In addition to living with an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 due to having suppressed immune systems or living in care homes, some disabled people also experienced a halt in their regular health and social care support.
Although lockdowns and sheltering in place has been tough for many of us—for others it’s simply part of our lives—they’re vital for curbing the spread of COVID. Research shows that lockdowns in 11 European countries were associated with an average 82% reduction in COVID-19 transmission.
Despite the isolation and feeling lost, though, there are some good things that have come out of the pandemic for disabled people.
Pre-pandemic, disabled people struggled to find jobs that accommodated their access needs, like flexible working schedules and working from home. But the pandemic afforded opportunities to work from whichever part of the home was most comfortable, be it the bed, sofa, kitchen table, or even the bathroom.
Dr. Amy Kavanagh, for example, is a visually impaired disability activist who was able to launch her own freelance accessibility consultancy from home.
“For decades, disabled people have been told that working from home wasn’t possible. But within weeks of the pandemic it was the new normal," Kavanagh tells Verywell.
“Having the flexibility of home working become normalized meant I had the confidence to launch as a freelancer,” she says. “Now I deliver trainings, give talks, and work on projects—all from the comfort of my home office. It means I can dedicate more time to working and growing a businesses instead of being exhausted by battling an inaccessible commute.”
Thankfully, food deliveries became massively accessible online, and supermarkets made it much easier to get groceries through apps.
Instacart, for example, introduced the “Fast and Flexible” app order feature. This allowed customers to opt for the first available delivery slot in their area instead of waiting. Instacart also introduced an order-ahead function, allowing customers to place orders up to two weeks in advance.
Contactless delivery was another boon for the disabled. While immunocompromised people have braced for judgement for making such requests in the past, now, contactless delivery is the norm.
Hope Lanter, AuD, is a North Carolina-based audiologist who has been meeting with patients for hearing tests and hearing aid fittings via telehealth over the last several months.
“Telehealth has significantly changed my job, but one of the biggest changes is the amount of patients I am able to see in a day,” Lanter tells Verywell. “It not only saves time for the patient, but also the provider. It has greatly expanded access to hearing loss treatment.”
English dancer Kate Stanforth began hosting free weekly dance sessions on Zoom during lockdown in 2020 to help those who felt alone. She was shocked when hundreds of people joined from all over the world. In March 2021, she launched her own inclusive dance academy, Kate Stanforth Academy of Dance, which specializes in teaching people with disabilities and chronic illnesses, both online and in person.
“I have been able to become self-employed in my dream career and support a community of dancers worldwide each week.” Stanforth says. “Going forward, I don’t want that to change.”
