Diverse Abilities

This is where accessibility quietly fails us.

It’s National AccessibilityWeek!

Accessible does not always mean usable. That is where we lose people without even realizing it.

We see the word accessibility everywhere, it sounds right, it looks right, it checks the box. It gives us confidence that we have done what is needed.

Pause for a moment and consider this.

Who is it actually working for?

A washroom can meet standards and still feel unsafe.
A payment terminal can exist and still exclude.
A website can be live and still leave people behind.

Accessible is often measured by what is present, usability is measured by what people can actually do with it.

So the real question becomes, are we creating spaces, tools and experiences that people can move through confidently and independently or are we creating things that simply appear accessible?

Accessibility is not a feature, it is not a checklist.

It is an understanding of how humans interact with the world around us, in real moments, in real environments, with real barriers.

A chair is not accessible if someone hesitates before sitting.
A door is not accessible if someone has to problem solve how to open it.
A space is not accessible if someone has to ask for help just to exist in it.

Accessibility lives in the details we often overlook, lighting, sound, contrast, clarity, flow.

Here is the question that shifts everything.

Who told us it was accessible?

Was it designed with real input from people who rely on it?
Was it tested in real situations?
Or was it assumed?

Accessibility that is assumed often becomes exclusion in practice.

True accessibility creates confidence, confidence to enter, move, communicate and participate without hesitation.

This is where many of us get stuck, not from lack of care but from lack of lived understanding.

Accessibility is not just what we build, it is how we show up within it.

When usability and human interaction come together, that is when inclusion becomes real.

If this made you pause, even for a moment, that is where the conversation begins.

Your space might be accessible, but is it truly usable for everyone who walks through your door?

If you are in Edmonton and ready to move beyond checking a box, i can take a real look at how people actually experience your space. I can walk through your environment with you, identify barriers you may not see and offer practical, cost-effective ways to create a space that is welcoming, functional and easy to use for everyone.

Think about this! Everyone of us have experienced and will experience changing abilities in our life and as we age. What might you need from a space when your mibility slows down, hearing, vision or memory change? Accessibility Benits Everyone.

Gina Martin
Disability, Inclusion & Accessibility Educator
Diverse Abilities Programs Inc.
DiverseAbilities.ca

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Image description. A man using a wheelchair is trying to enter a building .The ramp is narrow and steep.
Tex reads
This is where accessibility quietly fails us. Accessible does not always mean usable.

Image description
Use ability matters as much as accessibility. An image of a computer screen, notepad, and coffee cup. 

Creating awareness for National Accessibility Week!
If you are sighted or own a business you may never have considered this barrier.

It should never be about looks, it should always be about dignity.

Picture this.

You’re standing at the counter, ready to pay for your new phone.
You tap your card.
The screen flashes: Insert card.

So you follow the prompts, choose your account, enter your PIN, confirm the amount, press OK. Easy, right?

Now imagine you can’t see the screen, or your hands tremble from Parkinson’s.
Maybe you’re a senior whose eyes struggle in the bright store lights or you get overwhelmed with tech.

What was effortless a moment ago now means one of two things:
You leave without making your purchase, or you hand your bank card and your PIN to a stranger to do for you.

A terminal with no physical buttons to push, no tactile markers.
Just a smooth, shiny screen that “looks” modern has created a barrier instead of removing barriers.

The old keypads worked for everyone. Colour-coded buttons, raised symbols, on the Enter, Correction and Cancel buttons. There is also a tactile dot on the #5 so one can navigate the pin pad. These small details gave independence, privacy and dignity to everyone.

When function is replaced by fashion, we quietly close the door on someone’s ability to participate.

Accessibility isn’t about looks. It’s about dignity and having independence.
If your payment terminals still have buttons, keep them. That’s what accessibility looks like and that’s how everyone feels welcome.

“Having a disability doesn’t change who we are, it changes our interactions with the world. “ – Gina Martin.

DiverseAbilities.ca



Photo description
The photo on the right is a digital, flat screen payment terminal and the photo on the left is a manual terminal with physical buttons.

It is National Accessibility Week!

Accessible parking is about dignity, safety and space to move.

There are generally two types of accessible parking spaces.

One type is an accessible stall without an access aisle. It is wider than a standard space, but does not have the diagonal lined area beside it.

