‘Disabled’ Not ‘Handicapped’

To the Editor:

As a Board member of Tri-County Independent Living, I agree with Tim Haskett that there are many barriers for the disabled community to navigate in our area [“Challenges of Accessibility,” May Senior News, page 6].

I believe that improvements to accessibility have taken place in Humboldt County, but more need to be addressed.

I want to comment on Mr. Haskett’s use of the term “handicapped” in his article. “Handicapped” is no longer used when address accessibility issues; “disabled” is the preferred term. The “disabled” are not “handicapped.” The “disabled” have many talents and contribute to our community in many ways.

Scott R. Baker, McKinleyville

Tim Haskett responds: “Thank you, Scott, for your comment and for clarification of the language around disability discussions.”