in the design that should be made more accessible?

The main entrance to the Newton building for example, the entrance looks lovely with the steps but in order to access the building if you are wheelchair bound you have to go all the way to the end of the building. I have seen a lot of students that are so tired after going to the end the road by the theatre in order to get in that the members of staff who work on the front desk have had to take their wheelchairs physically up the steps to the entrance. Then once you have made it into the building you have to go back around yourself to go down the lift to access other floors.

 

 

7.  Do you think that within retail design enough has been done to make it inclusive?

No I think they use regulations which are in place but to the very minimum, so they obviously have to cater to the disabled or impaired user but they do this to minimum measurements. I find that their always “just about” enough space provided which is the minimum that regulations specify. A lot of the time it is very hard to manoeuvre around shops and aisles as the space is quite narrow yet it is fits the minimum regulation to make it DDA compliant. It’s a big shame.

 

 

8.  Would you find it of benefit if there was a retail centre that was specifically designed for the disabled and elderly consumer in mind which would allow for better adapted retail design?

Yes, I think it would be beneficial as then it woud be designed around us (impaired people) which would not only make our experience better but also be accessible by the able consumer, one that doesn’t need these modifications. However i could argue that I always preferred to use ramps as opposed to steps even before my disability, used up less energy.

 

 However you have to be careful how you market this proposal, you have to be mindful that we don’t want to feel like this retail facility is designed for us only, and is singling us out from society. Maybe propose it as retail environment still but make the adaptations in the design. So we don’t feel like we are away from society.

 

 

9.  What do you think could be done in the way of improving retail design and the experience for the disabled and elderly consumer?

A lot could be done. I think looking at the Equality Act 2010 retail has to comply to it. There is a moral obligation but also a legal one, especially within the design for public use and retail. The most important factor is that Part M is written out and taken/ looked at as limitations which it shouldn’t be. The obvious issue is that technology has become a big factor of aiding people. Younger generations will look to interactive software that speaks or reads to them but the older generations who have visual disability use Braille which to read. It’s seeing that balance and understanding it.

 

I think that what you are looking into is important as I don’t feel that enough is being done for the disabled consumer or the elderly one in fact.  You will need to anticipate the needs of all disabilities to make the final design inclusive. Could do this by talking lifts , brail on signage, contrasting colours and so forth. 

 

 

10. How do you think colour affects retail environments and the disabled user?

I think this is interesting, there are disabilities such as Autism where bright colours cause a negative response, create anger and aggression and it has been known that pastel colours have a calming effect. The same could be said for Asperger’s syndrome.  Also people with visual impairments such as colour blindness see colours differently and can’t tell them apart so it is something to be mindful of.

 

 

11.  Do  you have any other comments that you believe would be beneficial please state them below (changes that you would like to see made within the retail sector, anything you think is relevant that I haven’t touched on)

Be mindful of the foundations for independent living as agreed by disabled people in the 1970’s. For further information see Vic Finkelstein, but the 7 needs all relate to each other to ensure full access, culminating in the Access to public buildings and the countryside.

 

 

The Seven Needs for Independent Living are as follows: 

Information:
Before we can make any decisions or changes in our lives, we need information.
 
 
Peer Support/Counseling:
When we have the information we need in the format we need, we have to use it. Peer counselling can give us the confidence to use information to make changes that we want to make in our lives.
 
Housing:
A property that can be adapted to suit your needs.
 
 
Technical Aids:
Things that make everyday tasks easier to do.
 
 
Personal Assistance:
Staying in control of your daily living with support from a Personal Assistant.
 
 
Transport:
Public transport, community transport and individual transport which promotes independence. 
  
Access:
Making full independent use of public buildings and the countryside.

 

I also think that certain stores forget that disabled people are consumers; they assume that a lot of shopping whether it is food or clothing is done for the disable individual by the carer or family member. Also some modifications are really demeaning to the disabled individual, such as lifts that need to be operated by a third person etc... but this is the way society has been and what it is accustomed to. This is because they argue that a lot of disabled people don’t use the facilities but if they were better designed we would be urged to use them more without feeling inferior.