Autism Awareness and Airbnb
In honor of Autism Awareness Month, I think the lack of options regarding autism within the short term rental community is alarming. I have to say with all honesty that I had no idea what to say when two amazing homeowners, that are now our partners, approached us to manage their niche listing.
I realized I had no idea what to include or exclude in the home. Even our team designer had to also do more research into the world of autism spectrum disorder and what to be mindful of in the home.
Here are just some of the tips I have learned from them:
Avoid bright, fluorescent lights. We have installed LED lights that can be dimmed as well as blackout curtains to make sure families can feel comfortable in their property.
Avoid bright red and yellow colors. Muted colors are favorable.
Sound management also plays an important role in keeping families calm and happy. (Check the smoke detectors because even low battery indicators may start to beep.)
Items that may be pulled or pushed need to be ok with being broken or disappear altogether within arms reach. (Hence we installed recessed lighting in the ceiling and we do not have lamps.)
It also goes without saying, any sharp objects that are out in the open, like art pieces, should be avoided altogether.
As I flipped through other listings I noticed no options in our Joshua Tree market that allocated for families dealing with Autism. Moving forward I do think homeowners as well as Airbnb/VRBO platforms should be a little more mindful when having families stay at their properties and/or even making it an option for those families.
After all, 1 in 44 children across the USA are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) per the data recorded in 2018.
I can’t wait to see how how this journey evolves. We are grateful to learn and help these homeowners in their journey.
To follow our partners’ journey be sure to find them on Instagram @autxcapes
More resources are available at https://www.autismspeaks.org/