Often, homebound members would prefer to attend church in person but cannot do so due to the design of the worship building or a practice/custom of the congregation that inadvertently affects the homebound member’s health or safety. Rather than ask for special treatment, such as a practice or building design change, they remove themselves from in-person attendance or seek a place to worship that better matches their needs.
Encouraging Homebound to Ask for Accommodation
Instead of assuming the church won’t provide the accommodation, why don’t they come forward and ask for what they need? Unfortunately, many special needs and medically challenged individuals have faced rejection for their requests in the past from those who they thought would help them – school systems, family, work, and even the health care system often fail to provide accommodations needed because they are unique to the individual. In addition, many illnesses and injuries are invisible to the observer. Therefore, the person asking for the exception appears to be just like everyone else, pretending to need something special. As a result, their requests fall on deaf ears due to the resistance and skepticism of those they approach for help. The easier we make it for them to ask, the more likely it will be that they will come back to church.
Possible Accommodations and Needs Served
Special Needs – There are as many special needs as special conditions, and I could not begin to list them here. My recommendation is to post on your website and in your bulletin something like this:
We welcome everyone at _____________. If you need unique mental or physical accommodation to help you in your worship experience, please contact __________ at ___________ 24 hours before your arrival to allow us time to arrange for your accommodation. We wish to make your worship experience with us a blessed one.
Below are some special considerations to help make those with everyday physical needs more comfortable.
Need | Possible Accommodation Needed |
Powerchair Access | Measure doorways to ensure they are wide enough to accommodate a powerchair. Most powerchairs need a width of at least 28 inches to move through due to their wheelbase; some need more if they carry a heavier passenger. Removing door jams can make doorways wider. Changing the door type to one without hinges is another option, or opening the entry areas with a blocked view of private spaces. Remember that the incline should be no more than 1 foot per 12-inch incline/slope when adding a ramp. Doorways usually have a threshold elevation or an elevation that must be stepped over as you enter. Powerchairs can get stuck on these. Install slanted smooth inserts on each side of the elevation that can be secured to make the chairs transition over the incline smooth and ensure everyone else’s travel is safe and not a fall hazard. All elevations need slopes attached if wheelchairs access those areas. Install an automatic door opener or obtain volunteers to help open and close doors for individuals who struggle to do it alone. You may need access during service. Another option is to keep those doors wedged open during use; however, you will need an alarm system if the individual gets trapped alone inside and the door closes. Create a way for them to call for help. They may be able to shout and be heard, or you might need a horn. |
Mobility Limitations | Often, the caregiver and care receiver are opposite genders, creating a problem if the person under their care needs a bathroom break. The best solution is to designate a restroom as unisex or family-style. However, some churches only have men’s and women’s restrooms. In that situation, I used to announce I was bringing my husband into the lady’s room to go into the handicap stall to ensure we didn’t embarrass anyone. Then, someone stayed outside to keep others out of the lady’s room unless they really needed to enter. If they did and had no issue with us being in there, we had no issue with them either, so they came inside. If they had a problem, we asked if the men’s room was free for them or if there was another location, and we tried to hurry. However, once we started catheterization, we couldn’t go any faster. Create an indented area where everyone sits to accommodate wheelchairs to keep them out of the aisles. Leaving them in aisles is a fire hazard and impedes traffic. However, leave a large area for the powerchairs to park. Often, people with disabilities need to tilt back in their chairs slightly to breathe better, and their legs often need to be elevated a little for circulation. If you create a space at the back, you may have more room, or if you have removable chairs, remove a block space of 2×2 chairs. When spacing pews, leave some additional space between the pews for people with walkers. It will allow them to keep their walkers in front of them, help them stand during hymns, and help when they need to get out of the pew. Provide a pew entrance without an extended side enclosure. Wide-side enclosures are difficult for those who have conditions limiting flexibility or mobility to maneuver. Provide an elevator that can accommodate a scooter, a wheelchair being pushed, and a powerchair to turn around. If that is not an option, can you provide a separate room on a level floor that does not require negotiating steps or other elevations? Attach handrails throughout the building and strategically place chairs or benches every few feet to provide rest areas for those with respiratory conditions. Offer valet service to those with disability stickers or pregnant women who find it difficult to walk long distances if disability spaces fill quickly. Many disabilities are invisible, so please caution your valets not to show signs of distrust if someone asks for assistance who does not appear disabled. |
