ANOTHER “To Help or Not To Help a Person in a Wheelchair ” Posting
by Treadmarkz
I have been asked my one of my loyal and faithful readers a question about “when to help, and when to not help a disabled person.”
The answer is much simpler than it may seem at first glance.
When in doubt, always ask. Never “don’t” offer to help. Would you do that to a fellow human who is not disabled? No, if you had a reason to suspect they need help, you’d ask them if they need help right? Same principle applies if the person is in a wheelchair or otherwise disabled.
We just want common courtesy but without assumptions being made. The assumption is made when one insists on doing something for us, completely leaping over the idea of helping us do it for ourselves or even asking if we need help to begin with.
If someone is in a wheelchair, and you ask them if they need help, and they get defensive, it is only because they are either extremely stubborn or extremely sensitive about their disability. I know at least someone in a wheelchair will disagree with that statement, but I am in a wheelchair, I have lived it, and like it or not, it is true.
God bless.
I disagree just to disagree. Someone has to be the angry crippled.
2LessLegs
January 23, 2009 at 6:33 PM
Hi, my boyfriend has spina bifida, L2 just like you. He and I have really enjoyed your blog. If you’d be interested he’d like to privately email (not just public comment) and ask you some questions about your life thus far etc. so he was wondering if you could email me or if you have a facebook so we could add you? Thanks for this awesome blog.
Lana
October 26, 2009 at 9:38 PM