Who is caring for the caregivers?

Mullaly states that, “social democrats believe that the role of the state is to promote the collective good and play a positive role in the economy” (Mullaly 2007, p. 121). Social democrats do play a positive role because of many actions that they take such as a launching of a bill mentioned in this article. This bill is beneficial and is another step closer to improving society. An improvement will be made because of the extension of the caregiver tax credit to the spouses of persons with the disability. Although the bill only applies to the spouse of persons with disability, it still helps substantially because it will aid to financially secure a large percentage of families. Having read so many articles regarding people with a physical disability, I’ve come to be reminded again that it does not just immensely affect the person with the physical disability but their family and friends as well. Not to disregard the feelings of people with a physical disability, but sometimes people tend to forget the impact this certain situation has on the family because so much emphasis is put on what the individual feels. It’s important to care for persons with a disability but who cares for the caregiver?

Family members who are the caregivers of a person with a disability are left with a huge responsibility due to the fact that being a caregiver is time consuming and they must develop or improve skills. According to this text we should be “more focused on helping caregivers develop skills and strategies” (Shewchuk 2004, p. 9) to adequately meet the needs of persons with a physical disability. The repercussions of being a family member caregiver are different from a hired caregiver because of the emotional tie or attachment to the persons with a disability. In my opinion having an emotional tie in this type of situation compromises a persons’ ability to make decisions on what might be best because their emotions can cloud their better judgment or because of such an emotional tie, the wisdom to make the right decision is reinforced. Individuals who become the caregiver for family members “compromise their own health” (Shewchuk 2004, p. 1) emotionally and physically. So the fact that the NDP cares for the caregivers is an exciting news, because it will not only help the caregivers, but it will help the ones they’re caring for.

- Kristal 

Mullaly, B. (2007). The New Structural Social Work (3^rd ed.). Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press Canada.

 Shewchuk, R., & Rivera, P. (2004). Using Cognitive Mapping to Understand Problems Experienced by Family Caregivers of Persons With Severe Physical Disabilities. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, Vol. 11(3). Retrieved from <http://www.springerlink.com.proxy1.lib.umanitoba.ca/content/q37t875270826623/fulltext.pdf>

NDP Press Release. (13 April 2010). Wasylycia-Leis launches bill to extend caregiver tax credit to spouses of persons with disabilities. Retrieved from <http://biac-aclc.ca/en/2010/04/13/wasylycia-leis-launches-bill-to-extend-caregiver-tax-credit-to-spouses-of-persons-with-disabilities/>

Difficulties of People With Disabilities - Mental or Physical

According to this article, the percentage of people with disabilities that are employed either part-time or full-time is a measly 29%, whereas the number of people without disabilities who are either employed part or full-time is 79%. In a span of 7 years, 11, 500 complaints filed resulted in allegations of discrimination against people with disabilities when hiring. "...people with disabilities need to be aware of the image that they portray to potential employers. Not only must they have the necessary qualifications and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job, but they also must be knowledgeable about how best to manage the disability stereotypes that employers hold, to obtain employment." (Dalgin & Bellini, 2008) The fact that people with disabilities must deal with stereotypes and discrimination is very upsetting. It is hard enough for an able-bodied person to get a job, never mind a person with a disability. 

"...persons with physical disabilities are viewed more favorably than persons with psychiatric disabilities." (Dalgin & Bellini, 2008) Reading this, I kind of wonder why it is that people with mental disabilities are less eligible for a job opportunity than those with a physical disability. "Mental disorders account for approximately 12% of all diseases and injuries worldwide." (Lauber & Bowen, 2010) If this means that at least 12% of the people in this world are never going to be employed, and are going to be constantly discriminated against, we have a huge problem. This 12% doesn't account for all of the people who are discriminated against due to physical disabilities, race, religion, color of skin, etc. This 12% is a tiny number compared to the total number of people in the world that are discriminated against.

"[Depression] can include psychological distress, poor self-esteem, poor self-management (e.g. not adhering to prescribed medication), fear of returning to work, disturbed relations with colleagues and superiors, and possible job loss." (Lauber & Bowen, 2010) This helps me to understand why many people with mental disabilities find it difficult to find and keep a job. At the same time, employers should be more patient and understanding toward people who may need to be hospitalized, may need to take extra time off, or may need to take an extra 5 minute break. Although employers need to be more understanding toward people with any type of disability, I can understand it may be a problem if the employees without disabilities claim this "special treatment" as unfair, and complain or go to the labor board. All in all, this is a very difficult situation for employers, as well as people with disabilities - but at the same time it must be dealt with.

- Amanda P.

