Disabled ????.

Hello

Disabled, the word we understand, although a condition that many will not admit to.

Have anyone here been told they are disabled, very few health professionals use the term, When does able bodied change to disabled. are there when we get an abcess in a tooth, NO, What condition would we say was disabled, Ok a chronic condition that we suffer that will never improve from, is that disabled ??. We loose a finger are we disabled now ?? it all goes on and on.

Suppose we need to look at it as a percentage, are we 10% disabled or are we 75% disabled, how do we square this circle

The way they use it now is points, how do they work that out ??. Who decides these numbers ?, I cannot understand the system that we need to understand. Disability is such a wide suspect how do we relate to these terms.

Do we sit watching the TV and say I am 20 points, or am I 20%,,

Now i suppose I will just accept that I am disabled, does it matter, should it say on our blue b ,badges what we are, would that assist in pigeon holeing us in the eyes of society.

All the best

BOB

[Hidden]

I know what you mean, now I am officially declared Disabled, have a Blue Badge and DLA, though at what stage do you make the changeover?

I remember when I got my Blue Badge, am I now holding a medal/badge saying I am disabled this put me into the category is this good or bad? It's neither good nor bad for me - it's an acceptance that I am unable to do the things I used to be able to do and now officially acknowledged.

[joe69]

I got my DLA last May, now it's all due for referral this Nov/Dec. With all these new rules, do I see me getting it again, then NO.

My walking is still unlimited, I cant drive due too meds for pain. But, is this enough for me to get it all back.

I know how bad I am, Yes I have a blue badge, what does this make me feel, does it make me different, well yes, you just get looks now from older shoppers, ie pensioners, its not the first time you see then walking past the car, looking for the badge....

Oh, if I could park miles awwy from the shop door then I would, I hate being in this disabled class...it's still very hard for me to get my head around all this....

I just so want me back....the Joe from 2006, before all this started....

Joe.

PS....to me disabled is just a word, some like it some don't....this one doesn't.....

You are what you are at the end of the day, NO one can change that....

[rowantree]

Do you think anyone likes it? I can't imagine that. Would anyone like it? Or maybe they would, the same as we (mostly) all want a diagnosis label. It helps us feel that we are believed, that our problems are not just in our heads.

[mick3]

I think the wording should be less abled

[johnsmith]

I have a health condition which can be very disabling at times. I need this to be recognised so that I am not asked to do things that are beyond my capability.

When I do a task such as writing computer code I would resent it strongly if someone judge my code on the issue of me being disabled. I needed to give a very short presentation this afternoon. I was going to have to give it after others had given theres. However I was beginning to mentally crash from exhaustion so the organiser had me give mine first while I was still comprise mentis.

So horses for courses. There are times when disabled is important and times when it should not be used

[phantomwolf]

Hi Bob,

A very pertinent post indeed and was a subject that resonated very strongly with myself at the moment.

I have recently decided to begin classing my health condition as a disability or a cause of disability rather, and I must emphasize that this has not been a decision that I take lightly but which I feel that I must commit myself to. I have taken this decision as a result of recently having to resign from my job due to no longer being able to meet the physical requirements of my role. If I wish to receive state benefit then I must admit how disabling my health condition is becoming as I'm sure most of us know that if you leave your job by choice then you are not entitled to anything.

I'm certain that some might argue here that I am making a choice of highlighting how much my health condition (hypermobility syndrome) is affecting me to the DWP but as previously said it has not been a decision that has come easily. I have been trying to assess how much working in my previous role has benefited my health both mentally and physically and the answer is none. What is the point in saying yes I can do this activity or that, knowing full well I will pay for it later in pain and fatigue. I understand it is important to prevent disability when possible but as I get older I feel that why should the governments views on those on benefits and other peoples views about me prevent me from taking measures to look after my health? I have decided to lose my consciousness about my crutches, I have a fluctuating painful condition and if a tool can help then why not, but as most of you know it can be a difficult thing to explain to someone who might see you one day with the equipment and the next day not, just how necessary they can be.

