“I am a Deaf adult and I have an elderly hearing parent who needs my help with taking her to the doctor, understanding what kind of medications to take and when, etc. However, they are refusing to provide me an interpreter because the patient (my mother) is not Deaf. Are they right?”

Do caregivers have a right to accommodations such as sign language interpreters?

Caregivers may certainly have disabilities themselves. If a caregiver is a person with whom the agency or business would normally communicate, then the caregiver is entitled to effective communication.

The ADA regulations that cover private businesses and state and local governments include provisions for ensuring effective communication with “companions” of individuals accessing goods or services. A companion may be a “family member, friend, or associate.”



For example, hospital staff often talk to a patient’s spouse, family member, or caregiver about the patient’s condition, diagnosis, and needed care. A caregiver who is deaf may need a sign language interpreter so they will be able to participate effectively in these conversations, understand things they need to know to support and assist the patient, make plans for the patient’s discharge, etc.

The LINK: adata.org 👇🏽

https://adata.org/factsheet/ada-and-caregivers#:~:text=The%20ADA%20regulations%20that%20cover,%2C%20friend%2C%20or%20associate