The second type includes an access aisle. This is the striped area next to the parking space. It provides extra clearance for ramps and lifts, space to transfer from a wheelchair, room to remove walkers or scooters, and safe space to harness a guide dog.

These access aisles must remain completely clear. They are not extra parking. They are not storage space for shopping carts or bicycles. They are not a place to stand and wait. Parking in or blocking an access aisle can make it impossible for someone to exit or enter their vehicle.

If you do not require the additional space for a ramp or mobility equipment, choosing the accessible space without an access aisle is deeply appreciated. There are often very few stalls with access aisles and someone may arrive who truly cannot exit their vehicle without that extra space. If only the stall with an access aisle is available, of course it can be used. The goal is consideration, not policing.

The wheelchair symbol is used to identify accessible parking, yet not everyone who needs accessible parking uses a wheelchair or a mobility device. Many disabilities are non apparent. Someone may be recovering from surgery, living with chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, a heart condition, a lung condition, epilepsy, severe fatigue, a connective tissue disorder, or another medical condition that limits endurance and mobility.

We cannot see most disabilities. Assuming someone does not need accessible parking based on appearance can cause harm. If there is an accessible parking plaquard on the dash or hanging from the mirror a doctor has authorized the issue of the plaquard.

Accessible parking is about creating enough room so people can participate in everyday life. When we respect the access aisle and make thoughtful choices about which stall we use, we are helping ensure that everyone can arrive safely, exit independently and go about their day with dignity.

When we understand why the space exists, we stop seeing it as extra and start seeing it as essential. Accessibility begins with awareness and becomes powerful through action.

We will all age and our abilities will change.
Accessibility benefits everyone and hurts no one.

“Having a disability does not change who we are, it changes our interactions with the world,”- Gina Martin










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Text reads.
There are two types of accessible parking stalls:
1 with an access aisle, 2 one without an access aisle 
The image shows three accessible parking stalls in front of a convenience store to our next to an access aisle, one is not 

Great start to National Accessibility Week! May 31st- June 6th.

Accessibility benefits everyone and hurts no one. The best design is often invisible, until the moment we suddenly realize we needed it all along.

We grab onto a rail as we use the stairs. We use a ramp when pushing a stroller, rolling a suitcase or delivering supplies. We appreciate lever handles when our hands are full carrying groceries or an automatic door when it’s your turn to buy coffees. Accessibility quietly supports everyday life. It is not for “some of us” it is there for anyone who needs to use it.

Grab bars prevent falls, increase confidence and help people remain independent longer. Ramps and level entrances keep traffic flowing smoothly for carts, wheelchairs, bikes and families. Controlled lighting reduces glare, supports people with low vision, prevents headaches and creates calmer shared spaces. Seating with arms, without arms and varied heights allows people to rest, recover and stay engaged in meetings, parks and public areas. Having a space available for someone using a wheelchairs says “we thought of you and you are welcome here. Accessible debit machines with clear contrast, tactile buttons, audio options improve efficiency and independence for everyone at checkout.

Automatic doors speed up entry during busy times. Wide pathways reduce congestion and make navigation easier. Clear signage helps visitors find their way without frustration. Quiet zones support focus, sensory regulation and mental wellness for teams and customers alike.

Many people do not notice accessibility when it is present. They only notice when it is missing. Thoughtful design removes barriers before they appear, creating environments where more of us can participate safely, independently and with dignity.

Accessibility is not an add on. It is smart, future ready design that improves usability, safety, customer experience and long term sustainability. When we build with accessibility in mind from the start, we create spaces that work better for all of us across every stage of life.

Our aDAPT Workplace Inclusion workshop supports small and large businesses with understanding around disability and IDEAL principles. Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility & Language. Move your team from uncomfortable to confident. Learn practical, easy to implement strategies that provide more accommodation and elevate your business.

June is our anniversary month and we are offering a 25% discount on all programs if you book for a June workshop.
Visit our website, learn about all our programs and services. Don’t wait availability is limited. Book your training, today!
DiverseAbilities.ca

“Having a disability does not change who we are, it changes our interactions with the world. “– Gina Martin.



Photo description
Text reads the best design is often invisible, until the moment we suddenly realize we needed it all along.
Images of a grab bar, door handles, ramps, controlled lighting, chairs and debit machines. All demonstrating accessibility being used.

