Empowering Seniors: The ADA’s Lasting Impact
July 4, 2024 | Benaroya Community Services, Health & Wellness, Resources
Celebrating the ADA’s Positive Impact in Senior Living
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 stands as a cornerstone of civil rights legislation. The law ensures that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else, from employment, transportation, and communications to state and local government programs and services.
President George H.W. Bush said at the law’s signing law, “It will ensure that people with disabilities are given the basic guarantees for which they have worked so long and so hard: independence, freedom of choice, control of their lives, the opportunity to blend fully and equally into the rich mosaic of the American mainstream.”
The ADA’s requirements have helped millions of individuals – including senior citizens! Here are three surprising benefits from the ADA that have enhanced the lives of older Americans.
- Community access. Beyond wheelchair ramps and accessible bathroom stalls, the ADA opened spaces like parks, libraries, and museums. Government agencies and public businesses are required to accommodate disabilities. For example, their communications must be understandable to all people regardless of vision or hearing loss, which means seniors with hearing loss (22%) and/or vision impairment (18%) can be included. In addition, public and private transportation services and parking spaces must be accessible. About 1 in 4 seniors have mobility challenges. These changes have not only enhanced seniors’ ability to participate in community life but improved their overall quality of life.
- Technology advancement and support. The ADA expanded the demand for assistive technology (AT), products that help those with disabilities function. This push for AT led to technological innovations and changes. Within five years of the ADA’ passage, Microsoft included AT in their operating system software, and a web browser that translated text into speech was invented. Within a decade, web accessibility guidelines were established. The ADA covers the purchase of assistive technology for home and vehicle modifications that make independent living easier. Technology that has transformed daily living for seniors, such as voice-activated devices, screen text enlargement, and deaf telecommunication (TTD) improvements, were in great part driven by the requirements of the ADA.
- Legal protections. The ADA includes legal protections that empower seniors to work and live as they want. The law protects people whether they are born with a disability or have acquired one because of an accident or aging. Prejudices in hiring, promotions, and accommodations due to age-related acquired disabilities are prohibited. Also protected are loved ones of people with disabilities. For instance, an employer cannot discriminate against an employee who is caring for their partner with Alzheimer’s over concerns that the employee may miss work frequently. This legal backbone reinforces the right of older adults to work and engage in society without facing prejudice due to changes as they and their loved ones grow older.
Despite these advancements, the journey toward a fully inclusive society continues. Disability is a natural part of the diversity that shapes our human experience.
As we observe Disability Pride Month, let’s reflect on the progress made and the paths yet to be paved. The ADA has not only reshaped infrastructure and policy but has also redefined what it means to offer truly exceptional senior care—care that respects dignity, ensures independence, and enriches lives. Kline Galland values each individual and wants all seniors to thrive in their own unique way.
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Sources: ADA.gov; CDC; NIDCD; Health Policy Institute; SeniorNavigator.org; NDI; WXXI; Stanford; MN Council on Disability; Northeast ADA Center; Disability Rights WA
