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"that's too many to be swept aside and ignored." - Alyssa Royse

Posted March 26th, 2008 by Mobility Bridge Jack
in Health. Tags: Disabilities, disability, isolation in living with a disability, mobility equipment, people with disabilities.

"that's too many to be swept aside and ignored."Alyssa Royse

 I am re-posting my comment on Alyssa's great article

"What is a disability anyway"

This may be repiticious but I would like to see what others have experienced, either as a family member, care giver, or as a person living with a disability. Are you seeing open doors? Has ADA made your life better?  And most important ... what can we do to Bridge the gap?

People with disabilities need to be seen and embraced as People first. After we take the time to learn about and build a relationship with a person we can truly see the gifts they bring to us as a friend, co-worker, or Governor. Far to often, people see first the disability, the white cane, wheelchair, a body that does not work the way we expect it to. To often we are too quick to assume it would be difficult to communicate with this person with CP or MS, but it is more often not the case. And most often it is really worth the effort.

I have recently been blessed with the opportunity to discover just how much richer life can be having had many new opportunities to meet and connect with and share time with people with many different disabilities. These same people have many different abilities than I do and I am enriched by the opportunity to have them share these abilities with me. If you let it happen you will "sweep aside" opportunities for good friendship and pleasant conversations, a good laugh, and the sharing of new stories.

People do isolate people - ignore people - fear people - who are different. But we are more alike than different. I would encourage anyone who has felt uncomfortable with a meeting with a person with a disability, to turn around and reach out to that person. Meet them first as a person. Many people I work with have taken this step and will tell you how rewarding the journey has been since that first step.

Regards, Mobility Jack

Disability and Poverty

On April 14th, 2008 Mobility Bridge Jack said:

The connection with poverty is very evident in the community of people with long term disabilities. In Census data or in research reports noting that 20% of the population is disabled (1 in 5 Americans), as many as 40% live at or near the poverty level. Often the Recipient of public support is trapped by these programs even if they desire to work. A 2005 study notes the following:

"Although the federal government spends some $87 billion a year on income support for people with disabilities, "today's obsolete policies" force many people with disabilities, whether they work or not, into a "poverty trap." Major policy reforms, therefore, are needed, asserts a trio of Cornell University experts."

"Under federal rules, people with disabilities must be unemployed in order to receive benefits. But the support they receive isn't enough to keep them out of poverty. If they do work to supplement their income, they are penalized by losing benefits. "Those with the lowest incomes lose 50 cents for every dollar they earn. That's a higher tax rate than Bill Gates pays," said David Stapleton, director of the Cornell University Institute for Policy Research (CUIPR). "

The good news is it does not have to be that way. Watch the NBC News video on YouTube "Walgreens Rocks!". So as we think about people with disabilities in the workplace, lets all remember these people are talented, employable, productive, .... and they need the work to restore the dignity they desire just like everyone else. They do not want to be on public assistance and all they need is an open mind and sometimes creative adaptability to prove the merit of their ability.

I recently met with parents of children with disabilities in a discussion about their concern and challenges in raising their children. They have many, but one parent expressed the concern aired in the video about employment after the high school years. We often have good "Special Ed" programs in the K12 system, but what about after graduation. One women I know with CP called it Graduating to the couch. As an aside, these are some of the most loving and resourceful parents I have ever met.

There are good Occupational programs after the school years, but what is often missing in the Votech Schools or Community Colleges is an adaptive approach to the one size fits all class room and labs that would give young people with disabilities more options for real career choices. I would be interested in any one's experience in this area - in particular in the Seattle region - but any good working examples would be of interest.