Please review these important principles to remember when communicating and interacting with people.

DIGNITY means respecting and treating every person (including persons with a disability) as valued and as deserving of effective and full service as any other person.

INDEPENDENCE means freedom from control or influence of others, freedom to make your own choices.

INTEGRATION is the intermixing of people or groups previously segregated.

EQUALITY is the state of being equal especially in status, rights and opportunities.

Def’n: DisabilityA disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.

Assistive DevicesAn assistive device is a tool, technology or other mechanism that enables a person with a disability to do everyday tasks and activities, such as moving, communicating or lifting. Personal assistive devices can include wheelchairs, hearing aids, white canes or speech amplification devices.

If you notice a person having any difficulty, the best thing to do is to introduce yourself and offer your assistance.

REMEMBER: Information about a disability is personal & private and must be treated with confidentiality.

Only some people with physical disabilities use wheelchairs, some may use crutches while some may have difficulty walking longer distances.

• When talking to your Guest, consider sitting or crouching so to be at eye level with your guest.

• Always ask for permission to move someone’s wheelchair

• Do not leave them in an awkward, dangerous or undignified position, such as facing a wall or in the path of opening doors.

Tips for Guests in wheelchairs/scooters

• Seat guests with physical disabilities at an easily accessible table.

• Don’t touch or handle assistive devices without permission.

• Don’t move assistive devices or equipment out of your guests reach.

• If a guest is waiting to be seated offer them a chair to sit.

Tips for Guests for crutches/walking devices

Vision loss can restrict someone’s ability to read, locate landmarks or see hazards.

• Some people may use a guide dog or a white cane, while others may not.

• Don’t assume the individual who appears to have a vision loss can’t see at all. Many people who have low vision may still have some sight.

• Identify yourself when you approach someone using an assistive devise and speak directly to the person.

• Always face the guest and speak directly to them, do not yell or shout.

• Offer your elbow to guide them if needed.

Tips for Guests with Vision Loss

• O&B does not have Braille Menus, however you can:

• Ask if they would like you to read any printed material out loud to them (example, a menu, signs or fees).

Braille Menus

• Service animals are allowed in all O&B locations except for in the back of house.

• A service animal is not a pet, they are working animals. Avoid touching, feeding or addressing service animals.

• If you’re not sure if the animal is a pet or a service animal, ask your guests. A service animal will be issued an official card.

• Service animals are not only used to assist people with vision disabilities, for example some are hearing alert animals and trained to alert oncoming seizures.

Service Animals

Hearing loss

People who have hearing loss may be deaf, deafened or hard of hearing. They may also be oral deaf– unable to hear, but prefer to talk instead of using sign language.

Once a guest has identified themselves as having hearing loss, make sure you seat them in a well-lit area where they can see your face and read your lips.

If possible seat your guests in a quieter area and reduce the background noise.Before speaking, attract the persons attention such as a gentle touch on the shoulder or slight wave of your hand.

If necessary, ask if another method of communicating would be easier (for example, using a pen and paper).

Tips for Guests with Hearing Loss

Deafblind disabilities

A person who is deafblind may have some degree of both hearing and vision loss.

Many people who are deafblind will be accompanied by an intervener, a professional support person who helps with communication.

A person who is deafblind is likely to explain to you how to best communicate, perhaps with an assistive card or note.

Speak directly to the guest, not to the support person.

• Don’t assume that a person with a speech impairment also has another disability.

• Whenever possible, ask questions that can be answered with “yes” or a “no”.

• Use simple language.

• Be patient. Don’t interrupt or finish the individual’s sentences.

• If a person has difficulty reading the menu or understanding material, be patient and read the items to them.

Tips for Guests with speech impairments and learning disabilities

Various disabilities such as cerebral palsy, hearing loss or other conditions may make it difficult for a person to pronounce words or may cause slurring.

• Let your guests know about accessible features in the immediate environment that are appropriate to their needs (accessible washrooms, ramps, etc.)

• Offer to book accessible transit to pick them up.• When speaking to a person with a disability be

confident, calm and reassuring. • If a person appears to be in a crisis, ask them to tell you

the best way to help.• Don’t make an assumption of what a person can do.• Treat them with the same respect and consideration you

have for everyone else.

Overall tips for Guests with Disabilities

Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants is exceptional in every aspect of our intelligent, enthusiastic and emotional service, which we provide to every person that walks through our doors.

Our accessibility policy for Guests with disabilities is posted online at www.oliverbonacini.com under the restaurant directory.

People are able to leave feedback about our policy online, in person, to a manager, via telephone or mail.

O&B Employees can also leave comments regarding the way O&B provides goods and services to persons with disabilities on the internal website.