Public access is not only about whether a door is open. It is also about whether the environment allows a person to think, communicate, wait, ask, and recover.
Sensory load can build through bright lighting, layered sound, long lines, unpredictable touch, rushed questions, or crowded rooms. The result may look like avoidance, silence, agitation, panic, or shutdown.
A sensory-aware public space offers slower communication, written options, quieter waiting, clear signage, predictable steps, and staff who understand that reducing pressure is support.
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