What counts as disability?

mcspanna · 31 October 2008 at 9:32PM

I don't wish to sound ageist either Ames but I tend to agree with you and I think it is (largely) simply a generational thing. We now live in an age where children at school and employees at work increasingly receive disability awareness/equality training as a routine thing and slowly things are starting to change, but as with all these things it will take a generation (or two) to turn the corner.

Disabled people have only had enforceable rights for just over a decade (half a generation) and prior to the DDA it was only people with visible conditions who were usually considered by the general public to be disabled. In regards to parking spaces, we still have the 'standard' wheelchair symbol to represent disability which even as a wheelchair user myself, I don't think is representative (not that I can think of anything better I hasten to add!). So called 'new' disabilities (ie a lot of hidden health conditions) are perfectly valid, but we are currently at the stage where there is still suprisingly little awareness of the definition of disability and the DDA as a whole (hence my OP) and it will take time for the public at large to truly grasp and for Joe Bloggs in the street to change his behaviour accordingly...frustrating for all of us I know!

As an aside, personally I think the best way to change things is to arm yourself with the facts and spread the word as widely as possible! I do this as a part of my job delivering training to large groups but it works just as well amongst friends and family (if you know any 'gossipers' start with them!) try announcing to a group of people that roughly one in 5 of them is likely to be considered disabled under the DDA...then tell them that 50% of them are unlikely to realise this...it really gets a good debate going (and more to the point often changes attitudes pretty quickly!)

Ames · 31 October 2008 at 9:55PM

I think you're right there, my dad's not that old but he doesn't think I'm disabled because as far as he's concerned my illnesses (ME and bipolar) don't exist. They weren't around when he was a kid so they're just modern inventions by doctors and drug companies to make them money. I don't think that's the case, just that these hidden conditions weren't as visible then, certainly with the bipolar people would have been shut away so the general public weren't aware of the illnesses. Hopefully as time goes on general awareness will increase.

nanokitten · 2 November 2008 at 2:20AM

I think we all have to be careful about making assumptions.
Personally I think that any sentance that starts "I don't want to sound ageist/sexist/racist is not going to end well!

mcspanna · 2 November 2008 at 11:26AM

Hi Nanokitten,

You're right that none of us should be assuming anything about a particular group in society but that's also precisely the point, that no one should assume anything about the age or 'look' of disabled people! unfortunately people do and a number of people on this thread have noticed this with older people, but this is essentially a discussion about attitudes towards disabled people regardless of who is making the comments hence the last paragraph in my previous post. I've been wondering what to put in my signature - I think I'll make it "no offence intended" as it is often very difficult to discuss issues like these without sounding like you are trying to cause some, which is never my intention, but I will always stick up for disabled peoples' rights regardless of their age/gender/race etc etc!

:beer:

Shomac · 2 November 2008 at 5:24PM

Ive worked in care most of my life & loved the job, till my accident at work.

So, last week in the disabled parking bay of my local supermarket, i bumped into an old workmate, who chastised me for 'using someone else's blue badge.'

My mum did her nut & explained that it really was my badge, she even showed him my photo on the front, but he still wouldnt believe her.

a. I was too young (yoohoo 47's young)
b. I didnt look as if there was anything wrong with me.

So people, you cant win!!

PS; Mum says that if i learned to drive, then everyone would drive on the pavements.:rotfl:

lauraza · 4 November 2008 at 12:47PM

Hi

I am a disability advisor, and I hope the following document will be useful for explaining the above definition in more detail, as several meanings may have more than onre interpretation, e.g. what can be classed as 'day to day activities?'

The document is 'Revised Guidance on matters to be taken into account in determining questions relating to the definition of disability for acts occuring from 1st May 2006' produced by the Disability Rights Commission (who no longer exist and have been replaced by teh Equality and Human Rights Commission) and may be accessed here:

http://83.137.212.42/sitearchive/DRC/the_law/legislation__codes__regulation/guidance.html

Hope this helps!

---Forgot to add the definition is set out by the DDA, so applied to cases of discrimination in either employment OR the provision of goods, facilities and services. The only point at which the person who feels they have been discriminated against can determine if they are 100% covered by the DDA, for the purposes of claiming disability discrimination, would be in either an employment tribunal OR a court of law.

This essentially means an employer, occupational health advisor, doctor etc does not have the right to decide whether you are or are not covered by the DDA. I speak to so many people whose employers have refused to make reasonable adjustments in the workplace for example, as their employer/doctor has told them they are not covered by the DDA, which they do not have the right to do. The may only establish that you are either LIKELY or UNLIKELY to meet the definition.

