Disabled Rights

If you are after a feel good film then look no further than ‘Inside I’m Dancing’. The film focuses on two characters who are in wheelchairs. One thrives for independence and to not let being in a wheelchair bring him down. The other is the opposite, fine with being in a home and letting people look after him.

As the film progresses, the character who thrives for independance and to party, shows the other character that he can do anything & that being in a wheelchair shouldnt stop you from doing anything you want to do.

Scenes like chatting up some girls in a bar, dancing in a club, and moving in together are really quite moving. You can see the pain and the struggle as the outgoing character will not be defeated by the situation which he has been presented with. The film leaves you feeling uplifted and that you too can do anything.

In the light of the latest Ricky Gervais quote about his two friends being ‘Mongs’. I ask the question if its really right to describe people as disabled because of they have not done something the way you would have.

The questions is big, and people morals come in to the question. Obviously it is not right to say someone is disabled because they dont understand or arent as educated as you expected. Sometimes its just a case of someone doing something which you would never do. So because you didnt expect it, you assume its wrong or you must be disabled to have done it. As if a disabled person would have done the same thing, and not done the same thing as you because of their condition.

I understand there are a lot of factors to consider. But I think in most scenarios the line is crossed and someone is being hurt by what is being said. The question is why do people make other people feel like that?

I read an interesting article a couple of months ago about eating disorders and how it is so much more common than we think. Eating disorders are a horrible illness, ruining so many peoples lives. With many people simply thinking its just a case of eat, and you’ll get better. Its so much more deeper and drilled into people that its not that simple.

Here are a few tips to help improve your body image and how you feel as a human being.

• Wear clothes that you like to wear, not that you think make you feel thin or hide your body.
• Try and put yourself in an enviroment with positive people. Not people who will bring you down or give negative opinions about what you wear, look like, or eat.
• Try and enjoy your body, its the greatest instrument you will ever own.
• and lastly… Stay away from beauty magazines. They will make you feel ugly.

On a recent visit to Lyme Park, I was presented with an interesting question at the pay gate. Three of us went to Lyme Park in a car. One of us is a student, one unemployed and myself in full time work. The cost to drive a car into Lyme Park is £5. To walk in, its free. The plan was for the driver to just drop us off but when arriving at the beautiful Lyme park, the driver had a sudden change of heart and wondered if she could pop in for a coffee. When we arrived it was getting late, so we asked if there was any discount for unemployed or students. The answer was pretty blunt. No.

Out of interest we asked if there was ever any discounts. The answer was the same, followed by “We dont even give discount for disabled people”. To which someone in my party said “Shame on the national trust”. This interaction interested me. Should it be really be cheaper for people with a disability? My initial thought was definitely not. Why would someone with a disability want a discount to get into Lyme park? Surely most disabilities still mean that the person can enjoy the beauty of Lyme Park. And lets not forget, dont ‘they’ want to be treated the same? Why make them different by offering a discount to Lyme Park.

If someone with a disability should be given a discount for the reason perhaps they cant work, then so should a student or someone who cant find a job in this recession. What are your thoughts?

Improving your home to adapt to living with a disability can be a stressful process if you need to make adaptations when living independently. There is help available from social services departments of your local council who can complete an assessment of your home. The assessments are usually completed by an occupational therapist who will assess what changes would best meet your needs. When they have completed your assessment they decide whether any adaptations are needed to your home – if they do you can be awarded a Disabled Facilities Grant.

It is standard practice for local councils to give a grant to eligible applicants so that houses are suitable for disabled people. Some of the costs may be payable by yourself; however in some cases they are fully covered by the council.

If you require any more information on this service then you can contact the Housing Department from your local council or alternatively the Environmental Health department.

If you are looking for a new job there are a few ways that can help you indentify employers who positively encourage disabled people to work for them. One of these ways is to display the “disability symbol” on an advertisement for a job for example. All employers are bound to the Disability Discrimination Act to treat everyone equally but some of them will show their encouragement by employing disabled people. If this is the case then it is likely they will display the “two ticks” disability symbol on their job adverts which indicates they have made specific commitments regarding employing disabled people.

Equal opportunities are standard in the work place these days and being comfortable around others in the same position can be a benefit to working in a certain environment. An employer could include a statement in a job advert that actively encourages disabled people to go for the job. If there is anything that you need advice on with applying for a job then your Disability Employment Adviser can contact the employer on your behalf.

The government has revealed an array of measures which they say represents a huge shift in their approach to mental health and issues surrounding it. They have published a strategy for preventing people who are at risk to mental health conditions including victims of sexual or physical abuse and people who don’t have homes or safe places to live. The government have also published two reports; one is about providing people who have mental health conditions with help on how to stay in work. The other report focuses on improving job prospects for people who are out of work.

The strategy that the government have set out includes employing mental health workers in job centres which will help to give support. Developing links between companies and their employees is important to the government and they are aiming to help support British businesses with retaining employees who have mental health conditions.

Channel 4 has announced that the 2012 Paralympics will be broadcast for the duration of the event. After winning the rights to the games Channel 4 will see this as a step forward in their development.
150 hours of coverage on the television will be given to Channel 4 for the London games. According to the chairman of Channel 4, the Paralympic games will be the main event rather than a sideshow to the Olympics.
It is thought that Sky were the biggest rival to the BBC with regards the rights to the games but didn’t bid in the end.

The Paralympics are due to start soon after the completion of the Olympics. It is also confirmed that Channel 4 will be completely rebranded with a Paralympic theme for the duration of the games.

There has been a huge amount of snowfall in the last week in the UK. This has had an effect on everyone with regards to getting about the country, trying to do day-to-day business and basics like shopping and commuting. The fact that the roads are extremely dangerous to drive on suggests that many people stay home and don’t risk causing accidents to themselves and others.

Even walking around the local streets is hazardous, wrapping up warm is essential and taking plenty of supplies with you on journeys is recommended too. If you can avoid going out in these conditions - as low as minus 17 degrees Celcius in some places, then it is best to stay where you are. The snow is turning to ice and the conditions aren’t looking like improving soon.

People are more aware now than ever before about the importance of mental health, and over the past 10 years the government has concentrated on improving treatment as well as prevention for this illness.

Once an illness that caused embarrassment, it is now something that we are actively encouraged to talk about as part of the recovery procedure. The figures for those suffering from depression is surprisingly high, with one in six people suffering from depression or anxiety at some point in their life. In fact mental illness accounts for the greatest burden than any other condition.
It has been proven that working is beneficial for those with depression, and the government is now appointing mental health coordinators to work with job centres, to get those people suffering from the illness into jobs.

For those sufferers already in work the government are setting up advice lines, from which small businesses can give their staff direct access to occupational health professionals.
The important message is that those suffering from depression or anxiety should get the help they need to learn to cope with, or even overcome their illness.