Sympathy & Sensitivity is the key?

As I was reading the RSA Design and Elderly People, it reminds me of a lot of stuff I learned in the UDIST "Design for the elderly" class. If any of you is working on this topic/community, I have some relevant resources and access to people in the network. Patricia Moore, a well-known gerontologist and designer, was in our class and had given lecture on campus.

Talking about the universal design principle (which is not to design special products for elderly), it is what OXO the kitchen tool brand is all about. The founder wanted to design kitchen tool for his wife who has arthritis and at the end those products become friendly and ergonomic for everybody.

The most impressive thing I learned from Patricia Moore is that the way we word and phrase things can show disrespect and reflect your stereotypes. She once says, "It's not a person in wheelchair, but a wheelchair user." It is important that we develop sympathy as well as sensitivity.

Here's another video speaking from the "disability community". It totally blew my mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw_O-2EjTnM