I hope I have not confused anyone, feel free to PM me if you need to!

Deb1978 · 9 December 2008 at 3:16PM

I became disabled last year after being admitted to hospital as an emergency as I lost the use of my legs and all feeling. Basically I couldn't do anything had terrible back pain which resulted me being rushed to surgery as an emergency after 2 weeks of test.

I am still trying to get back to normal but have been told that my feelings in my legs may not return. I still have dead leg and feet. No feelings in my saddle area either. Its amazing just by two discs compressing on my nerves can cause so much damage. I have walking trouble as well as I had to learn to walk again sometimes I have to use a walking stick as I have had a few falls recently just lose balance sometimes.

I had a relapse beginning of this year and was rushed to a private hospital in London to have another MRI scan to check things were ok.
I have alot of scaring there. But so far all seems ok.
Just need to try and get back to normal as much as possible which is hard to do as I have incontinuce and winter is the worst time for pain in my back. Sometimes I am in bed.

I wish people stop judging us if we don't look disabled.
Like the saying says DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER.
I would rather they ask what is wrong with me as it is a rare condition not many doctors have heard of it or any health professionals.

Sorry for long post its something I go through day to day when out walking with my stick even when I park in disabled bay till they see me place my badge they look away.

strong96 · 10 December 2008 at 1:43PM

I have a question, i receive DLA i have had both knees replaced by the age of 27, i suffer osteoperosis which now affects my hips aswell, i have just submitted my review papers which do in a sense annoy me to the fact that in some cases its obvious you arent suddenly going to be better and the problems will vanish unless with a miracle but i understand having to do it but the forms are ridiculous you're constantly repeating yourself on 48 pages. Anyway my question is, my husband is Army, he suffers from non freezing cold injury no nerves left in either feet, is supposed to stay indoors during winter months and suffers trenchfoot when he has had his boots on all day without being able to use the foot spa, yes trenchfoot, it does exist even today and its not pretty, the pain he is in is tremendous but of course the army cant throw him out without having to cough up a lot of money because its their fault, can he claim DLA i mean would anyone at the dla office even have a clue what his condition is, there are only 4 specialists in the country that have knowledge one being his doctor he has to see 6 monthly at the naval institute. Anyone suggest whether we should even try? I know it may be on the wrong forum but i'm just learning how to gear round the forum.

forever_skint · 13 December 2008 at 1:06AM

I have a disabled 4 year old. She has a rare genetic condition, which has no name, but basically she has poor balance an co-ordination and essentially she cannot walk far at all, before she is exhausted and literally collapses. We applied for a blue badge for her and we were successful.

However, at times I find it easier to park 'normally' because of the comments and looks we get from mainly pensioners. People shake their heads as if to say we are abusing the system.

Once we were at the retail park and we were parked in the last remaining disabled bay. I went and did the shopping I needed to do and dd had one of her episodes, I also had a newborn baby in a pram at the same time, so I had to carry my eldest daughter, she was 3 at the time.

I was really struggling because she is so heavy but I put her down and she managed to get into the car herself. A woman was waiting behind my car hurling abuse at me saying 'The parent and child spaces are over there. My mother is in a wheelchair and she can't walk, I had to leave her in the car whilst I went shopping because we couldn't park in the disabled bay ??!!' (how she works that out I do not know, why she couldn't push her another 10 metres in her chair is beyond me! There was a free space either side of her car.) Anyway, I showed her the blue badge and I gave her a full run down of dd's problems and asked her why, because she was young, she was not entitled to a blue badge. The woman went bright red and apologised but I could still tell that she felt more entitled to the space than we were.:mad: Sometimes it makes me feel like we are not entitled to the space and it makes me feel like a fraud.

Maybe they should have OAP bays outside shops lol! That would give them something to argue about.

I once found an OAP in the parent and child space, so I challenged her about it and her words were 'Oh it's alright luv, I am a disabled and all the disbled spaces are gone'. They weren't lol! But that is another topic completely. :rotfl:

ohreally · 13 December 2008 at 2:32AM

Some may find interesting reading in the distinction between the two commonly held disability models...

http://www.open.ac.uk/inclusiveteaching/pages/understanding-and-awareness/medical-model.php

http://www.open.ac.uk/inclusiveteaching/pages/understanding-and-awareness/social-model.php

http://www.southamptoncil.co.uk/social_model.htm

I'll let you guess which model tends to be used by agencies such as DWP and most in the medical profession.

What counts as disability?

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