Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Guidance Surrounding the ADA and Covid-19 (self.Blind)
submitted by Plaths_socks
Hi everyone. I am hoping for some guidance surrounds the ADA and Covid-19. Let me explain some background information:
My sister is legally blind. Her five year old son was recently diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia and has frequent emergency room visits to the local hospital and Boston. Boston has been very accommodating, however, our local hospital has been iffy. We just arrived at the local hospital at 1:00am and they immediately asked me, my sister's sight guide, to leave. My sister explained her situation and she had forgotten her cane at home (she just started using one as people are more willing to accommodate when they see she uses a cane). The RN wouldn't allow me back with my sister and her son and instructed me to wait in the car. I talked to the receptionist about who to talk to about this concern and she told me there is no one, that the RN is the supervisor. She pointed to a board across the ro with legal papers and said I could look there for a compliance hotline or something. She explained to me that because my sister can "wasn't entirely blind and could still see" and "she was not alone she had someone with her (the RN who was going to be frequently leaving the room)" that they were being ADA compliant.
Anyways, I'm really pissed off because my sister is under enough stress and anxiety and I hate that she has issues like this so often. I want to know if the hospital is being ethical. The didn't demonstrate any compassion.
Sincerely,
A heartbroken sister/aunt angry crying from her car in the emergency room parking lot.
My sister is legally blind. Her five year old son was recently diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia and has frequent emergency room visits to the local hospital and Boston. Boston has been very accommodating, however, our local hospital has been iffy. We just arrived at the local hospital at 1:00am and they immediately asked me, my sister's sight guide, to leave. My sister explained her situation and she had forgotten her cane at home (she just started using one as people are more willing to accommodate when they see she uses a cane). The RN wouldn't allow me back with my sister and her son and instructed me to wait in the car. I talked to the receptionist about who to talk to about this concern and she told me there is no one, that the RN is the supervisor. She pointed to a board across the ro with legal papers and said I could look there for a compliance hotline or something. She explained to me that because my sister can "wasn't entirely blind and could still see" and "she was not alone she had someone with her (the RN who was going to be frequently leaving the room)" that they were being ADA compliant.
Anyways, I'm really pissed off because my sister is under enough stress and anxiety and I hate that she has issues like this so often. I want to know if the hospital is being ethical. The didn't demonstrate any compassion.
Sincerely,
A heartbroken sister/aunt angry crying from her car in the emergency room parking lot.
CloudyBeep 2 points 2y ago
i think you should call the National Federation of the Blind. I'm sure that you're not the only person in the country to have experienced this.
Plaths_socks [OP] 2 points 2y ago
I will try reaching out to see if they have any information to share, thank you for the suggestion!
Riyeko 1 points 2y ago
Try and see if theres an office in your area. The folks that work in the near building may have mobility specialists, life coaches and other people who work in the area being advocates who are trained for situations like this.
They might be able to offer up more information than a plain google search.
They might be able to offer up more information than a plain google search.
AllHarlowsEve 2 points 2y ago
I'm having a hell of a time finding anything about how covid affects the ADA outside of in work situations, but as far as I know, there's not actually protections for a guide human.
Plaths_socks [OP] 2 points 2y ago
That's what I was afraid. Unfortunately I'm sure there won't be any repercussions. At the very least I plan to draft letter explaining how the lack of compassion made a stressful situation so much more difficult. If she was at least friendly my sister (and myself) would have been a lot more comfortable with needing to part ways. She told me that she went to the bathroom and when she returned the RN stopped at the room at asked using a taunting tone "did you make it back from the bathroom okay?" My sister said yes and the lady just walked away without saying anything else.
siriuslylupin6 1 points 2y ago
Are you sure they were as mean as you are saying and the nurse wasn’t just being herself? Or just kind of unemotional.
siriuslylupin6 1 points 2y ago
I don’t see why you need to be there Ada compliance is them helping her out. Pandemic or not I do not allow anyone to go with me. The hospital and clinic is suppose to help me if I need help reading things or guiding me if I need to go someplace or giving me guidance instructions. This is part of acomodations. This is normal and usual. I think you just need to not overreact.
Envrin 1 points 2y ago
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Not to sound callous or anything, but there is a once in a century global pandemic going on that's killing tons of people left and right.
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I can only speak for myself up here in Canada, but as of late I've had a good number of medical appointments in clinics and hospitals (optomologist, neurologist, MRI, blood work for genetic tests,, blah, blah), and never is someone allowed to accompany me. I'm totally blind with no vision, but reagrdless of whether I'm with family, friend or assistant, I just get dumped at the outside door and am on my own.
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I guess we've never tried, but I highly doubt they'd allow anyone to accompany me, as it should be IMO. Once I get in through the front door, the nurses / staff take over and guide me as necessary. Once I'm done, I'm shown the outside door again, and call whoever I'm with for a pick up.
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In my opinion, this is as it should be, and I'm assuming is just the norm throughout Canada. Sure it's an inconvenience and it'd be much easier to have someone I know help me out while in the hospital / clinic, but again, we are in a once in a century pandemic.
Not to sound callous or anything, but there is a once in a century global pandemic going on that's killing tons of people left and right.
​
I can only speak for myself up here in Canada, but as of late I've had a good number of medical appointments in clinics and hospitals (optomologist, neurologist, MRI, blood work for genetic tests,, blah, blah), and never is someone allowed to accompany me. I'm totally blind with no vision, but reagrdless of whether I'm with family, friend or assistant, I just get dumped at the outside door and am on my own.
​
I guess we've never tried, but I highly doubt they'd allow anyone to accompany me, as it should be IMO. Once I get in through the front door, the nurses / staff take over and guide me as necessary. Once I'm done, I'm shown the outside door again, and call whoever I'm with for a pick up.
​
In my opinion, this is as it should be, and I'm assuming is just the norm throughout Canada. Sure it's an inconvenience and it'd be much easier to have someone I know help me out while in the hospital / clinic, but again, we are in a once in a century pandemic.
[deleted] 1 points 2y ago
I am curious about this as well. My husband is low vision and we were just talking this morning about how we thought they would have to allow me to accompany him to things like that because he needs assistance reading signs, pay terminals, signing documents (supposed to read them first, right?)
Maybe that can be your angle. If she is legally blind I would assume reading HIPAA notifications and consent to treatment would be difficult. Ask that nurse if she plans to stand there and read the whole thing out loud to your sister!
Maybe that can be your angle. If she is legally blind I would assume reading HIPAA notifications and consent to treatment would be difficult. Ask that nurse if she plans to stand there and read the whole thing out loud to your sister!
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