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[CHAT] Different abilities not disability!

Personally, I have always felt as though disability would never be something that could impact me or anyone in my family. It wasn’t until a close family member of mine was diagnosed with a progressive condition that began to affect his physical mobility that I began to question just how rare disabilities really are.

 

ability

 

All sorts of other questions began to race through my head too - what will life be life like for him? Will he enjoy a healthy quality of life? At the end of the day, I just wanted my uncle to be happy and enjoy his life as anyone else could.

 

The truth is, we've all got differing abilities and what's called 'disability' is simply a part of human diversity. One in five people in Australia, almost 4 million people, have a disability of one kind - some of which people are born with, while others are developed later in life. Some can affect mobility, but often they are not visible - it could be the ability to learn things, it could be thinking processes or the ability to hear or see.

 

We know that discrimination has a big impact (negatively) on mental health - and there is a lot of discrimination that people with disabilities face and it's so engrained in our culture....

language

 

Due to discrimination and society generally making life hard unless you fit a certain mould - people with disabilities face low self-esteem and confidence, and can find it difficult to maintain employment and a healthy social life.

 

The impacts of disability can also extend to a person’s family and friends. On the positive side, it can bring a family closer together, but on the negative side, it can place heavy emotional demands on a family and affect their physical and mental health. Being a person who has battled anxiety for a long time, I find that I can become particularly overwhelmed just by thinking about how my uncle has been impacted by his disability.

 

One of the most crucial things to remember is that whether it be your own, or someone else’s, a person’s disability does not define them and should not stop them from achieving their goals in life.

 

How can we all help to create communities that are inclusive and help to address th challenges people with disabilities face in order for everyone to achieve any goals and aspirations they may possess?


Join us on the forums this Monday (1st December) at 8:00pm AEDT to discuss your thoughts and experiences with disabilities. Hope to see you there!

benjamin_
benjamin_Posted 26-11-2014 04:33 PM
 
 
 
 
Myvo
MyvoPosted 01-12-2014 08:29 PM

@benjamin_ @ruenhonx Yup, definitely. I think that the people they know would rather have their disability acknowledged for what it is (i.e. the name of their condition) rather than refer it broadly as a 'disability'. That way, for them, it's removing that stigma and actually getting people to learn what it is. 

 
 
 
 
 
ruenhonx
ruenhonxPosted 01-12-2014 08:33 PM
@Myvo that I can understand, I would actually prefer that as well because by saying disability it sort of groups individuals together as the same. Almost very dismissive of individuality.
 
 
 
 
sunflowers5
sunflowers5Posted 01-12-2014 08:27 PM
I think for any person the most comfortable situation would be to feel 'normal' or as if they 'belong' to the crowd. For that reason I would say maybe they'd prefer nothing ? and just to be treated with the same level of welcomeness (if that's a word).
 
 
sunflowers5
sunflowers5Posted 01-12-2014 08:19 PM
Someone who was very close to me with a disability has to be my grandmother.
She was diagnosed with dementia in her late 60's and passed away just last year.
It had both negative and positive effects to it. I guess just appreciating and realising how important our memory is and unfortunately seeing her struggle with every day simple tasks and knowing she's going to forget who I am 5 minutes into the conversation was heart breaking.
 
 
 
benjamin_
benjamin_Posted 01-12-2014 08:22 PM

@sunflowers5 i'm so sorry to hear that. 

 

I can only imagine how heart breaking that must have been. 

 
 
 
ruenhonx
ruenhonxPosted 01-12-2014 08:21 PM
I am sorry for your loss @sunflowers5 it must have been extremely difficult seeing her struggle.
 
 
ruenhonx
ruenhonxPosted 01-12-2014 08:17 PM

Do you or someone you know have a disability?

I used to know this guy from church who was in a wheelchair, he was so awesome and so full of life. He always used to talk openly about the struggles he had and how it made him stronger. Other than that I don't have anyone close to me with disabilities.  

 
 
 
benjamin_
benjamin_Posted 01-12-2014 08:21 PM

@ruenhonx how awesome is that. 

 

I think that's a great example of how people with disabilities can overcome barriers and remain strong through tough times. 

 
 
 
 
radio_RO
radio_ROPosted 01-12-2014 08:24 PM
Remember that some mental illness can be a disability too... Like anxiety and mood disorders...
 
 
 
 
 
Myvo
MyvoPosted 01-12-2014 08:31 PM

@radio_RO I've heard of that too! At uni, if you're struggling with mental illness and/or mental health issues, they'll usually register you as a student with a disability. 

 
 
 
 
 
ruenhonx
ruenhonxPosted 01-12-2014 08:28 PM
Never thought of that as a disability @radio_RO can you explain that to me a bit more?
 
 
 
 
 
radio_RO
radio_ROPosted 01-12-2014 08:35 PM

@ruenhonx wrote:
Never thought of that as a disability @radio_RO can you explain that to me a bit more?
Well mental illness that has ongoing effects that limits a person's movements, senses, or activities fits the definition of disability. DIfferent to a temporary mental health problem/s that may be experienced following a stressful life event....  An example of how this works in practice, is that you may be eligible for the disability pension depending on your mental illness.
 