The Elastic Band Life Hacks

Elastic bands might be one of the simplest household items, but they can make life so much easier in ways most people never think about.

If you get headaches or migraines, here’s one small tip that can make a big difference. Put an elastic band around the bottle that holds your pain medicine. This makes it easy to locate and identify by touch, without having to turn on a light or open your eyes.

If you take medication in the morning and evening, try placing an elastic band around one set so you can tell them apart without needing your readers.

If you take two pills of the same medication, put two elastic bands around that bottle. It’s a simple way to remember how many to take.

Elastic bands also come in many colours, so you can colour code your bottles. For example, yellow for morning, red for lunch, and blue for night. The print on medication bottles can be very small, so finding a method that works for you makes things easier and safer.

You can also use elastic bands around bottles that feel similar, like shampoo and conditioner. A quick touch and you’ll know which is which.

If you have keys that look alike, wrap a band around one or colour code them with elastic bands. Nail polish also works well if you prefer. For anyone with arthritis or grip challenges, elastic bands can make keys easier to hold and turn.

These are just a few ways elastic bands can make daily life simpler.

What other ideas or uses can you think of? Your tip might make life easier for someone else.

“Having a disability does not change who we are, it changes how we interact with the world.”-Gina Martin
www.DiverseAbilities.ca

Image description
There are three images. One is a set of keys within an elastic band around one of them. Another image is a shampoo and a conditioner bottle. There is in the last band around the shampoo. And there is a bottle of medication and an elastic band around the bottle. 

Accessible Sidewalks for All

May 31- June 6 is National Accessibility Week!

A little reminder to be mindful of where we park, place our garbage/recycling bins, or leave bikes/scooters. It might seem like no big deal if your vehicle is blocking the sidewalk, even for just a minute but for many people, especially those needing to use mobility devices, who have balance challenges, are aging, walking with small children or who are blind. A clear path is essential.

If your legs work, be grateful you can easily walk to where you need to go! But for others, navigating off route or stepping off curbs may not be an option for us.

When parking, even in your own driveway, please take a moment to ensure your car isn’t blocking the sidewalk. By keeping these paths clear, we help create a safer, more accessible environment for everyone.

Remember we hope, we ALL will live to be 80 years old one day and either ourselves or a loved ones mobility, balance, strength will change.

It takes very little effort to be helpful, when we are mindful of how our actions can impact others. Let's work together to make our community more inclusive

Gina Martin

Diverse Abilities programs and training offers both in person and online training. We teach practica, respectful, easy to impliment strategies, that make workspaces classroom, and communicate, more inclusive and accessible. Check out our programs to see what is right for you. 👇🏽
DiverseAbilities.ca

Photo descriptions
Sidewalks or for people not for obstacles.
There are five images of obstacles blocking a sidewalk. Garbage and recycling bins, a vehicle, scooter and bicycle, overground bushes.
Clear sidewalk support a stronger, more inclusive community.

“Inclusion isn’t complicated, it’s human.”

Inclusion doesn’t happen by checking a box. It happens when we learn how to be human to one another, when we lean into having respectful, sometimes uncomfortable conversations that break through barriers, shift perspectives, and replace bias with positive experiences.

Disability isn’t rare, it’s part of being human.

Every culture, race, gender, age, family, workspace, and community includes disability, yet it is often left out of diversity, equity, and inclusion training. One in ten people are born with a disability, and nine out of ten of us will acquire one at some point in our lives. As we age, our abilities naturally change. Still, disability often remains an avoided or uncomfortable topic.

Why?
We worry about saying the wrong thing. We don’t want to offend. We don’t want to look ignorant. So we stay silent. But when we avoid the topic—or the person—we unintentionally exclude people from our conversations, networks, and communities.

Here’s the truth: people with disabilities are just like everyone else. Our bodies or brains may work differently, but we adapt, problem-solve, and thrive. When leaders hold space for the uncomfortable conversation and learn how to collaborate with people who navigate the world differently, they gain an asset to their team: an outside-the-box thinker with perspectives others may never have considered.

Small shifts make a big difference:
• Greet us directly. Don’t talk only to the person we’re with.
• Ask before helping. Not everyone needs or wants assistance.
• If we say yes, follow our lead.
• Skip “What happened?” and ask instead about our work, passions, and experiences.

