Ask before you help, then do what they say
Grabbing a wheelchair or an arm without asking is both dangerous and startlingly common.
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The BeingKind editorsPublished How this is written
Why it lands
A wheelchair is part of someone's body, and pushing it unasked is the equivalent of picking a stranger up. It is also genuinely unsafe — sudden movement can cause a fall or injury, and the person cannot see who is behind them. The instinct is kind and the execution removes the one thing disability already erodes, which is control over what happens to your own body.
How
Ask, wait for an answer, and do exactly what they say rather than what you think would help. If they say no, that is the end of it. Talk to them rather than to whoever is with them.
Answer if you want. It changes which ideas are shown first.
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A written list of what else helps in the same situation.
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