Citations:

Dalgin, R., & Bellini, J. (2008). Invisible Disability Disclosure in an Employment Interview: Impact on Employers' Hiring Decisions and Views of Employability. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 52(1), 6-15. Retrieved from http://rcb.sagepub.com.proxy2.lib.umanitoba.ca/content/52/1/6.full.pdf+html

Lauber, C., & Bowen, J. (2010). Low mood and employment: When affective disorders are intertwined with the workplace - A UK perspective. International Review of Psychiatry 22(2) , 173-182. Retrieved from http://informahealthcare.com.proxy2.lib.umanitoba.ca/doi/pdf/10.3109/09540261003716405

Liberals and the fight to end poverty

As mentioned in Mullaly, "Liberalism comes from the Latin word 'liber', meaning free" (Mullaly 2007, pg. 4). Liberalism believes in freedom and equal opportunity for every individual, this including people with physical disabilities. Liberalism "comprises a set of beliefs based on the assumption that there should be as much individual freedom as possible in any civilized society while allowing for essential constraints (Roberts, 1971)" (Mullaly 2007, pg. 91). This just goes to show that Liberals want to help the society for the better, and make lives easier. This is definitely a great advantage for the people with disabilities. I believe they need the fight for the right and respect that they deserve in order to get their voices out to the people who have discriminated and stereotyped them. People with disabilities have the same rights as any other individual and are no different that any other.


In this article it explains that liberals are addressing poverty and disability by providing a "refundable disability tax credit for low income Canadians", "In Canada disability often means a life of poverty and that living in poverty often leads to a greater incidence of disability" (CCD, Disability in Canada Means Living In Poverty, Sept. 15, 2008). This just goes to show that the Liberals are here to help the people with disabilities and try to make a change in order to end the suffering of more disability and poverty within people with disabilities. Liberals "redistribute income and some goods and services through the tax system and/or social welfare system" (Mullaly 2007, pg. 96). This article is a great example that shows the liberal perspective on how they would help the people with disabilities and mentions that "welfare must be replaced with a much better program" (CCD, Disability in Canada Means Living In Poverty, Sept. 15, 2008). After reading this article about poverty in people with disabilities, it explains to me more about what the Liberals are really aiming for and how their perspective for assistance is most encouraged. People with physical disabilities should not go through poverty alone, and should not suffer from this. They are already suffering from their disability and it is sad to hear that "Canadians with disabilities look forward to reaching age 65 because income support for seniors is better" (CCD, Disability in Canada Means Living In Poverty, Sept. 15, 2008). 


People with physical disabilities need all the support they can get, but reading that they are in poverty makes it worse. Liberals are there to take action "providing these individuals with financial resources, independence, and self-respect (Milk 1980)" (Holbrook and Percy, pg. 202). People with physical disabilities deserve the right live a normal life and "have equal access to the goods, services and wealth of this country" (CCD, Disability in Canada Means Living in Poverty, Sept. 15, 2008). I am happy to hear that Liberals believe in equality for all individuals, "protecting and enhancing our natural rights", and especially "reducing the worst excesses of capitalism by regulation of the economy and by developing a welfare state" (Mullaly 2007, pg. 97).


- Angelene S.


REFERENCES:


Mullaly, B. (2007). The New Structural Social Work (3^rd ed.). Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press Canada


CCD online:
http://www.ccdonline.ca/en/socialpolicy/elections/2008/091508


Thomas M. Holbrook and Stephen L. Percy. Exploring Variations In Laws Providing Protections For Persons With Disabilities.
http://www.jstor.org.proxy1.lib.umanitoba.ca/stable/448771?seq=1

Take a second look... "We are not dead yet"

People with mental or physical disabilities "are not strangers to the fact that non disabled people cannot image life with a disability" (CCD, A voice of Our Own: August 2010). This meaning, that people with disabilities hear all forms of discrimination from non disabled people, saying that "they would rather be dead than living with a disability" (CCD, A voice of Our Own: August 2010)  in this article it explains how disability contains a lot of hardship and interruptions in order to do normal day to day things, and explains how "disability is equated with pain, suffering, and dependency" which "translates into a deadly compassion, where it is seen as as a kindness to help a person with a disability to die" (CCD, A voice of Our Own: August 2010). What this means to me is that, people with disabilities are stereotyped against and it harms them very much. They are not given a second look from the non disabled, and are just seen as people with disabilities, having no respect. 


This article also explains how two people with disabilities "appeared before the House Of Commons Committee, to explain how deadly compassion puts us in harms way and to suggest how to improve medical care and public policy environments" (CCD, A voice of Our Own: August 2010). People with disabilities are strong individuals who struggle with stereotypes and discrimination. Truth is, the people with disabilities need a second look at how many struggle's they go through everyday, and how they cope with their struggles. They do not deserve this kind of mistreatment. If we were put in their position, would we want to be treated with no respect just because we have a disorder? No, we are all equal and deserve respect and rights. People with mental or physical disabilities may be a little different from the non disabled, but should never be looked down upon because they are no different, they are human beings and have feelings and rights just like any other person.


