VETERINARY HOSPITAL EVALUATION AND SUGGESTIONS TO MAXIMIZE USABILITY FOR CLIENTS WITH MOBILITY DISABILITIES and PROMOTING PUBLIC HEALTH THROUGH PET THERAPY

Abstract

Usability/Accessibility Project Abstract Accessible and usable environments allow people with mobility disabilities to fully participate in every-day activities such as purchasing groceries, eating out at a restaurant, and going to the doctor’s office. When business owners and local community leaders are unaware of potential accessibility barriers, it becomes easy to inadvertently exclude persons with disabilities from being able to fully engage in their community. Many veterinary hospitals have structural limitations which can cause accessibility challenges for pet owners with mobility disabilities, including elderly clients. This project had three major aims. The first aim focused on determining the current level of usability amongst veterinary hospitals in Kansas for clients with mobility-related disabilities by visiting and evaluating 10 veterinary hospitals in Northeast Kansas. The second aim focused on establishing baseline data on veterinarian’s current knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and awareness of potential physical barriers within their hospitals by distributing a survey online and at a local conference. The third aim concentrated on improving awareness and providing suggestions for usability improvement to veterinary hospitals. By increasing cognizance of potential access concerns and providing suggestions for improvement, this research study can be a catalyst for positive change within the veterinary community by improving usability of hospitals for clients with mobility-related disabilities.