The general perception of wheelchair users is that we are people with chronic medical conditions. In short, we are considered patients. That is furthest away from the truth. Wheelchair users are people who employ a different mode of mobility. Instead of using our legs to walk, we move around on wheelchairs. That is the only stark difference.

There have been cases where wheelchair users accompanying friends to hospitals were misconstrued by the nurses and doctors as people seeking medical attention. Likewise, I have experienced the same dilemma when accompanying my late mother to the hospital for her checkups.

While this is not a major issue, it is discomforting that society at large still sees wheelchair users with such mindsets. At a recent meeting regarding accessible public transport, there were suggestions to request for bus routes to specifically serve institutions for disabled persons and hospitals.

That is another misconception. Not all disabled persons live in institutions. Many live in the community. That is how it should be. At the same time, accessible buses should not only serve routes to hospitals. That should not be a priority but included as one of the routes.

True, many need to go to hospitals for regular checkups but that is not a major activity for disabled persons. It is more important that we are able to commute to work or school conveniently. Additionally, we also like to enjoy leisure activities such as trips to the malls or parks.

There are still a lot of misconceptions regarding disabilities and disabled persons. It is not totally the fault of society. Disabled persons themselves are the best advocate of change in such matters. By living in the community, we can gradually eliminate fallacies, build bridges and create an inclusive society where everyone is treated with respect and dignity.

*This entry first appeared in Monster Blog on October 3, 2006.

Does one become a person with disabilities after spinal cord injury? In reality, paralysis does not necessarily disable a person. Limbs may not function as they used to be but there is more than one way to skin a cat. Humans are adaptable creatures. For centuries, we have created ways and devices to simplify work. Likewise, in the present age, we have the innovation to invent assistive devices to substitute for the loss of limb functions.

Even the simplest everyday implements such as spoons and toothbrushes have been adapted for the use of people with limited hand function. On the other end, electronic technology has enabled a person who is completely paralysed to use the personal computer for work and leisure. Head-mounted pointing devices and voice recognition software has allowed people with severe physical impairments to perform all the tasks that a non-disabled person can do with a computer.

The built-environment is another area where people with physical impairments are disabled not by their own impairments but by facilities that are not accessible. To understand why this is so, there is a need to define the difference between impairment and disability. They may seem like two words with the same meaning. When we look closely there is a vast difference between the two.

Impairment describes the imperfect condition of the body such as paralysis of the limbs, blindness and deafness. Impairment does not and should not lead to disability. A person with impairment experiences disability when faced with environmental and attitudinal barriers.

A wheelchair user who is a person with impairment experiences disability when the only access into a building is via a flight of steps. A suitable ramp eliminates the disability and allows the wheelchair user to get into the building. He now no longer experiences disability. The ramp also provides an easy means of access into the building for people with temporary mobility impairments and the elderly.

Environmental barriers such as this are the result of attitudinal barriers. The lack of understanding of the needs of people with impairments, ignorance and discrimination leads to the construction of infrastructure that is disabling to certain groups of people. Just because things have been done the same way for thousands of years do not mean that it must continue to be done the same way now.

So, does one become a person with disabilities after spinal cord injury? It is evident that paraplegia and tetraplegia is not the sole cause of people being disabled. There are many other factors that restrict persons with physical impairments from achieving their full potential. There is a need to understand this and work on solutions to resolve it. Creating an environment that includes the needs of everyone is not difficult. All that are needed are a change of mindset and some creativity.

The term person with disabilities is universally accepted to mean person with impairments, be it physical, visual, auditory or intellectual. This term puts the burden of disability on the person when in reality environmental and attitudinal barriers are major disabling factors. Removing those barriers will result in removing the disability imposed upon persons with impairments. A better term, for the lack of a more suitable one, would be disabled person. It describes a person who is disabled by the environment and attitudes.