About the Disadvantages of the Disabled

Living with disability requires a lot of resourcefulness and know-how because there are many hurdles to cross, depending on one's conditions. This does not mean yielding to the difficulties, but working around them and seeking available resources. Disability does bring automatic disadvantages, but many people are working to change society's perceptions--bringing more and more solutions to bear. The best focus is being determined to overcome what one can, and seek the help that is available.

Misconceptions

• Many people have misconceptions about disability, partly because of portrayals in the prevailing media--in which the only disabled persons shown are usually the most successful--including movie stars, like the late Christopher Reeve, or a published author. Views of the disabled range erratically from a smiling, wheelchair-bound TV star accomplishing amazing things, like winning the Special Olympics, to homeless war veterans mingling at the local bus station. Seeing ordinary disabled people's lives in popular media is rare, so little is known about their challenges and daily lives. While many disabled people are rightly credited for bravery and courage, too much of the disabled person's real world challenges remain hidden from mainstream society.

Types

• A variety of conditions lead to disability. These range from health problems that affect mobility--spinal injuries, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, severe obesity, amputation, muscular, endocrine and bone diseases--to those that affect sight (glaucoma), hearing (genetic hearing loss), breathing (emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma), mental well-being (schizophrenia, bipolar, brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder) and development (Down's Syndrome, autism).
  These conditions lead to many challenges in conducting day-to-day interactions. Others face disabilities later in life, although the majority of people who pass a certain age become disabled to a degree. Many disabled people who are young must be cared for all their lives, while those who are disabled later in life go from full employment on to Social Security Disability (SSD).
  Long-term and chronic conditions can lead to feeling worn out emotionally from the physical effects, especially when special diets or physical therapy regimens are required to maintain some semblance of normal life. These issues can lead to barriers in finding a decent job, or nursing home confinements in communities that lack the resources to promote independent living situations. Abuse is a frequent risk in many nursing or long-term facilities, not least because of a disabled person's greater vulnerability in dealing with other people.

History

• Historically, disabled people have faced many disadvantages. Often, many societies were cruel to the disabled, practicing infanticide upon any newborns who showed any physical problems, or even locking away persons with disabilities in lunatic asylums, where they were treated worse than jail inmates, or given treatments that did not work. Not for nothing did the infamous hospital, Bedlam, enter the popular lexicon as a word meaning "scene of uproar and confusion."
  Nor have the wealthy have not been immune from abuses. The historical record contains numerous horror stories, from the Willowbrook State School scandals to the lobotomy of Rosemary Kennedy, though she was seen as mildly retarded, with no other significant mental problems. In these settings, life for the disabled person remained dangerously unpredictable.
  In the pre-Social Security era, families cared for the disabled as best as they could, aided by churches and hospitals. When these alternatives were lacking, the disabled were left to fend for themselves. As more people became enlightened about these situations, the disability rights movement gathered steam during the 1970s. Like their peers in the civil rights movement, proponents of disability rights advocated for greater accessibility, vocational rehabilitation and further integration of disabled persons into mainstream society. This situation led to the creation of organizations to work on behalf of disabled persons--from ADAPT to the Center for Independent Living.
  Another significant milestone came in 1990 with the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which President George H.W. Bush signed into law. ADA's passage led to improved accessibility in many settings--such as Braille Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs), bathrooms and curb cuts--as well as better educational and housing opportunities.
  That said, much remains to be done--many buildings that are 50 or more years old need some kind of upgrade, which lack of financing tends to delay. Outside of hospitals, people with mobility difficulties still face problems entering libraries, newer retail centers and schools. Lack of decent curb cuts, for example, or a preponderance of staircases in a building can pose daunting obstacles to people in wheelchairs.

Effects

• Disability affects many aspects of day-to-day life. Many disabled people lack the health to hold full-time employment, affecting their economic well-being. Still others can hold full-time employment, yet face discrimination from employers who may choose healthier employees--or discount the ability of someone with lesser problems, such as a limp, or hearing difficulties.
  Rehabilitative programs offer a bridge to full-time employment, but even in that realm, the person with disabilities must overcome his share of discrimination, and prove that he can do the same duties as everyone else. Such programs help train people for new careers, but also require employers willing to accommodate special needs.
  Social Security is one government program that has helped millions--but even there, disabled people must live on fixed incomes and plan accordingly. Thankfully, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers many housing options that allow for consideration for low to moderate incomes. On the downside, there are lengthy waiting lists, and the disabled person must be resourceful in negotiating the social services maze.
  Many conditions bring on severe discrimination, especially disabilities that affect appearance--such as weight problems or burn injuries. The disabled person must deal with prying eyes and social invisibility as she tries to take her place in society. This is especially troubling to younger disabled people, who must confront those attitudes with a strong inner core, or with parents who love them unconditionally. For them, school can be an especially tough place in dealing with those who mock and make fun of their health conditions.
  Breathing and mobility difficulties can lead to seeing only the confines of hospitals, or remaining homebound during unfavorable weather. Needless to say, this situation makes it all the more challenging to date and make friends, something that most people take for granted. Depression and anxiety are often the outcome.
  Higher medical costs for equipment and medicine are also commonplace, and while many state or federal government programs ease the burden, the disabled person still faces a significant out-of-pocket cost for co-payments or other medical bills, including prescription medications--leading to lengthy and complicated applications to fill out for assistance.
  Getting around is problematic, too, where even the presence of a leader dog or motorized scooter may be questioned--and while many people accommodate such devices, there are some who do not. Other significant difficulties range from access to buses and routes, an inability to afford a reliable car, or living in rural areas that fall outside of a disability transportation system.

Significance

• Disabled people must be resourceful in maximizing the opportunities and programs that may be available, and while finding them can be a daunting task, help is out there. For example, many communities may offer some type of independent living center, or space to advocate for disabled residents in accessibility issues to employment, equipment and housing.
  Vocational rehabilitation programs are also offered in all states, giving disabled people the training to help them keep their current job or prepare for a new one. Similarly, there are many groups that can help the parents of developmentally disabled children and adults.
  Many governmental agencies like HUD also provide listings of group homes and related organizations on their websites. These sites offer excellent resources to explore legal issues, including local compliance with the ADA, or what to do when family members or friends are being abused in a long-term care facility or nursing home.

Expert Insight

• So what is the disabled person to do? Seek the resources that are available, and utilize them to see if you are eligible for a social worker or caseworker who can address the relevant issue (such as purchasing a particular piece of equipment, like a wheelchair, or a motorized scooter, for example).
  Many organizations focus on one illness or condition, such as the American Diabetes Association or the Autism Society of America. Contacting one or more of those groups--depending on the type of problem that a disabled person faces--can be extremely helpful, and links to other available resources in a particular area can be available. Take the time to learn what help and support is available in your community.
  Find groups for your particular medical problem to seek those who understand. The Internet is full of associations and self-help groups dedicated to a myriad of health conditions--and can offer invaluable emotional support, counseling and practical advice to deal with many of the issues arising from a life of disability. No matter how formidable the obstacles appear, many of them can be overcome with a little bit of knowledge--information is power to the disabled person.