Individuals who have a physical disability have a great amount of obstacles to deal with in their daily lives. They face struggles that we non people with a physical disability take for granted. Because of their disability they find themselves falling below the line. They feel below and “useless” in a way because they can’t match up to others. Based on the Participation and Activity Limitation Survey of 2006, people with disabilities make up 16.5% of the adult population (“As a Matter”, 2011).
Canadians with disabilities remains one of the largest sectors living on social welfare (“A Disability”, 2011). It’s also been said that over two million Canadian adults with disabilities lack one or more of the educational, workplace, aids, home modification or other supports they need to participate fully in their communities (“From Vision”, 2011). With all those people it sad to see they lack all of those things. According to studies 55% of adults with disabilities are women and 45% are men (“As a Matter”, 2011). Women of disability are also sustained to violence and abuse (“A Disability”, 2011). This comes to show how women are targets in any category, this actually makes me sick to think someone would do harm to a person with a physical disability, one who is so vulnerable and weak.
Poverty is also associated with living arrangements. For instance, amongst people who live alone, 31% with disabilities live in poverty compared with 21.3% of their counterparts without disabilities. More than half of people with disabilities (53.7%) who live with others but not family members (e.g., in shared living arrangements or rooming/boarding houses) have incomes below the poverty line as compared with 36.3% of their non-disabled counterparts. Some 21.3% of lone parents with disabilities have incomes below the poverty line compared with 18.4% of lone parents without disabilities (“As a Matter”, 2011). These individuals need more accessible resources, customize houses to fit their needs, and that are affordable and works for them. They shouldn’t feel isolated and trapped in a society where there’s nothing they cannot do. I think we should make sure that they feel equal and capable of doing anything they set their minds to.
For that reason I believe we should encourage and help these individuals in finding ways to live in a society normally and not in poverty.as well helping them in opening windows of opportunities, making them feel as though they are equal and can achieve anything they want despite their physical disability; Because in the end everyone needs a helping hand to help guide them in this world.
References:
As a Matter of Fact: Poverty and Disability in Canada. (2011). Council of Canadians with Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.ccdonline.ca/en/socialpolicy/poverty-citizenship/demographic-profile/poverty-disability-canada.
A Disability Rights Analysis of Canada's Record Regarding the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities: A Submission by CCD to the Human Rights Council in Relation to the 2009 Periodic Review of Canada. (2011). Council of Canadians with Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.ccdonline.ca/en/humanrights/promoting/periodic-review-2009.
From Vision to Action: Building an Inclusive and Accessible Canada: A National Action Plan. (2011). Council of Canadians with Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.ccdonline.ca/en/socialpolicy/actionplan/inclusive-accessible-canada.
Great post Hannah!
ReplyDeleteI agree that their is definitely a coorelation between poverty and people with dissabilities. What kind of steps do you think we should make to help these individuals?
-Brigitte
I also agree that the majority of our disabled population lives in poverty. Why should they be any less employable than any able-bodied person? People with disabilties are in most cases the best employees to have as they are usually very driven. If we could only improve our system to help support them with regards to housing and employment, it would greatly improve the quality of their lives.
ReplyDeleteShauna Richardson
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ReplyDeleteWell done post Hannah. I agree with you that everyone deserves to be equal, even though they may have a physical disability. I can see how people with physical disabilities can be a high percentage of people in society that lives in poverty. The government needs to recognize and be fair to these individual for they didn't put themselves in the position that they may be in, they deserve just as much as anyone else.
ReplyDelete-Samantha
This blog made me wonder if the government provides financial support to individuals who need to make alterations to thier homes to make them more accesible. I think finding affordable housing would even more difficult when having to also worry about finding housing that is accessible.
ReplyDeleteKim
@Brigitte, I think first off we need to recognize its a large problem in our society and that there's a great amount of people who are suffering, and as well by giving them equal opportunities, and as @Shauna said creating jobs. By that i hope to believe the unemployment rate will decrease and hopefully get them out of poverty.
ReplyDelete@Kim when i was doing research on writing this blog i also found to think the government isn't making much financial help for these individuals, so for that i believe we need to create some sort of fund so that these individuals can have more access in the public and in their homes.
Hannah
I agree with you in that we need to help people with disabilities find ways to live in our society in a way that is as normal as possible. People with disabilities should not be treated any different then a person without a disability and therefore they should be given all the same rights to education, jobs and other supports that people without disabilities get. I hope something can be done to help with this issue.
ReplyDelete- Michal B.
When I go see homeless people in wheelchairs, I feel hopeless for them, just because that IS another strike against them for being able to make it in this world. It's cruel that people who are disabled, both mentally and physically, are subjected to live on the streets.
ReplyDeleteKel
Everyone should be equal, but its so clear that were all not! i think a lot of people with disabilities just get over looked because everyone just see the disability, not the person. Good post!
ReplyDeleteJessica