![]() This is a wonderful thing-but what do they really mean, and how can you put them to use in a professional environment? The words awareness, sensitivity, and inclusion have been used more and more in recent years. If you know of the subject of invisible illness and disability, you'll be better armed to respond in an empathetic and respectful manner. Instead, educating yourself on these topics can help further sensitivity. Not knowing doesn't excuse offensive behavior nor does not seeing anything wrong. If we understand that not all disabilities are visible this insight can help us craft a more inclusive, compassionate, and accessible workplace. (Image source: via Twenty-20 - no longer available)Īwareness is important. The more you know about hidden disabilities, the better you can respond. Instead, we can listen and make ourselves more aware.īecause invisible disabilities rarely outwardly apparent, it's very important to be informed and sensitive to the reality of this population and their wellness. It isn't the mission of this article-or appropriate for your workplace-to diagnose, analyze, or come to conclusions about someone's wellness or health. Hidden disabilities can each present in a varied way, and certainly vary per individual. Here's a list of even more at the Disabled World site. This sample invisible disabilities list illustrates the diversity of hidden disabilities. It's not intended to exclude or elevate specific conditions, but rather to act as an introduction to a complicated and nuanced subject: Please note that this list isn't exhaustive or complete. (Image source: via Twenty-20 - no longer available)Īs an example, here's a short invisible disabilities list. Those with invisible illness are sometimes accused of faking their disability. Misunderstandings and even insulting insinuations that one's faking or lying can be regular fears for people living with invisible illness and disability. Others can't see it, so they can't (or won't) understand. The Invisible Disabilities Association explains that hidden or invisible disability also comes with the challenge of disbelief. For example, you might not notice someone else has chronic pain, especially if you don't know them or they didn't share this information with you. So, what is an invisible disability? Well, not all disabilities are visible outwardly, initially, or in ways one might assume. This is why recognizing this population is both important and valuable. This is our world and our people-respect and wellness enrich all of our lives. This isn't taking into consideration the number of people who are unreported, either by choice or by other limitations. In Africa, the estimate is also around 80 million. In Europe, this estimate is six out of ten people. The Center of Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in four people in the United States lives with reported disability as a part of their lives-this would be over 80 million people. 15% of our world is over one billion people-these are our families, our friends, and our neighbors, whether they're next door or across an ocean. This is an incredibly diverse population, originating from a variety of different cultures, genders, socio-economic backgrounds, and more. Why is this so important? Consider that the World Health Organization estimates that around 15% of people across the entire globe live with a disability of some kind. (Image source: via Twenty-20 - no longer avaliable) 15% of the population live with a disability. Instead, the goal is to recognize the diversity of this global population and their rights. But this is more than simply recognizing that disabilities exist. The goal of this observance is to raise awareness. The International Day of Persons with Disabilities was first recognized by the United Nations in 1992. What Is the International Day of Persons With Disabilities? Discover what you can do to improve awareness, accessibility, and empathy in your workplace. In this article, we'll discuss hidden or invisible disabilities. (Image source: via Twenty-20 - no longer available)ĭo you know which of your employees or colleagues are disabled and which are not? Think again! Not all disabilities are visible. You can't see invisible disabilities, yet they're very real. For 2020, " Not All Disabilities are Visible" has been chosen as a theme of this awareness campaign. December 3rd is International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |