How to make your house party accessible for people with disabilities

In this article you will learn how to make a house party accessible for people with disabilities.

Consider if your place is appropriate

If you live in a place with only stairs to the entrance you may want to consider another place for the house party. You might want to consider another place if your place has a pet that can trigger allergies.

It's possible that your house will be more accessible than local clubs. This depends on where you are in the world.

Invitations

You may want to encourage people to send you any needs they have regarding accessibility. Many of them will be outlined below.

Some people have to rely on taxis so putting clear start and end times on invitations could be helpful. If you think that the party will end up at another venue by a certain time then this information on the invitations will be helpful.

If you are posting invitations you may want to make sure that the text is easy to read. Go with black text on white background. A large and clear font is also good.

Entrance

If you only have a few stairs to the house you may want to consider getting a portable ramp for wheelchairs.

Good lighting on the entry point can help avoid accidents.

Ensure that there's enough room for a wheelchair to go and nothing is blocking their access to the entrance. Be careful where cars are parked; tell guests not to park on foot paths.

Some buildings close their accessible entrance at a certain time. This could be a problem if a party in an apartment complex. You may want to speak to the building manager so they keep the entrance open or give you a key to it.

Pathways and rooms

Make sure pathways to key rooms are fairly wide and on the same level. Key rooms could include the main partying room, the toilet and where food for guests is stored.

People in wheelchairs may have trouble if there isn't enough room to turn around in the rooms.

It's helpful if pathways outside the party area have good lighting too; this makes it easier for people to navigate.

Outside parties

If you're having the party outside ensure that the toilet is easy to get to. If your party is primarily on grass then it is better if a concrete area is also available and a concrete path to the area exists some mobility aids don't go cope well with grass.

Eye tracking devices can fail when the sun is out so you may have to have a very shaded area for people that use such devices.

Seating

Some people have trouble standing for long periods so it's good if seating is available. Ensure that seating is level and steady, especially if on the grass.

Strobe lights

Some people don't cope with strobes so you may want to ask if people can cope with strobes. Alternatively you could ask people to let the host know if they have a problem with strobe lights when you send out invitations.

If you know of people who have a problem with strobes then a strobe free party is an option.

Fragrances

Some people may be sensitive to odors. To cater to such people tell your guests not to have fragrances on them. You should also ensure that the relevant rooms of your house are fragrance-free.

Be aware of obstacles

Some people leave drinks on the floor and this can be problematic for many people. Encourage others to leave drinks on tables instead.

Food and drink

Also ask guests on the invitations if they have any allergies and label food with possible allergy triggers. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free are good options.

If it's not B.Y.O. (Bring Your Own) drinks you may want to have low alcohol and non-alcoholic options. Many people with disabilities can have alcohol but some cannot.

It's good if plastic straws are available as some people can't drink out of cups.

Catering to care givers

People may bring care givers so you may want to have some food and drink for them.

Storage area

Some people may want to store their mobility aids so you may want somewhere to store them.

Toilets

You may want to install a grab bar next to the toilet to assist some people. If you are catering to people with oder sensitivities you probably want to buy fragrance-free and ensure that all other products are fragrance-free.

Smoking

Some people can't be around others who smoke due to health reasons. Ensuring that you have a non smoking area is probably worthwhile.

Break/Quiet Room

You may want to have a break/quiet room as some people may need breaks from your party.

Interactions

Some people have strange ideas when it comes to people with disabilities and don't always know how they communicate. You may have to introduce the guest and explain to them how the person with a disability communicates.

Non-verbal communication

Some people are unable to communicate verbally but may be able to type on a screen. It's great if people read screens if it's necessary. However they shouldn't read the screen randomly since you don't always know what's going to be up there.

Some people type slowly but may be fine if you have other conversations while they reply. Drunken people tend to forget that they have conversations; so make sure you don't do that.

Reasonably sober attendees

It's great to have reasonably sober attendees in case anything goes wrong.

Going somewhere else

If you go somewhere else it would be a great idea to book accessible transport for those who need it and make sure that the venues you're going to are accessible. Depending on the city that you're in, it might be best to book the transport a week or two before your party.

Video conferencing

If for some reason people can't show up maybe they can still appear on video conferencing platforms. Popular platforms include Facebook Messenger video rooms, Skype and Zoom.