In this article it goes into more detail about the rights of people with physical and mental disabilities, and the laws that CCD has passed about assisted suicide to people with disabilities. This article goes into detail about how assisted suicide should not be an option to anyone and that people with disabilities should not think that they are being treated to "die". This article is a great example explaining that people with disabilities will fight for their rights to be treated equally and that no one should be able to take advantage of these strong individuals. I find it very harsh that non disabled people think of "kindly offering" assisted suicide to the people with disabilities just because they are seen as not strong enough or as "normal" as people that are non disabled. People with mental or physical disabilities should be treated with respect and should be able to get the help they need, other than being discriminated against or looked down upon.


To summarize, assisted suicide should not be a necessary option to people with mental or physical disabilities. Everyone should be treated as equal, and have the right to equal opportunities. Learning from these articles, I find it very sad that society continues to look down upon people with disabilities, rather than taking a second look, just because they are seen as not being able to function as well as the non disabled. The non disabled should not discriminate but rather assist these people because they are no different and deserve to be treated with respect.


References:


Council of Canadians with Disabilities - We are not dead yet
http://www.ccdonline.ca/en/humanrights/endoflife/euthanasia/Canadians-with-disabilities-we-are-not-dead-yet


Council of Canadians with Disabilities - A Voice of Our Own: August 2010
http://www.ccdonline.ca/en/publications/voice/2010/08


- Angelene S

Immigrants and Refugees with Physical Disabilities

"In 1975, after the fall of Saigon, about 125,000 Vietnamese refugees fled to the United States." (Leung, Cheung, & Cheung, 2010) If this was the number of Vietnamese in the USA in 1975, imagine how many more Vietnamese have immigrated to the USA in the past 35 years. Assuming the number of Vietnamese refugees that are living in the USA, we must think of how many of these people have a physical or a mental disability.

Imagine if you were an immigrant. Imaging immigrating just from Canada to the USA. It would seem easy, right? Everyone speaks your language, and you might even be happy about it considering all the great shopping down there! (Ha ha) Now imagine if you didn't speak any English what-so-ever. Imagine not knowing a single thing about the English language, or knowing our customs, traditions, and way of life. This is the life of an immigrant from any foreign country. "Vietnamese refugees resettled in the United States have suffered war-related trauma or separations from family members, torture in refugee camps, and/or immigration adjustment difficulties." (Leung, Cheung, & Cheung, 2010) This just proves my point further about the difficulties that Vietnamese immigrants / refugees go through.

This article also talks about a study that was done. This study showed that 5.5% of Vietnamese immigrants who had just immigrated to the USA had severe depression. The study also showed that after two months of living in the USA, this statistic was raised from 5.5% to 20%. "Without exception, Chinese American children reported being victims of harassment and assaults such as theft, vandalism, or physical attack. Such experiences, proposed in their developmental competence model, play a significant role in ethnic minority children’s developmental outcomes including behavioral problems." (Deng, Kim, Vaughan, & Li, 2009) This proves that going through the immigration process as well as adjusting to the culture in the USA played a big part in these peoples' depression. Also, that in school, many immigrant children are picked on for being "different" or for not speaking the same language.

Now, all of this being said, depression may not seem as though it could be classified as a physical disability. (See my previous post, Depression Among Older Adults.) But imagine for one minute that you are an immigrant, but you also happen to have a disability. As if immigrants and refugees aren't discriminated against enough as it is, if someone has a disability, that would just make it even worse to be in their position. Many people don't realize how difficult it could be to immigrate to a different country. Not only the legal aspect of it, but also the emotional and cultural aspect of it. Reading these articles opened my eyes to the fact that many of these people leave their families behind, move to a country where they don't know the language, and not to mention move to a place where they don't know a single person or how to live the way the people in that country do!

- Amanda P.

Citations:

Leung, P., Cheung, M., & Cheung, A. (2010) Vietnamese Americans and Depression: A Health and Mental Health Concern. Social Work in Mental Health, 8(6), 526-542. Retrieved from http://pdfserve.informaworld.com.proxy2.lib.umanitoba.ca/631419_770885140_927929140.pdf

Deng, S., Kim, S., Vaughan, P., & Li, J. (2010) Cultural Orientation as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Chinese American Adolescents’ Discrimination Experiences and Delinquent Behaviors. J Youth Adolescence, 39(9), 1027-1040. Retrieved from http://www.springerlink.com.proxy2.lib.umanitoba.ca/content/7l57007258x28246/fulltext.pdf