In Latino cultures, it is expected that adult children will care for their parents at some point in their lives, and the likelihood of doing so increases with age. While caring for aging parents can be very rewarding, it also comes with its own difficulty and stress.
For as long as I can remember, I have been my parents’ caregiver. Even before they acquired disabilities, I recall having to advocate for their health when I was very young. I remember interpreting and translating for them when there was no one to do so in clinics and hospitals. Asking them questions about their physical and mental health, topics which sometimes can be taboo in the Latino community. All of this, long before I knew what effective communication was and what disability rights they were entitled to.
In my dad’s later years, I missed work deadlines and class presentations to drive him to specialists far away. I juggled a full courseload as an undergrad and held two jobs to support myself and family. And while I am glad I was able to spend as much time as I did with him, I found myself frequently experiencing burnout and severe anxiety and depression.
The upside of this experience is that I now understand how laws like the ADA provide protection for people with disabilities, including my parents. Now, as my mom has gotten older, she has developed mobility issues and chronic illnesses, including hypertension and hypothyroidism. People like her, may have disabilities under the definition in the ADA when age-related changes in function make it more difficult to get around at home, participate in their community, or go to work.
Sometimes, people who are aging often do not think of themselves as having a disability. According to the ADA, having a “physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity” means a person has a disability.
In fact, over 30 percent of Americans aged 65 and older have some type of disability, with this number surpassing 50 percent for those over 75. Disabilities can range from difficulties in seeing, hearing, walking, and thinking. Under the ADA, it is not the cause of the disability that matters, but what it means in everyday life.
In Latino communities, disability presents its own unique challenges and complications due to a combination of cultural, economic, and systemic factors. As I have experienced, many Latino families face language barriers that complicate access to healthcare, educational resources, and support services. This often results in delayed diagnoses and inadequate care for disabled individuals.
Furthermore, the cultural stigmas and misconceptions about disability can lead to social isolation and reduced opportunities for integration and employment.
So, how do laws like the ADA help?
The good news is that laws like the ADA have brought about changes in the last 33 years that help people, like aging parents with disabilities, to take part in all aspects of life regardless of their age or physical condition.
The ADA and other civil rights laws give people with disabilities rights and create obligations for organizations. The ADA also covers several key areas to ensure equal opportunities and access for people with disabilities.
Some of these areas include:
Employment
Employers may not discriminate against people because of their disability if they can do their job with an accommodation. This accommodation may be needed to help employees with disabilities succeed in their workplace by making changes to their environment or schedule, as long as it does not present an “undue hardship” for their employer.
For example, if an employee is experiencing age-related vision loss, they may request a larger monitor or a screen reader to help them access their computer screens. These types of changes are known as reasonable accommodations.
Now more than ever, people continue to work past the traditional retirement age. If someone starts having problems doing their work due to health or physical problems, they may be eligible under the ADA for workplace accommodations.
Additionally, employers must ensure non-discriminatory practices in hiring, promotion, and accommodations in the workplace.
Transportation and Travel
Public transportation is mandated to be accessible to people with disabilities. Taxi companies are required to provide accessible service. This means that if a customer uses a mobility device, they cannot be refused service.
Also, people with disabilities also have protections when flying, including being able to bring their service animal. I know personally how intimidating an airport can be to someone who encounters language barriers and has mobility difficulties. Airports have designated wheelchair assistance that helps travelers transport from entrances to gates at airport terminals. Airport accessibility is covered under the ADA, but the accessibility of the airplane is covered under the Air Carrier Access Act.
Public Services
Places of public accommodation, including restaurants, hotels, retail stores, and doctor’s offices, must be physically accessible to people with disabilities. Additionally, they must provide reasonable modifications of policies, practices, and procedures, and auxiliary aids and services when they are requested, as long as it is not an undue burden to the business.
For example, if a person with age-related vision loss visits a restaurant and has difficulty reading the menu, they may request assistance and a restaurant should provide a menu in an alternative format that works for that person, such as in large print or should offer to read it aloud to them.
Another example is providing accessible parking spaces for people with mobility difficulties.
Healthcare
Under the ADA, health care providers, including medical facilities and clinics such as dentists’ offices, must provide reasonable modifications to patients. Health care providers must provide assistance with communication if needed.
This might mean that a person needs help filling out a form or reading smaller print materials before a person signs for them. As a young person, knowing that medical facilities needed to provide this type of effective communication by way of an auxiliary aid, such as large print, for example, would have increased the level of care for my parents.
Housing
Accessibility in housing is covered under the Fair Housing Act, which is enforced by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This applies to buildings that have more than four units and must be physically accessible. Additionally, housing must provide reasonable accommodations and modifications to tenants with disabilities.
For example, a housing provider might provide designated parking that is closer to a door if a person has a mobility disability.
Digital Accessibility
Digital accessibility refers to the practice of designing and developing digital content and technologies that can be accessed and used by people with disabilities. It can include websites, applications, documents, and other digital resources.
In general, digital accessibility is important for people with a wide range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological disabilities.
Inaccessible web content, for example, means that people with disabilities are denied equal access to information. An inaccessible website can exclude people just as much as steps at an entrance to a physical location (due to a lack of an accessible ramp).
As we all know, in recent years, a multitude of services have moved online, and people rely on websites like never before for all aspects of daily living.
For example, accessing voting information, finding up-to-date health and safety resources, and looking up mass transit schedules and fare information increasingly depend on having access to websites.
Ensuring web accessibility for people with disabilities is a priority for the Department of Justice (DOJ), which enforces the ADA.
Conclusion
I wish I had known how laws like the ADA provided protection for my parents when I was younger. It would have made balancing caregiving with personal life a bit easier. I now know going forward that laws like these exist to protect the civil rights of people and provide them with accommodations/modifications they need to navigate life with a little more dignity.
Despite these challenges, I also look forward to the growing efforts within the Latino community to raise awareness, advocate for inclusive policies, and provide support networks that address the specific needs of Latinos with disabilities. And as we approach the 34th anniversary of the ADA, my hope is that as we continue to share our stories, we learn more about ways to further remove barriers and promote full participation in society for individuals with disabilities, regardless of their age.