Accessible toilets
My biggest nightmare is being on a journey or day out and not being able to find any acceptable toilet.
Some i need a key to.
How do I apply for that key and do any other folk with chrons have any other strategies?
Hi
, thanks for reaching out. You're certainly not alone in finding the biggest nightmare to be finding accessible toilets when you're out. One of our health leaders wrote about what he called "bathroomphobia" that you might appreciate, https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/bathroomphobia.
As far as the key you mention goes, I'm actually not sure what you're referring to. I know we have some community members who have gotten disability benefits with inflammatory bowel disease, https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/resources-disability, but I'm not aware of any specific key that helps people access toilets. One of our health leaders did also write about various apps she uses including one that helps locate public restrooms, https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/apps-for-crohns-colitis.
Hopefully some of our community members can also chime in here and share some of their strategies. Sending you gentle hugs. -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member)Hi
. Mind if I ask where you are located? I ask because, while the key for accessible toilets is a not really a thing in most of the U.S., it is in England. My wife, Kelly, was diagnosed with the a severe form of a different autoimmune disease (juvenile RA in her case) at age two and has used a wheelchair since childhood. When we went to England a number of years ago a person at the Wimbledon tennis tournament gave a key to my wife that opens basically all of the accessible public restrooms across the country. My understanding is that they are called a RADAR key and this site offers more information: https://news.motability.co.uk/everyday-tips/radar-keys-explained-what-are-they-where-can-i-use-them-and-how-do-i-get-one/. If you are in a different location, but there is a similar system you may be able to find more information through a disability rights organization. Please let us know if you are able to find out more on getting such a key. Best, Richard (Team Member) Your local authority will provide one of the RADAR keys free of charge, but you can buy spares on Amazon quite cheaply. Hope that helps?