I do not feel as though my health practitioners have been open about what help I might be entitled to i.e PIP payments, OT equipment etc and it has been my choice to investigate and apply for these. I understand that as a health professional the prevention of disability is a priority but I feel that this has become a mindset that implies that if someone has the view that they are disabled then they will be convinced that they cant do anything, which is just not true. I am now in draining task of trying to summarise to strangers how much my health condition affects my daily living but lets face it if I do not fight my case no one else is going to.

I feel that it is odd that how your health condition lowers your quality of life can is fact however 'disabilty' can be viewed as choice (sometimes out of your control). Disability as a concept will always be an area for debate and is for the large part a subjective concept. The debate will go on continously however I feel at the moment that if disability is a label that can be useful then I will continue to advocate its use. I suppose the big questions as john posted is how and when does it become helpful and when does it become a hindrance?

[tettridge]

Hi

I was judged to be disabled in 2001 and given a yellow disabled card for work to help me as all companies used to need to have so many disabled people on the workforce.

I did not really feel disabled and did not tell any of my employers that I was registered disabled (I was made redundant twice in that period) as I felt that it would go against me.

So, I was registered disabled with Hampshire County Council but did not tell anyone, does that make me disabled or not?

These labels are great, they are as useful as a chocolate teapot. I was able to work in those days as I was only doing office work and had no requirement for manual work that I could not do, and now even an office job is out of the question as I can't sit for longer than ten minutes and I have trouble walking so every half hour I have to lay down (sit in the recliner)

for at least ten minutes.

What job could I do? Seriously I would love to know, so any suggestions would be gratefully received.

Take care and kindest regards

Terry

[Hidden in reply to tettridge]

Terry, there are many reputable online agencies, I use people per hour to bid on jobs. They have a huge range of jobs too. If you have a lap top, and a laptop stand, you can do admin related jobs in bed, in your recliner, while you are standing, sitting. If you can surf, play computer games then you can work.

Download some free design software and start designing business cards and logos. Easy, takes half hour max and you can charge £10 - £45 per design. If they want them printed use Moo or vistaprint. Instant home business which costs nothing to set up.

Twitter and fb your designs, follow a mix of local businesses and other designers, it may be that they can shift some work your way. Do a great profile on the job website, this will attract browsers too.

Data entry is a good one too, less well paid but quite often ongoing, and you can often choose how many hours you want to do.

Search all the jobs there may be things you can do that you hadn't thought about.

Website design is another easy one to do. Use weebly and webs as the basis for the website. You set up all the pages, write all the info, shop etc. You charge the client for the website at what ever level they want, and for your time in setting it up. This is potentially £200 a time and you can offer a maintenance service too. No need to have your own servers. These sites are easy to use and the layout is nice.

I started my sewing business sitting 5 mins at a time at the machine. Built it up to 50 mins over 5 yrs. And I manage 3 - 5 hours work a day. I make enough income to pay the bills, holidays and any extras. Not a huge amount, but a significant amount.

Good luck, there's loads of things you can do, its just finding them and having a go.

[Hidden]

I think it could be look at as a state of mind. You focus on disability all the time, you eventually become what you think you are.

An amputee. - can swim, he is obviously disabled (but on whose perspective - the able bodied looking in or the disabled looking out?) but he manages to do do something many abled bodied people can't do - win a medal at the olympics.

I understand that for work and safety reasons disability must be declared, if only to protect the employers back.

Someone with dyslexia is considered to be disabled, because they can't read important safety signs. Does that make a non English speaking person disabled by the same rule? No, because signs have universal pictures to help people who can't read understand the messsge.

I have a physical condition which means I have had to change the way I live my life to accommodate it. I have had to change my environment to keep me safe. I have a long list of activities that I have been advised not to do because it will make my condition worse. I have come out of employment and am self employed. My condition does not stop me working, it means I have to work in a different way to conventional employment, it is more than adapting a work space. (huge opportunity here to educate employers so they don't loose valuable and skilled staff.) This is enough to satify the World Health Organisation that I am disabled. Yet my govt says because I can walk more than 400m and can look after myself, I am not disabled.

Therefore, I try and live my life as abled as I can.