Holidays for persons with disabilities

Holidays are generally periods of excitement and joy as everyone is feeling the holiday vibes and cannot be anything other than happy. It is mostly a time to let off steam and cool off from a long stressful period of work or academic activities. People are generally ready to take risks, go on adventures, do things on their bucket list... They are just ready to feel juiced up. Life with work and school can be so monotonous that a person begins to feel like a robot. However, a good holiday can make you feel alive again. While holidays are generally fun for everyone, some classes of individuals might not find it so fun. Holidays for people living with disabilities can be a little dreary due to their many limitations. This article is going to explore the many challenges holidays pose for people living with disabilities.

Difficulties faced By people with disabilities:

1. Holidays may make some people with disabilities anxious.

For some people living with disabilities, holidays may be a nightmare of unwelcome surprises. This set of people actually take comfort in routine activities. Some disabled people actually find routine boring. However, most others have to build a schedule that doesn't change to find comfort. They actually like their routines, especially when they have spent a huge amount of time and effort developing them to their unique needs and tastes. So, even while the joyous atmosphere of festivity is infectious,it is a major disruption for majority of disabled people.

2. Holidays may expose them to people's condescension

Really... There is a way that other people sometimes treat people with disabilities condescendingly. Aunts and uncles may treat them like children, even they are obviously adults. Age mates may make silly insensitive jokes and people may generally make them feel like they are in the way, maybe not intentionally. The higher the number of people involved in these holiday get-togethers, the higher the chance of this sort of stuff happening. Some people living with disabilities may be generally good sports and they are able to roll with the punches. For most disabled people, these events are awkward, tasteless and may result into a tense confrontational situation.

3. Special accommodation requirements

The accommodation needs of people living with disabilities are numerous. Providing for this may burn through the goodwill of even the closest of family and friends. Sometimes, staying in hotels that provide all these necessities may be too expensive. They have special dietary requirements, inflexible eating schedule, personal assistance needs with some very intimate activities… Sometimes, just in a bit md to not seem like a burden, people with disabilities stay in environment that are uncomfortable for them. Even at that, some requirements cannot be overlooked. Hence, this causes a strain on the host and the visitor.

4. Restrictions

There is the sadness that sometimes come with being limited and unable to do activities that they are interested in. Especially, if this inability separates them from everyone and keeps them on the sidelines.

Holidays may be periods of joy … but not for everyone. However, efforts could be made even in the little things to make holidays easier on people living with disabilities.

Back to Articles