Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is an opportunity to reflect on how inclusive and accessible digital experiences really are.
At the hospice, accessibility plays an important role in how we support people across our community. Whether someone is seeking information about hospice care, accessing bereavement support, finding help for themselves or a loved one, or looking for ways to support the hospice, our website should be easy for everyone to use. When people are navigating difficult or emotional circumstances, accessing information online should feel straightforward, supportive and inclusive.
Improving accessibility doesn’t happen overnight. It’s an ongoing process of making practical changes that remove barriers and create better experiences for everyone. For us, that means making information easier to understand, improving usability, and giving people more control over how they engage with our digital services. When individuals and families are looking for care and support, every interaction matters.
As part of our commitment to creating a more inclusive online experience, we introduced the Recite Me Assistive Toolbar, allowing visitors to personalise the website in ways that work best for their individual needs.
Accessibility looks different for everyone. Features such as text-to-speech support, reading aids, styling adjustments and translation tools can help people access information in a way that suits them. Small improvements like these can make a meaningful difference, helping more people engage with information independently and confidently.
This year, we’re supporting Recite Me’s Global Accessibility Awareness Day campaign, which shares a simple message:
You can’t do nothing about accessibility.
You can’t do everything about accessibility.
But you can take action!
For us, taking action means continuing to improve our digital experience step by step, helping more people access the care, support and information they need.
We’re proud of the progress we’ve made so far and remain committed to building on it. Accessibility is an ongoing commitment, and we’ll continue making improvements that help create a more inclusive experience for patients, families, carers, volunteers and supporters.
When it comes to accessibility, small changes really do make a difference. If you’d like to chat to us about how we can improve, please email communications@edenvalleyhospice.org
