A public inconvenience: better toilets for inclusive travel

Abstract

This coproduced study drew on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to inform a Human Rights-based design. Using photographic images and reflective diaries, twelve participant co-researchers investigated the quality of public toilets when travelling in Scotland for people with dementia and other physical and cognitive impairments. Data were analysed using constant comparison and critically reflexive, group enquiry to produce contextualised evidence of toilet utility from the user perspective.Essential themes revealed major challenges associated with toilet accessibility, usability and design, emphasising the distressing sensory experience of the user when confronted with an inadequate or inaccessible toilet. Substantial overlap in needs was demonstrated but a few unique requirements aligned with specific disabilities were recorded for attention. Our findings highlight two key issues: 1) existing Standards are often unmet; 2) current Standards require review and endorsement by people who represent the full range of access needs.

Dementia-Friendly Transportation Services: A Scoping Review

“…Accessible toilets at transportation hubs were very important for the acceptability of services ( Crampton & Eley, 2013 ; Mathews et al, 2022 ; Peterson et al, 2022 ). In Scotland, in 2018, an innovative qualitative study investigated the case of access to toilets while traveling and using public transportation services ( Mathews et al, 2022 ). For older people living with dementia, access to public toilets was an imperative to using a service.…”

“…For older people living with dementia, access to public toilets was an imperative to using a service. Many aspects of toilets were important, such as the clarity of signs and symbols ( Mathews et al, 2022 ). Their ease of use was important, including design such as confusing buttons, color contrast, lighting and reflections and emergency cords.…”

Employment Survey of Wheelchair Users and Influential Factors Identified in a Social Enterprise in Hong Kong

“…However, relatively few studies have studied their employment-related factors from the perspectives of WCUs. Due to barriers and inadequate considerations in the physical environment including transportation infrastructure, design of toilets (Matthews et al, 2022), WCUs often face more difficulties among those classified as restriction in body movement, and even worse in emergency situations (Qi and Hu, 2020).…”