Hidden Disabilities Time To Fight Back

Peapod2

I live in a small town where every man and his dog uses some sort of walking aid. Most of these people do not need to use them and you can tell by looking at them they are not using them for support.

I was in Tesco once when someone next to me asked the assistant if anyone had found her walking stick. The lady went out the 'back' and returned with at least 20 of the things!!

The problem is if you are disabled and don't use a stick the powers that be think you cannot be that bad. I have a stick but don't choose to use it until I really have to. I use one indoors but I don't want to be lumped in with the other walking aid users around.

celticmoneysaver

Glad to see this thread still going..hope you are all still hanging on in there

Re the Disability card mentioned earlier..I can see the reasoning for the eligibility criteria but I think it is too narrow I think it is something that could really do with some more debate..as it is shown here disability is a very complex issue..and not everyone gets DLA that should...national polocy seems very woolly to me. I was sad to see the end of the Disability Rights Commission I feel we have lost our voice again..could we use this as an opportunity to get some real issues brought out in the open?

If many of the things mentioned on this thread were seen in context of race or gender..these would obviously be seen as discrimination..

I would like to see a very rigourous debate take for example the criteria for a 'disabled bus pass' part of the new this April 2008 National bus pass scheme
What is 'eligible disabled'?

You are eligible disabled if you:

• are blind or partially sighted
• are profoundly or severely deaf
• are without speech
• have a disability, or have suffered an injury, which has a substantial and long-term effect on your ability to walk
• do not have arms or have long-term loss of the use of both arms
• have a learning disability, or
• would, if you applied for a licence to drive a motor vehicle under Part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988, have your application refused under section 92 of the Act (physical fitness) on grounds other than persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol.

So how exactly dies this match up with other disabilty criteria elsewhere within the system?

Haven't our attitudes to disabilty changed since 1988 the time of this act..I thought there had been quite a bit of legislation on disabilty since then?

kanes_son

Ahh, yes, the old invisible illness / disability! As a Fibromyalgia sufferer I get bloody annoyed when people are walking towards me and expect me to get out of the way when I cannot move as fast as them. Hey, don't you think the walking stick might be a bit of a clue? I'm rarely given enough room to manuveur.

I have a concessionary bus pass, but I've never been brought up on it (I've only had it two weeks though) and I am also considering getting a mobility scooter.

There's a thing. I'm going to find out about it through a scheme as I have high rate mobility DLA, but it seems they are available to anyone if they have the money! I know that it is difficult to prove you have an invisible disability, but surely there should be some legislation to try and prevent it, especially with the recent changes to IB benefits.

Oooh, I feel much better for a bit of a rant now!

mykitten

I have ME and mental health issues. Thank goodness for some sense here

I wobble and am unsteady on my feet so try to sit near the front of the bus/train and yet the tuts and stares I get as im young (ish! 35) and yet sit near the front. I feel like screaming some days as it takes all my nerve and strength to go out and yet you get treated like a leper. Im not looking for anything special, some human compasion to your fellow man/woman would just be nice.

I get low rate DLA as I couldnt fight for it longer, it makes me mad when obvious junkies get their free bus pass, yet I have to struggle to pay for me and my mum to help me when I do go out

Pssst

Peapod2 wrote: »

I live in a small town where every man and his dog uses some sort of walking aid. Most of these people do not need to use them and you can tell by looking at them they are not using them for support.

I was in Tesco once when someone next to me asked the assistant if anyone had found her walking stick. The lady went out the 'back' and returned with at least 20 of the things!!

The problem is if you are disabled and don't use a stick the powers that be think you cannot be that bad. I have a stick but don't choose to use it until I really have to. I use one indoors but I don't want to be lumped in with the other walking aid users around.

I was once working in a house and i noted the man of the house go out carrying a walking stick. His wife,obviously not that enamoured of him,draw my attention to the kitchen window to watch her partner going down the path. " you see that b*stard" she said "theres f*ck all wrong with him.He only carries that stick in case the DSS see him!"

I thought at the time that they would make interesting contestants ofr Derek Bateys Mr and Mrs show.

grannysmither

My dad has Ankylosing Spondylitis as well as other problems, he was a fireman 24 years ago and was going to a shout when the fire engine was involved in an accident, all his problems stem from that and it makes me so mad when people question his disability just because there is no physical sign of his pain. He uses a wheelchair when he goes out as he can only walk very short distances and he's even had people moaning at him when he's walking round to get in it. I just cant believe how rude people can be.

fedupconsumer

was thinking are there any experiences of good practice with companies for people with hidden disabilites?

Horace

For the person who commented about getting rid of the Disability Rights Commission - I agree it was bad, however, if you ring up the Equal Opps/Human Rights crowd and you state you have a disability you get to speak to someone in their specialist disability dept (like the DRC only it isnt the DRC if you see what I mean). They have been very helpful to me and assured me that I do come under the DDA - I have glaucoma and uveitis (the uveitis has caused the glaucoma) and I have more than 90% vision loss in my left eye and yet my right one remains short-sighted. He asked me what would happen if I didnt take the eye drops that I have been prescribed so I said that I wouldn't be able to read or do anything else - he confirmed that losing the ability to read is a disability.

Unfortunately, I cannot claim DLA because I can think for myself and cook and plan a meal and therefore they say I am not disabled enough so I just struggle along the best I can.

Maybe if we get a new government in power we will be able to have a bigger voice and maybe the DRC will return?

angelvoice222

i have tourettes syndrome... its kinda hidden...somedays its horrible somedays you cant tell at all my problem is i hav what i call my mexican wave tic... i clench muscles in my back then my thigh then calf then ankle then finaly my toes... this makes it painfull for me to stand/ walk for long distances as it happens constantly. i remember one time traveling on a train (a busy one) a lady was sat behind me an her phone rang and good ol' tourettes kicks in , im responding to he conversation... after my tourettes choose 2 do this to others on the train and also shout at the conductor when he anounced things via tannoy ... by this point it was pretty obvious i had tourettes and a few people where giggling . a woman sat at the very back of the train answers her phone she isnt quiet about it either...so the tourettes kicks in again... she promplty stood up in full view of every1 and said to the person on the phone " sorry hun somer silly !!!!! is taking the !!!!" so i stood up and announced " im not taking the !!!! , i have tourettes syndrome... so !!!! you!!!" every1 in the train was crying with laughter and a few even aplauded.
on topic... i have been given the look on buses and trains because i dont look "disabled"....
i am due to travel on a train on the 8th of december... and it will b about 2 hours on the 1st half then a change then another hour .... only problem is we have booked tickets but not reseved seats... the second half of the jorney is main commuter time so train will b pretty packed... i know there will b priority seating and more than likely people will b sitting there ... but what rights do i have if someone refuses to move for me? will me talking to the train conductor mean he can move them along so to speak?

rseal

Hi i have a hidden disabilty i collaspe quite number of times a week with out warning and can really hurt myself, it has totally changed my life i cant go out on my own i need 24hr supervision i lost my job over it because the company thought i was a health and safty risk im on DLA and i have a socail worker to help me with carrers i think its great what the goverment can offer, however im sick to death of people judging you because you have a blue badge im 22 and people in the supermarket look at you like dirt because they dont think i have a disabilty and they dont realsie that it has runied my life teribbly and im so greatful that i have this oppunity to go out with my carrers shopping and when i collapse ouside i know that i dont have miles to crawl back to the car (trust me i crawl!) I just wish that people arnt so nasty