Understand Physical Disability Essay

3.3. Explain the social and medical models of disability and the impact of each on practice

There are many places that do make things wheelchair friendly, and large businesses often have bathrooms a good size for many wheelchairs. At fast food places and such they often have the touch screen soda machines, which have the wheelchair button so that the shorter people can reach. Places like Children's Miracle Network, which helps with expenses. The Make-A-Wish Foundation that maybe doesn't help with ableism, but helps the kids have a happier life. There are ways to help stop ableism as well, such as being sure the disabled are able to get places, and if there's a way to help them out, even if it's something simple, to do those things helps them feel less segregated, and more like the human beings they are. Be careful not to speak to them in a childish voice and to not look at one and say “i can't believe you're out here doing this! If I was you I would be at home sulking.” They are stuck the way they are, not to be an inspiration or depressing, sometimes they just are. There needs to be people standing for those who cannot. To speak for the silent, and listen like the deaf to understand the misunderstood. Then, someday soon, we will not have to worry about

1.3- outline the consequences for individuals with disabilities of being prevented or discouraged from taking risks

The lack of accessibility is crippling for physically disabled people. This often leads to isolation and depression. Many disabled people have to move to big city to have the accommodations they need (special doctors, accommodating transportation, disabled friendly activities, etc.). The cost of living in these cities is so high that on top of therapy

For my, biological anthropology study, I choose to go to my local Tim Hortons. One thing I immediately noticed was the great accommodation the shop gave to physically disabled people. For one, the three parking spots closest to the coffee shop were reserved for disabled persons-- as indicated by the international wheelchair symbols and blue lines. Additionally, the shop had a wheelchair ramp leading to the entrance. I also noticed there were automatic “push to open” buttons with the wheelchair symbol on the entrance and exit side of the shop. In all honesty, I was quite surprised by the wheelchair ramp and automatic door openers. Maybe I never made a serious attempt to pay attention to these things. Thinking that there had to be other things

1:2 Explain how multiple conditions and/or disabilities many have an additional impact on the individual’s well being and quality of life.

How does this social construction of disabilities impact institutional policies, and societal and individual behaviors regarding disabilities? In other words, how have people with disabilities been marginalized in the past and present at those three levels? Please be specific and provide examples to support your answers.

The amount of people who live with disabilities is a controversial number. Depending on what law and diagnostic tools used, a person may have a visible disability, or one that may lie beneath the surface of his or her appearance. Some people believe that the term “disability” is merely a label use to hold back, or prescribe helplessness. Meanwhile, individuals who have been properly diagnosed with disabilities struggle to maintain respect and acceptance every day. In plain language, there is a lot of misunderstanding between people with disabilities and those without. It is firstly important to get everyone on the same page regarding the definition of disability.

Before the twentieth century, social outlooks reflected the views of many that people with disabilities which viewed disabled people as unhealthy, flawed and abnormal. For many years, society as a whole treated disabled people as objects out of fear and pity. The predominant approach was that disabled individuals were incompetent of partaking in and contributing to society and that they must depend on welfare or charitable organizations, (Burtner, 2016). Towards the end of the 1800’s, institutions were built by the state and local organizational agencies to house people with developmental impairments. The institutions were commonly built on the borders of the city. Social attitudes adopted this segregating style of managing. Segregating from society stigmatizes people. (Burtner, 2016).

“The social model of disability sees the issue of "disability" as a socially created problem and a matter of the full integration of individuals into society. In this model, disability is not the problem of the individual, but rather a complex collection of conditions, many of which are created by the social environment. Hence, the management of the problem requires social action and is the collective responsibility of society at large to make the environmental modifications necessary for the full

The practice of othering within society has led to the exclusion of people with disabilities whom of which are portrayed within society as dependent, unattractive and abnormal individuals. There are two different geographical models in which disability has been modelled. The first defining disability as a medically orientated problem leaving one to seek assistance to conform to daily norms and the second model defining disability in terms of the types of impairments with the overall disabled society socially built around the public environment.

Most sociological research on physical disability by using a labelling theory approach and focusing on the negative consequence of the stigma. Labelling behaviour as disability can provide the disability people with opportunities and whether labelling perspective has a negative or positive consequence on physical disability. Negative consequences would include restrictions on rights, limitations on life chances, limitations on future participation in society and employment difficulties for the individuals who are physically disabled, those all result in a negative

Another obvious physical disability is an individual's confinement to a wheelchair. People who cannot walk under their own power are usually at a great disadvantage. Many times there are no special considerations made for these people. Even some typical expressions demonstrate this lack of compassion, such as "I have to run to the store", or "I'm going for a walk." People in wheelchairs are often considered weak and unable to care for themselves. However, some advances have been made in our society that encourages the independence of these people. Wheelchair ramps, handicap parking, and cuts in the curb of sidewalks are just some of the more obvious changes that have been made to better accommodate these people. But some problems may still occur for people in wheelchairs. Some hallways and doors may not be wide enough for the chair to fit through and when it is icy outside it is very easy to slide if the pavement is not sanded properly.

It doesn’t matter what you look like on the outside, it’s what’s on the inside that counts, but our society today lacks to understand that. In today’s time different is not accepted, people that are different are discriminated, looked down upon and usually picked on. People with disabilities are seen as different creatures by most people, the disabled don’t choose to be the way they are, but still our society alienates them. There are different types of disabilities, some type of disabilities are; mental disability, physical disability, learning disability and socializing disability. These disabilities are seen as weakness in our society that hence contribute to the stereotype that leads to the discrimination against the disabled.

Prior to the course, Perspectives on disability, my understanding of disability was a fundamental, concept of disability, in which I knew it existed, and also have seen and interacted with people considered to have a disability. I never took a deep look at all the social and political factors that exist within the spectrum of disability. This course has allowed me to examine all aspects of disability, which has changed my view and approach of what a disability is and how it is viewed. "Historically, disability has been viewed fundamentally as a persoal tragedy, which has resulted in diasbled people being seen as objects of pity or in need of charity. They have been subject to descriminatory policies and practices in which the predominant images of passivity and helplesness reinforced their inferior status"(Barton 4). Uncovering the framework of disability, by studying the historical, soicial political and educational standpoint, I see the intricacies in which gives me a greater understanding and awareness of the topic.