1. Address the person who has a physical impairment, not his or her companion.
2. Try to place yourself at eye level with the person (i.e. sitting in a chair or kneeling down). Particularly if you are engaged in a long conversation!
3. Don’t lean on a wheelchair or other assistive device. Treat the wheelchair as part of his/her body space.
4. Do not give your items to a wheelchair-user to carry for you.
5. Do not condescend to a person in a wheelchair by treating him or her childishly, such as patting on the head or shoulder.
6. Ask if the person would like your assistance pushing the wheelchair.
7. If a person is having a problem with opening a door, offer to assist.
8. Ensure a clear pathway to intended destinations, and at meetings and restaurants, make a chair-free space at tables for a wheelchair-user to sit.
9. When assisting a wheelchair-user up or down a stair, ask if he prefers going forwards or backwards.
10. When telephoning a person, let the phone ring long enough to allow time to reach the phone.
11. Do not avoid words like ‘run’ or ‘walk’: wheelchair users use them too.
12. Do not remove people’s assistive devices (e.g. crutches, wheelchairs, artificial limbs) from where they have placed them. If you do temporarily, remember to return them to where the person has placed them initially.
Most importantly, ask someone themselves how they want to be addressed, and how they want to be supported or treated.
