Choosing accessibility
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I like to support businesses that support accessibility.
So when it came time to book accommodation for my central North Island holiday 5 Acres Bed and Breakfast was an obvious choice.
5 Acres is an independent bed and breakfast run by hosts Jacinta and Mike. In 2015, they built their new house both for themselves and with guests in mind. The house is tucked into a hill, and there are steps from the drive to the entrance. However, they’ve had the foresight to future-proof the house for when they get older by including a residential lift from the driveway-level garage to the upper storey. This lift, plus features like spacious rooms, wider-than-usual hallways, and a guest bedroom with a walk-in shower room, make the house more accessible than the usual residential property.
It would be great to see a lot more new houses constructed with accessibility in mind. Then any occupants or visitors with a permanent or a temporary disability (such as a broken leg) can still enter the house, move about comfortably, and have access to essentials like the bathroom.
It turns out that 5 Acres is not the only connection with accessibility for Jacinta and Mike. During my stay, I had the privilege of meeting Ursula, Jacinta’s mum. Ursula is deaf in one ear and has a hearing dog named Bukka that has been with her for the past ten years. Hearing dogs like Bukka are different from the guide dogs that assist people with vision impairment, and I learned a bit about them during my stay.
Bukka trained for her role through the New Zealand charitable trust organisation, Hearing Dogs. As you would imagine, Bukka acts as Ursula’s ears and alerts her to the everyday sounds most of us take for granted, like when the phone rings, someone is at the door, or the kitchen timer is beeping. One of the few downsides of having Bukka as a companion is needing to carry a pocketful of dog snacks at all times!
Hearing Dogs was established in 1998 and is based in New Plymouth. Canines of all sorts can be trained as Hearing Dogs and, once ready for service, have the legal right to accompany their human into any public place or vehicle. Visit their website to learn more about how this organisation is helping people with hearing loss live more independently.
I encourage you to patronise small businesses that willingly provide accessible facilities. Or ask your favourite businesses to consider becoming more accessible.
It will be a win for everyone. The business will attract new customers that would not otherwise have visited, and increased accessibility might just be useful to you, your family, or your friends - now or in the future.
