Friday 3 May 2013

day 2 ..story of my life blog challenge

Day 2, Thursday: Educate us on something you know a lot about or are good at. Take any approach you'd like (serious and educational or funny and sarcastic)
I am playing catch up on this challenge...
I am very educated on disability issues as I did a year long course on it before my divorce.Also I am hard of hearing, wear hearing aids and have experienced life in a wheelchair for 3 years.I still have mobility and fitness problems.I have heart disease and diabetes so all in all with having a son with disability's and experiencing them myself I consider myself as knowing  about it  from most angles.
In  the UK people with disability's and learning problems, used to be in the workhouse in each town.They were treated badly and it has been well documented.Then as time went on  disabled people were   left in hospital or day centers or residential homes. Life for disabled people was always a struggle.Not many people who had wheelchairs were seen out when I was little in the 60s and 70s as public places were not adapted for their wheelchair and accessibility. Slowly but surely this has improved and now a lot of places have accessibility. Now it is common place for people in wheelchairs to go out and live life as a able person.
There are gadgets now to help with all kinds of disability.Most people struggle to get their kids assessed if they have a disability and into the right kind of  school.Mainstream school where the disabled child or learning difficulty child should learn alongside other children is the way forward but only if the child is treated the same as the others in class and the school is adapted to cope with the problems the individual child has.I struggled to get my son assessed and in the correct school, he now goes to a special school and has never been happier.But I worry he has been isolated from our local community and has no friends in our local neighbourhood.It is very isolating.Thats why I take him to clubs and events to help him communicate and have interests.
As the disabled person ages they face further struggles, in getting employment, further education , accomodation to suit and benefits.,The current government seems to be making things very hard for disabled people as like always the strong always pick on the weakest to attack first.
When you are a parent of a disabled child it is very hard, you have to let go of many dreams you may have for that child and it seems a constant fight for everything when life shouldn't be like that.It is a fight for things like respite and benefits and to get the correct equipment to help your child.
It is good to make a will so your child will be cared for when you are no longer here and to get all the support you can.There are many organisations out there that can help you with life now if you are disabled or have a child with a disability.

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