 
 
 
 
sunflowers5
sunflowers5Posted 01-12-2014 08:40 PM

@radio_RO  wow! I had honestly never thought of that until you just mentioned it. That's a really good point because it stresses on the little significance we give to those struggling mentally. 

But then I think that may be because as individuals we find it harder to believe things when we can't see it. Which is really disappointing. I wonder how we can get around this, and provide more support for those delaing with mental issues. 

 
 
 
 
 
radio_RO
radio_ROPosted 01-12-2014 08:38 PM

I think one of the biggest is that People with disabilities aren't interested in/cannot have sex which has huge impacts on peoples wellbeing over their lifetime.

 

Here's a mythbuster I got from http://www.yapa.org.au/openingdoors/disabilities/common_myths.php


"Adolescence is a time when young people develop an interest in sex and become more aware of their sexuality. This is normal for all young people, including young people with a disability. Many people (and some parents) treat young people with a disability like children, and are shocked when they are interested in or have a girlfriend or boyfriend. There is no reason why having a disability means that someone does not have an interest in relationships or sex!"

 
 
 
 
 
benjamin_
benjamin_Posted 01-12-2014 08:44 PM

that's a massive one @radio_RO 

 

I think that stigma plays a big role here too. It's a shame that this is the case and I think more education and awareness regarding disabilities could help here.

 

Okay next question guys!

 

  1. How can we combat these stereotypes in our everyday lives?

I think that everyone can contribute to tackling these stereotypes, and sometimes it's the small things that make a big difference! An example could be speaking up when negative words or phrases are used about disability.

 
 
 
 
 
sunflowers5
sunflowers5Posted 01-12-2014 08:52 PM
@benjamin_ That's a good one! I think speaking up in day to day conversations and really making people aware can spread the word and have a huge impact!

Something else would involve Respect. Once we stop discriminating others based on whatever differences they have (in this case their disability) and respect that everyone is different.. it can really help those with a disability to feel more comfortable and confident!
 
 
 
 
 
benjamin_
benjamin_Posted 01-12-2014 08:54 PM

definitely @sunflowers5 

 

Respect is huge. We need to respect that everybody has different abilities and there's nothing wrong with that at all! 

 
 
 
 
 
ruenhonx
ruenhonxPosted 01-12-2014 08:55 PM

We are half way there guys. This is some really quality conversation tonight 🙂 

Can you think of some challenges that people with disabilities overcome?

 
 
 
 
 
Student94
Student94Posted 01-12-2014 09:07 PM

Can you think of some challenges that people with disabilities overcome?

The challenge of worrying about what others think. My friend learned to be honest and upfront about her disability, even towards people who didn't know her well without fearing that they would think of her differently.

 
 
 
 
 
ruenhonx
ruenhonxPosted 01-12-2014 09:12 PM

What are 3 important things you can think of that we as a society need to do to make our communities more inclusive?

 

  1. Understanding the need for accessible parking and leaving it for those who need it
  2. Speaking up when negative words or phrases are used about disability
  3. Accepting people with disabilities as individuals capable of the same needs and feelings as yourself
 
 
 
 
 
benjamin_
benjamin_Posted 01-12-2014 09:17 PM

@ruenhonx I agree that we need to speak up. I think we can all really help by being more aware of when these negative words or phrases are used and letting people know that it isn't okay. 

 
 
 
 
 
radio_RO
radio_ROPosted 01-12-2014 09:21 PM
I found this!
Things everyone can do to help eliminate the barriers confronting people with disabilities:
Everyone can contribute to change. You can help remove barriers by:
Understanding the need for accessible parking and leaving it for those who need it
Encouraging participation of people with disabilities in community activities by using accessible meeting and event sites
Understanding children's curiosity about disabilities and people who have them
Advocating a barrier-free environment
Speaking up when negative words or phrases are used about disability
Writing producers and editors a note of support when they portray someone with a disability as a "regular person" in the media
Accepting people with disabilities as individuals capable of the same needs and feelings as yourself, and hiring qualified disabled persons whenever possible

http://eastersealscfc.tumblr.com/post/77707689184/myths-and-facts-about-people-with-disabilities
 
 
 
 
 
radio_RO
radio_ROPosted 01-12-2014 09:23 PM
Also the "social model" approach to disability sees the ‘problem’ as society’s barriers, rather than a person’s condition. It asks instead: what are the ways that we can look beyond the individual person’s disability and instead to the relevant factors that affect their ability of every person to be a full and equal participant in society.

More info: http://www.pwd.org.au/student-section/the-social-model-of-disability.html
 
 
 
 
 
radio_RO
radio_ROPosted 01-12-2014 09:27 PM
Role models are important! I think in terms of physical disabilities, Adam Hills does a good job.

I also like Stella Young who is really brilliant http://stellayoung.com/
 
 
 
 
 
benjamin_
benjamin_Posted 01-12-2014 09:11 PM

that's definitely a tough one to deal with @Student94 

we are all social beings and do care what others think. It's great to hear that your friend was able to handle it in that way.

 

Next question guys!

 

  1. What are 3 important things you can think of that we as a society need to do to make our communities more inclusive?

As @Myvo mentioned earlier, organisations making it easier for people with disabilities to gain employment would go a long way. In addition, simple things like raising awareness about disabilities and people who have them in schools, and encouraging participation of people with disabilities in community activities by using accessible meeting and event sites.

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