Is it Rude to Not Offer Help to Someone with a Disability?

In our politically correct society, what we say and do can so easily be taken out of context and used against us. An antiquated term that was harmless a generation ago is now considered taboo and should not be uttered, or a stereotype that causes great hurt to an individual. The same is true if we offer help or if we refrain from helping someone who could be in need of assistance. With that in mind, is it rude to not offer help to someone with a disability if they appear to be experiencing a medical emergency?

When assessing whether or not a disabled person needs medical help, you should find out whether they really need help before you go charging full steam ahead to try and "help" them. Conversely, some people are afraid of offering help to disabled people for fear of being told to go away and leave them alone. But it can be considered rude to not offer help if you are in a position to offer genuine assistance that is required but then fail to do so and walk on by, hoping that someone else will help.

If you are not sure of the correct procedure or how to display disability etiquette, just ask. Approach the person in question and ask if they need help. Do they have a medical emergency? Can you call someone for them? It is far better to be told that there is no need for assistance than to wonder and miss out on the opportunity of providing someone with some much needed assistance when they could really do with it. Your conscience will likely bother you if you pass by a person who is disabled and in need of assistance and you have failed to stop what you were doing to help.

The bottom line is that it can be considered rude to not help a person who is disabled if there is a genuine need. But it goes further than not displaying the correct manners. Not helping a person in need can mean the difference between life and death and you will be held accountable by the authorities if you have not rendered assistance to a person in need of medical assistance. If in doubt about whether actual help is required, approach the person and discreetly find out if you can help or find someone else who is in a better position to be of assistance.