Accessibility Life Hacks

Autistic teens are not toddlers.

Autistic adults are not children.

Your 23 year-old autistic cousin does not have “the mind of a 7 year-old.”

Stop calling autistic men “buddy.” Stop calling autistic women “sweetie.”

Don’t act like it’s a crime to swear in front of an autistic adult.

Don’t assume that because someone is nonverbal, they can’t understand what is going on. ESPECIALLY don’t assume that they can’t communicate at all.

You know all those post-it notes that populate your world? I figured out a great way to get all of those things DONE. - I know someone else may have thought of it already, but oh well :)

Step 1: Write all the things you need to do on your sticky note

Step 2: On the back, write a number (these are points)

Step 3: Every time you do a task, take down the note and collect your points

Step 4: Once you collect enough points (10, 20, 50) cash them in for a treat! Make it fun! ADHD brains love fun!

If I want my afternoon cappuccino, I must collect 15 points.

Remember, keep it simple. Don’t just write “clean the house”. Try smaller pieces like “empty the dishwasher” and “take out trash”.

This might be old news, and I apologise if it is, but I recently found a way to make an iPhone screen darker than the conventional settings allow. This could definitely be useful for people who have sensory issues with light. I often find that even the lowest brightness setting when using the slider on the control panel can be painful.

This can be a bit complex, but I’m going to try and make it as easy to understand as possible.

- Open Settings, then go to General > Accessibility > Zoom.

- Turn Zoom on.

- Exit the Settings app, and then tap the screen three times with three fingers to bring up a menu.

- Press “Choose filter”, and then select “Low Light Filter”.

- Press “Full Screen Zoom”.

- Toggle the slider on the bottom to your liking (you can zoom it all the way out if you don’t need to use the zoom feature.)

And that’s it. You’ve got a low light filter!

The only problem is that it can make the screen a bit laggy, but it can be good if you’re not doing much typing.

t can be extremely overwhelming to need/begin using a wheelchair. Resources and advice from disabled people can be hard to find. Here is a collection of helpful links and mini-essays from people with lived experience!

Resources for free/donated/discounted chairs

Discounted manual wheelchairs

Amazon has a decent selection of reasonably-priced wheelchairs

Great selection of chairs with a range of prices

Buy customized power wheelchairs at an affordable price. Non-profit organization

Guide to choosing the right chair

Fact sheet on manual wheelchairs (basic types, what to look for, etc)

Wheelchair-pushing tips for caregivers and loved ones

Tips for part-time wheelchair users

Lots of wheelchair tips from someone with firsthand experience

Advice on choosing a chair, accessories, etc.

When is it time to upgrade to a new mobility aid?

[ID: tweet by @annieelainey: “Please leave accessibility info in your event invites. This is just as important as a damn dress code or price of tickets.

iWalk 2.0 Hands-free Crutch (~$150)

This is a really clever device that can take the pressure off your underarms & shoulders, let you rest your lower leg, and give you an extra hand too!