Unusual ADA Accommodations..Invisible Disabilities..Walmart

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aghogday
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Joined: 25 Nov 2010
Age: 63
Gender: Male
Posts: 11,593

05 Nov 2013, 11:32 am

My first encounter with store security last night at SuperWalmart over walking in reverse..with music..as is now not only my ADA accommodation..for the disability of severe arthritis...and autism spectrum disorder in accommodating the stimulus of the senses..and extreme emotional contagions of others.. along with stenosis of the neural canals of the neck ..to alleviate numbness in the legs when walking in reverse..it is also the practice of my religion of music movement of what I describe as Christ light LOVE energy..in total effect...

Well..it was interesting to say the least...

I met an old co-worker in Walmart..and we talked about 45 minutes..standing still..after this my legs were going numb again..for the first time in weeks..as my accommodation with reverse walking has almost completely accommodated the numbness as long as i balance the forward with the reverse and do not stand in one place too long or walk too slow for too long...

After this in attempting to reduce the numbness I stumbled into some cup cakes..and 'broke' a cup cake...a customer viewing this having no idea why someone would walk in reverse..had the bakery manager call store security to see what was up with me...

Well..the Walmart associate with store security was a young guy ..who seemed to have never seen a person with an 'invisible disability' before..needing an unusual accommodation for ADA provided protection...

I attempted to explain it to him...but it was beyond his understanding..

Fortunately the higher level management..had experience in psychology and basic health related issues..more specific to the ADA and it's protections..

The associate actually asked me to leave the store..or threatened to have me removed for loitering..and even said I would be seen as suspicious if I did it in a deserted aisle late at night..he also told me I needed to shop with one ear bud in and one ear bud out...

Well..the managers sang a different tune..as my wife who has Epilepsy and is also permanently disabled under the law..spends anywhere from two to three hundred dollars a week in the store almost perpetually over the course of the last few years...

The night manager was completely accommodating..and the day manager ...the overall manager.. even thanked me for my input ..stating it was well stated and an excellent opportunity to give his security personnel additional training regarding ADA protections and invisible disabilities..along with unusual accommodations.. that most people might not ever think of as accommodations for disabilities..to adapt..and survive for basic subsistence in the world..That most definitely includes going to the store and getting one's groceries...

So SuperWalmart it still is for groceries..and reverse walking for myself and my wife...

Four months ago..I could not even tolerate going into Whataburger..It's quite a successful accommodation for me to spend hours in Super Walmart again...


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