Immunocompromised or Otherwise at High Risk for Infection | Coughing expels germs 3-6 feet into the air. Therefore, those at high risk of infection cannot sit with the rest of the congregation safely. Create a safe room where the sermon can be watched if it is televised. Post on the door that anyone who enters MUST wear a mask and use hand sanitizer before entering. Spread chairs apart, though; pre-exposed family units may cluster together. If there are fans or other air movement devices in the room, do not run them since they increase the spread of germs. Provide options to participate in virtual activities at church. If the immunocompromised person cannot come to church, establish a “Buddy” program where a church member stays connected to them through phone calls or phone chats to help them not feel forgotten and to help the church remain aware of any needs they may have. Ask the church secretary to keep a list of homebound members, such as the immunocompromised. Whenever church members receive something in writing, they send it to the person at home. If you can send it to them before the sermon airs on Sunday (if you televise your sermons), then try to let them know what those in the pews will see. |
Hearing Impairment | Install amplification equipment in the pews near the pulpit. Hire trained American Sign Language interpreters for services. Position them so there is no glare or bright lights behind them when they are signing, and they can be easily seen by all who need their services. Provide closed caption options on media production. Provide written materials. |
Visually Impaired | Provide braille materials or a print-reader in the church library. Use text-to-audio apps to create materials. Provide large print materials or magnifier sheets/glass to be picked up on the way into the sanctuary for those who need them. Order audiobooks for study guides if available Use colors that can be seen by those who are color blind and contrasting colors that are easier to see by those who have impaired sight due to blurred vision. |
Autism and some other mental health conditions | Most are not comfortable with touch. Let them touch you first. If they need comfort, stand close and speak softly and slowly. They often need to stem if they need comfort or will have a unique object to help them control their anxiety. Stemming is a way of releasing energy through repetitive movement. It brings comfort through movement familiarity, rhythm, and structure– bouncing balls, pacing, spinners, twirling objects, and making mouth noises or saying words are some examples. Accidents may happen (urine or bowel). Help them change discreetly or accompany them to the restroom. Ask them what help they need because they don’t like to be touched. May need to sit apart from everyone else to reduce the input of stimulation from sounds. Many wear headphones to reduce the noise due to being sensitive to noise and stimuli around them. Often, people with autism will not look directly at you. Try not to feel offended if they look away from you or cannot make eye contact when speaking to you. Interacting with others is very difficult. |
Sharing Illness Among Friends
The two most common ways people get sick are breathing in the germs through their mouth or nose, picking them up on their hands, and ingesting them when their hand touches their mouth. Germs propelled by uncovered sneezes and coughs can spiral around a room 3-6 feet in an arch based on the force behind them. Think of how many people can take home that gift from church. The nasty bugs that make us the sickest (flu, norovirus, COVID) don’t show symptoms for at least three days after they enter our bodies. However, they are busy growing new germs during that time and can pass them along to you before the person carrying the disease is aware they are sick.
Therefore, an awareness of where and how germs spread can help you make your services safer for your congregations to attend. Often, the germ’s favorite mode of transportation is a ride on a droplet from a sneeze or cough down to the surface of something. Germs may live from a few minutes to several hours on surfaces; therefore, your best defense is to start with a good spray-down of a sanitizing agent and then provide your congregation with access to pump sanitizer throughout the building. Here are some other suggestions.
- Provide hand sanitizer or hand wipes.
- Spray the outside of shared Bibles and fans between services. The ideal would be to rotate out each and spray the pages with the songs/verses used for that service later.
- Do not provide shared Bibles or fans. Any hymns sung or verses preached are provided on paper or shown overhead using media.
- Offer disposable gloves to shake hands for those with weak immune systems.
- Keep trash cans available for tissue disposal.
- Provide masks for those who wish to use them.
- Provide Communion in individual servings.
- Provide individually wrapped servings of food at gatherings.
- Encourage the sick, including the ministers, to stay home.
- Ask cleaning staff to use a 10:1 bleach disinfectant or something as effective that kills viruses.
Safety Instructions for Guests
To help new members and visitors know what to expect and where alternate worship areas are located, consider posting an announcement such as the following:
Welcome to ________
Thank you for being with us today. We hope you have a fulfilling worship experience. To help you do so, we try to keep our worship area safe for everyone, including those with medical conditions who are at risk in crowds. Please join us in observing the following safety precautions for their protection:
- Greet by shaking “hands” with an elbow bump.
- Hand sanitizer is available for your use throughout the building. You are welcome to use it as needed.
- If you have been exposed to infectious diseases, please wear one of the masks provided during the service.
- If you have symptoms of an illness, please attend services in room __. You are asked to wear a mask and use hand sanitizer before entering that room to prevent cross-infection to others.
- If you are at high risk of infection exposure, you may wish to use room __. Do not go there if you have been exposed to any infections or have symptoms of illness. Only symptom-free people not exposed to known infections should attend services in this location.
The elevator is located at:
If you have concerns regarding the above request or need additional assistance, call:
Thank you in advance for helping protect our church members and visitors from health risks.
