Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life for patients with life-limiting conditions, and their caregivers.
By testing the cognitive accessibility of palliative care resources, our work with Lakehead University, with financial contribution from Health Canada, aims to promote equitable access to palliative care services by persons with cognitive disabilities by leveraging the lived experience of our Accessibility Advisors.
The Problem
Neurodivergent individuals experience inequities in palliative care compared to their neurotypical counterparts. While they share many of the same palliative needs, they are faced with cognitive accessibility barriers and systemic biases that negatively impact their care. Identifying and eliminating these barriers from the patient journey is key to addressing these palliative care inequities.
The Solution
Together with Lakehead University and funding from Health Canada, Open assessed the cognitive accessibility of Canadian palliative care resources. Guided by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and Health Canada’s framework, our team of neurodivergent, bilingual Cognitive Accessibility Advisors and Accessibility Specialists assessed the cognitive accessibility of patient information through the lens of their lived experience. Open also provided accessible language adaptations of bilingual resources, and recommended design revisions to improve their accessibility.
Services provided:
- Inclusive Research & Development
- Inclusive Design
- Accessibility Testing
- Accessibility Education & Training
The Outcome
Through our continued collaboration, the research team at Lakehead University is working to improve the cognitive accessibility of palliative care resources. With guidance from advisors with lived experience, we are developing recommendations and refining language in key materials – primarily flyers and booklets, to make them more accessible and understandable.