An article featuring Adam Thomas and his views on accessible kitchen design has appeared in the August 2010 issue of Disability Now Magazine.

Adam talks to Lara Masters about his campaigning days, and how the Access Matters range of furniture came about. Read the full article now at the Disability Now web site.

It is a curious thing when language provokes a very strong reaction in sectors of the public at large, and when those who aren’t ‘in the know’ struggle to understand the source of the problem.

In these politically correct days it’s common enough for us to watch our ‘p’s and q’s’ when it comes to discussions on race and religion, however use of language around disabled people and disability is still not widely discussed or understood even when it sparks just as much unhappiness and frustration. I spoke with Adam Thomas of Design Matters, an expert in accessible kitchen design in the UK, about this thorny issue.

I began by asking Adam why this issue is so close to his heart.

“Well, I’ve been a wheelchair user for nearly thirty years now, and I’ve worked hard throughout this time to promote disability equality. It’s hard to accept that thirty years on, with the Disability Discrimation Act in place, and moves to improve equality in the workplace and out on the streets that the changes haven’t filtered through yet to the language surrounding disability and disabled people.”

So this is personal?

“Yes, it’s personal. I take care with my language. I respect the wishes of others to been seen as a person first, and not just a race or religion. I don’t know why this same courtesy isn’t given to disabled people. We are just people, who happen to use some extra technology to get around, or use a computer. It’s the same as wearing glasses or using the car to get around more quickly.”

“There’s a much-used phrase: ‘See the person, not the disability’. Many non-disabled people I meet want to talk immediately about my wheelchair instead of me. That’s like asking about someone’s glasses as soon as you meet them, instead of chatting to the person. It’s exactly the same thing. I’m a person first, who happens to use a wheelchair to get around. You are a person who happens to use glasses to see better. As I said, it’s exactly the same thing.”

And you find some very strange use of language in your working life?

“Yes, I design kitchens for disabled people, and because I am disabled myself I’ve had to train my non-disabled colleagues at work to use the right language in speaking to my clients.”

“We don’t call our kitchens ‘disabled kitchens’, for example. A kitchen cannot be disabled! Another common one is ‘disability kitchens’, which makes no sense at all. Kitchens are kitchens. Some are adapted to make them more accessible, and this means they work better for everyone, not just disabled people.”

“We call our kitchens ‘accessible kitchens’, which means they are designed so that our clients can reach just about every cupboard and worksurface. It’s a very specialised field, and we take great pride in doing a good job, and using language that will not alienate or discourage people.”

“Some of my clients are older people, who have impaired grip and reach. They may not consider themselves disabled, so an ‘accessible kitchen’ fits the bill. Other clients have a progressive condition such as Muscular Dystrophy or Multiple Sclerosis which means they need as much flexibility as possible in future years. Here again an accessible kitchen means they will be able to remain independent and enjoy a good quality of life for longer.”

And you design kitchens for disabled people too?

“Of course, I’ve designed hundreds of kitchens for disabled people, but they’re all individuals so each kitchen is different. Apart from the furniture, most of the appliances we use are standard models that have some good accessible features. We use the same ovens and hobs in our standard and accessible kitchens.”

So what will it take for things to change for good?

“I suppose more articles like this. The web will allow editorial comment to hang around for longer, so exposing the problem in this way is sure to have an effect eventually. I just wish there was more general debate on this subject. There are 10 million disabled people in the UK, so we’re not talking about a minority group here.”

As I take my leave of Adam I ponder the challenge. Disability equality, it’s not such a big ask, is it?