Think about your own temporary challenges—a sprained wrist, crutches, plugged ears, migraines. Did kindness help? Did you want to be treated as less capable, or just differently because you had to adapt?

Disability isn’t about “them.” It’s about all of us.

Let’s choose connection over avoidance. Let’s remember that everyone benefits from accessibility. When we provide accommodations, we build spaces where everyone can succeed.

Our programs are practical and rooted in lived experience, kindness and just being human towards each other. Learn easy to implement strategies that make everyone feel welcome and respected. Visit DiverseAbilities.ca to learn more about all we offer.

Photo description Text
Text reads
“Having a disability does not change who we are, it changes our interactions with the world,”

Did you know there are many distinct types of white canes available? All white canes give us different information, helping us to navigate our environment safely. Often different canes are used on different terrains. Canes come in different lengths, have different tips, different hand grip or handle, and are different weights. Some canes fold in half, some in multiple sections (making it easy to store) and some do not fold at all. Some types of canes you may be familiar with are straight or rigid canes, folding canes, telescopic canes, support canes, identification canes (meant to identify the user as blind or having low vision), and others. Most canes are made of a long length of aluminum, fiberglass, or carbon fiber. They have a handle on one end and a tip on the other. Canes are usually white to signify to the public that the person using it is blind or legally blind. Some canes have red on the bottom and some do not. The red on the bottom of a cane means different things in different countries. Some of us choose to decorate our cane as it is an extension of ourselves. A red and white striped cane means the person using it is both deaf and blind. A cane represents freedom and independence to those of us who use it.

Different tips give us different information. The tip of the cane either rolls, glides, or taps on the ground 3-6 feet in front of us, creating sound and vibration which gives us essential information about our environment. Some types of tips available are: marshmallow tip, rolling ball, pencil tip, rolling disc, ceramic tip, metal tip, and more. They can be in different colours and sizes and are made with varied materials.
We feel the vibration from the tip of the cane traveling into the palm of our hand. This allows us to detect a change in texture under the cane’s tip that is in contact with the ground.

The grip or handle makes a difference in our comfort and the information we receive. Things that can make a difference could be the thickness of the grip (width) and the material the grip is made of. They are made of hard or soft plastic, leather, foam, or wood. Some do not have a handle, and some have been custom made. The handle may have grooves for your fingers or be completely smooth. Some have a wrist loop on the end or a small crook, which can be used to store the white cane when not in use.

I have just been made aware of a smart cane that can help avoid overhead obstacles, has voice navigation and voice assist. This cane is called WeWALK and is compatible with your smart phone.

Finding the right cane, lenghth, tip and grip can make all the difference in how comfortable one feels exploring their environment. When we have the mobility device that we feel confident using, we go more places.

A cane signifies freedom and independence to the person who is using it.

Gina Martin
Diverse Abilities offers many programs. Check out what is right for you.
DiverseAbilities.ca

Photo description
The photo on the left has many different types of white cans from support, telescopic, folding and straight. The photo on the right are different types of tips, such as the rolling ball, marshmallow, disc, pencil and metal. 

“You don’t look like you have a disability”

I’ve heard it:
So have so many others in the disability community.

“You don’t look like you have a disability” for myself “You don’t look blind.”
It’s often meant as a compliment, but it’s really, not.

What does disability look like, exactly?
Because you can’t always see chronic pain, PTSD, physically illness. You can’t always se disregulation , brain injuries, mental health, dementia, autoimmune conditions, vision or hearing loss (to mention a few. )

Disability isn’t one look, one diagnosis, or one story. It’s a spectrum, it is varied and it is human.

Here’s the thing:
If someone shares that they have a disability, your job isn’t to evaluate our experience. It’s to believe us, full stop.

Instead of “you don’t look disabled,” try:
“How can I support you?”
or
“Thanks for sharing that with me.”

Words matter.
They can shut someone down, or open the door to real understanding.

Let’s use them to build a world where people don’t have to prove their disability to receive respect.

