PEOPLE WITH disabilities are still facing major obstacles in their social lives due to physical and social barriers, a survey published by Enable Ireland for yesterday’s launch of the charity’s action week.
Going to a restaurant was singled out as the most difficult social activity, by both people with disabilities and carers.
While only 14 per cent of people with disabilities were going out socially on a daily basis 40 per cent said they would like to. The greatest disparity was seen in the number of people who felt able to attend concerts – 46 per cent of people with disabilities said they went to a concert once a year but 86 per cent said they would like to.
As much as 70 per cent of participants with disabilities felt that physical barriers limited their social life, while the largest number of carers and parents reported feeling that social attitudes were affecting people with disabilities the most.
“It is difficult to give a cut and dry answer to why that is,” said a spokeswoman for Enable Ireland.
It may be that parents are more sensitive to perceived negative attitudes while “adults with disabilities are more able to speak up for themselves”.
Still, among people with disabilities over 40 per cent felt that social attitudes were a problem.
One survey participant commented, “The physical access is one part then there is awareness of staff — will they try their best, will they have some knowledge or will they be condescending and patronising?” Over half of the parents surveyed said their child never played sports and only a little more than half said their child goes to the cinema once a month.