Troubles Facing Disabled & Elderly Women

A higher percentage of women have disabilities than men, although certain disabilities have more male victims than female. As a people age, they are more likely to develop a physical or mental form of disability. According to "The New Harvard Guide to Women's Health," 40 percent of American women over the age of 65 develop at least one form of physical impairment. Women with disabilities and who are elderly share some common vulnerabilities and troubles, although certain struggles are age-specific and all struggles depend on the individual and the particular situation.

Women with Disabilities and Relationships

• Although accessibility for persons with physical disabilities visiting public places and transportation is now better than ever, dating leading to marriage and having children are still challenges for women with disabilities. The main trouble, states Miami Dade College, is societal attitudes. Generalized negative stigmas against those with physical disabilities, that they are weak or "not-able," lead to some women with disabilities having a poor self-image. Lack of self-esteem decreases the likelihood of dating and falling in love. If a woman with a disability does get married, issues come up such as financial costs of making a new home accessible or worrying about turning a spouse into a caregiver rather than a romantic partner. If a physically disabled woman is physically able to have children, and chooses to, society may judge her and ask whether it is ethical for her to bring offspring into the world. For example, if she has a genetic disability, she may be looked on as a person who will pass on the condition to her kids. If she has an impairment, others may wrongly assume she cannot adequately take care of her children.

Abuse

• Elderly women, women with disabilities and elderly women with disabilities are vulnerable to mental, sexual or physical abuse. Shockingly, the abusers are often formal or informal caregivers. According to The Free Library, approximately one million elderly Americans are physically abused each year, where the majority of the victims are female. In Canada, women with disabilities are twice as likely to be abused compared to non-disabled women. In an Oregon survey, 15 percent of disabled women declared they had been abused, either physically or sexually, by a caregiver, states the International Labour Organization. Factors of vulnerability may include lack of physical mobility, low self-esteem and isolation.

Financial Stability

• Both women with disabilities and elderly women may struggle financially. According to USAID, only 25 percent of women with disabilities around the world are a part of the workforce. In the United States, females who are working experience a "double form of discrimination." Men with disabilities on average have a 55 percent higher salary than disabled women, adds USAID. Elderly women also tend to have less financial resources than their male counterparts. In the United States, women and workers from racial minorities receive lower social assistance payments, based on previous salaries, after they retire compared to white men. Elderly women who choose not to retire at 65, so they can continue to make money, are often discriminated against as not being as productive as younger workers.

Isolation

• Since women on average have a longer life expectancy than men, elderly women tend to outlive their spouses. According to the University of Southern California, approximately 30 percent of seniors live alone and the majority of them are female. If an elderly female develops impairments and disabilities as she ages, it further adds to her isolation. Younger women with disabilities may also experience isolation, particularly if they are not working and only have contact with a caregiver for a couple of hours a day. Women with mental illnesses, such as depression or social anxiety, may also isolate themselves. Isolation among young and older women leads to depression, helplessness and a lack of quality of life.