21 hard to hold a fork and knife and sign at the same time!
Work hard to provide a comfortable secure environment for all of your guests.
Equipment is Essential Imagine being unable to hear an alarm clock, a doorbell, or a smoke alarm. In addition to assistive technology to help them hear and communicate, your deaf guests need to be assured of their ability to feel safe and secure in an unknown environment. Obtain high decibel flashing smoke detectors if you don’t already have them. One way to do this is with a portable “hotel kit.” These kits include smoke alarms, door signalers, and even teletypes; see the “resources” listing below. Having a kit on hand also helps ensure your compliance with the ADA—and ADA compliance may lead to tax benefits in addition to avoiding potential lawsuits. Be sure that your entry ways and parking areas have good lighting. It can be daunting coming in late on a dark night when you cannot hear anything indicating danger or risks around you.
Be hospitable Open your heart and home to a new community of people. Preparation is the key to creating the right atmosphere. Your entire staff should be well aware of special needs and accommodations. Do your best to screen communication needs during the first contact. Is the guest calling via relay service? Ask them to identify things you can do to communicate effectively during their stay. Use demonstration rather than description—show the steps to operate the door locks, coffee maker, etc. Utilize a clearly drawn exit map and walk through it with them. Recognize that communicating in a group is often difficult for a deaf or hard of hearing person. Not only must they make a conscious effort to reformat the information they wish to share, but they often must strain to hear, visually track and interpret the information others are sharing. Identify support staff with knowledge of American Sign Language (not necessarily interpreters) for use, as needed. If you’re offering Murder Mystery Dinners or other events that are language-laden, you’ll need to plan to provide interpreters for your deaf guests. Make a plan Eliminate the barriers. Become familiar with equipment used by the deaf and hard of hearing. Access information from local resources about agencies that serve deaf and hard of hearing persons. Identify your sources for equipment and interpreters, if you choose to go that route and ensure that you’re in compliance with federal regulations. Although most deaf people view their condition as a culture rather than a disability, it does fall under the Americans with Disability Act, and the same standards apply.
Finally, this is a market that is underserved by our industry. Envision the possibilities! ■ Gwenn Henderson Eyer is the innkeeper owner of Blessings on State Bed & Breakfast in Jacksonville, Illinois. Passionate about innkeeping, she holds a B.S. in home economics education and recently earned a Master Certificate in Essentials of Hospitality Management from Cornell University. Twenty plus years after adopting her first four children, she is loving life with her husband and their newly adopted 7-year-old daughter—who just happens to be deaf.
Resources
Reaching out to Customers with Disabilities http://www.ada.gov/reachingout/intro1.htm ADA Kits—www.Harriscomm.com Portable communication kits that include text telephones, visual alarms and visual notification devices are available on the market at relatively modest cost.
ADA Information
You may view or download ADA information on the ADA website. This website provides access to the ADA Business Connection, ADA design standards, regulations, policy letters, technical assistance materials, and general ADA information. It also provides links to other Federal agencies and news about new ADA requirements and enforcement efforts. www.ada.gov If you have specific questions concerning the ADA, call the Department of Justice ADA Information Line. (800) 514-0301 (voice) (800) 514-0383 (TTY) Disabled Access Credit (DAC), a tax incentive to encourage small businesses to comply with the ADA. — http://askjan.org/media/tax. html OR contact a local Internal Revenue Service office: http://www.irs.gov/businesses http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/ browser.htm—visually demonstrates ASL common words and phrases you choose from alphabetical lists.
summer 2011 • innkeeping quarterly