“Having a disability does not change who we are, it changes our interactions with the world.”-Gina Martin

Diverse Abilities Programs inc.
creating inclusive classrooms, workspaces and communities. Our adAPT programs are rooted in live experience and are formed on IDEAL principles. (Inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and language).
Changing how disabilities are viewed and understood
DiverseAbilities.ca



Photo description
A woman is wearing a sunflower lanyard. A sunflower lanyard identifies to the people around us that we have a non-apparent disability

Home I’m Gina Martin, founder of Diverse Abilities Programs Inc. As a blindness and disability awareness educator, my mission is to help people see disability through a new lens, one grounded in respect, understanding, and practical action.

Understanding Vision Loss
Seems society is unaware of what vision loss, low vision, partially sighted or visually impaired really mean. How can sight loss be explained?

Vision loss is a complex and individualized experience, affecting each person differently. With over dozens of distinct eye conditions and varying degrees of vision within each diagnosis, no two people with vision loss see the same way. Some individuals may see clearly up close but struggle with seeing further away, while others may have the opposite experience. Seeing far away but not close up. Vision loss can affect one or both eyes, and some people may have multiple eye conditions simultaneously in one or both eyes.

When people hear the term "blind," they often assume it means complete darkness. However, most individuals who are blind retain some vision, though it may not always be useful or reliable. A person is considered legally blind when their field of vision is 20 degrees or less or when their vision is 20/200 or worse. To put this into perspective, 20/20 is considered perfect vision. If someone with normal vision sees an object clearly at 200 feet, a person who is legally blind would need to be 20 feet or closer to see the same object.

In fact, about 15% of people who are blind see nothing at all. Describing vision loss can be challenging, but let's explore some common experiences to better understand a few visual perspectives.

Central Vision Loss

Some individuals, including myself, may lose their central vision but retain their peripheral vision or some of it. This means we can see well from the sides but not directly in front of us. To simulate this, place your index fingers directly in front of your eyes and try looking or moving around the room. This type of vision loss often makes it difficult to see details, such as someone's face or objects right in front of us. For many one moment something is there and the next it is gone.

Peripheral Vision Loss

Others may experience the opposite, seeing only what is directly in front of them (central vision) but nothing from the sides. The field of view varies from person to person. To understand this, make a circle with your thumb and index finger, like a toilet paper roll, and put both circles in front of your eyes. Look around the room. If you gradually shrink the circle from the size of a quarter to a pinhole, you'll get an broader idea of how this type of vision loss varies. Moving around can be challenging as you cannot see the ground or stairs ahead, objects above your head or anything coming at you from the sides.

Blind Spots and Blurry Vision

Some individuals have blind spots scattered throughout their vision, while others see everything as blurry or cloudy. Imagine a foggy day where you can see in the distance a layer of fog. As the fog comes closer it becomes harder to see the building down the road then the house across the street. Then It is difficult to see your friend who is only a few feet away. This is a spectrum within an eye condition. This can make navigating and recognizing faces or objects difficult.

Causes and Variables

People can be born blind, lose their sight suddenly due to an accident or illness or develop a condition that gradually worsens over time. Vision loss can occur at any age and often changes with factors such as lighting, color contrast, object size, distance, and eye fatigue. One moment we might see something clearly, and the next, it becomes indistinguishable due to these variables.

Individual Journeys

Each person's vision loss journey is unique. Even with the same diagnosis, the progression and degree of vision loss can differ. Such as our Support systems at home, work or in the community. Access to training or rehabilitation, financial resources, and acceptance of vision loss vary widely among individuals. Some of us live in areas with limited accessibility and opportunities, while others may lack the necessary tools and devices that make life easier.

If you're curious about what what someone can or cannot see, the best approach is to always ask us (the person) you are curious about and never the people we are with.

Just as no two able-bodied individuals are the same, neither are our abilities, confidence, preferences, strengths and stretches. We all also have varying interests and hobbies. All these factors differ from person to person. Those of us with vision loss are different because our eyeballs don’t work well or at all, that is it. We are people first. Be kind to each other, life is tough enough.

Gina Martin
Diverse Abilities Programs offers on line staff training, rooted in practical stratagies promoting dignity and respect. Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Language. IDEAL Team Building.
[email protected]
Book a free 15 minute consultation.
DiverseAbilities.ca

Photo description
There are nine images. All the images are exactly the same. Only different eye conditions are showing a piece of that eye conditions spectrum. The eye condition normal vision, cataract, myopia, MSQRD degeneration, glaucoma, Diabetic, retinopathy, eye floaters, retinitis, pigments, and total blindness