Impact of Disability on Individuals, Family and Society.

This post provides a brief overview of the effects that disabilities have on India. The effects of disability on individuals, families, and society are also discussed in this post.

At the end of this post, the reader will:

  • Acquire sufficient knowledge about how disabilities affect people.
  • Recognize the effects of impairment on the family and 
  • Discover the effects of disability on society.

Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Impact of Disability on Individuals
  3. Impact of Disability on Family
  4. Impact of Disability on Society 

Introduction

The concept of "disability" is regarded as being inherent to the human experience. Every person eventually experiences some type of temporary or permanent disability in their daily lives. People with chronic disability who live to an advanced age typically struggle more and more to operate normally and integrate into society. Since people without any type of disability in them assumed responsibility for mutual support and concern, the joint family system that predated modern society was a wonderful source of warmth, caring, and support for those living with disabilities. Due to the extremely low number of persons in joint families today, the nuclear family system is becoming a significant barrier for people with disabilities. Modern society sympathises with them but views them as burdensome and ineffective. In many families, the state of handicap is connected to religious belief and is seen as a "curse" placed on the family by the supernatural. All of these myths and branding made the population of people with disabilities absolutely dependent and unproductive. The physical and social conditions are hampered by this incapacitating condition, which also makes it difficult for people to participate fully in society and to take advantage of equal rights and opportunities.

Despite the declaration of the international and national rights of persons with disabilities, individuals are generally denied access to human rights, inclusion, communication, basic facilities such as healthcare, education, and employment. It is crucial that disability in people receive more socioeconomic and political attention given the severity of the issue. Social workers who are working to affect change in society are obliged to ensure that people are aware of the appropriate services that are available to people with disabilities in order to promote inclusion. As a result, social work education in India now places a strong emphasis on the topic of disability.

Impact of Disability on Individuals:

It is common knowledge that a disability can have a long-term effect on a person. Other aspects of disability, besides cognitive impairment, can leave people and their families confused and uncertain. The young people must make important family decisions including whether to get married and have kids. People's lives may be prolonged in more extreme situations involving serious medical diseases because to advancements in biomedical science and technology. Families may then need to make very tough decisions regarding the methods and tools to employ, along with the predicted benefits, costs, and length of use.

The severity of impairment might vary, in addition to the type of impairment. Functional status refers to the degree to which a person with a handicap is restricted from carrying out particular everyday tasks, such as walking, eating oneself, or using the restroom. The more assistance a person needs from other people or from tools and devices, the worse their functional status is. The main source of this essential help is family (Biegel, Sales, and Schulz 1991). The pressure of providing this help may be too much for family caregivers, which could lead to physical or mental health issues. When their disabled children have poorer functional status, parents, particularly moms, experience increased depression (Singer et al. 1993). Physical exhaustion for older caregivers may be a limiting factor in the amount and duration of support that can be given to the impaired person (Blackburn 1988).

The age of the person when the impairment first manifests is linked to various effects on the family and the course of the family's life as well as on the growth of the disabled person (Eisenberg, Sutkin, and Jansen 1984). In some respects, it is more expected and typical when symptoms start to manifest in late adulthood. It typically causes less psychological disruption to the family. When a person develops a disability early in life, this is out of sync with what is regarded as normal, and the impact on the person's and the family's course of development is larger. There must be more modifications done over a longer period of time.

When a condition is present from birth, it shapes the child's identity and way of life. In some ways, a child and his or her family may find it easier to adjust to never having particular functional abilities than to subsequently experience a sudden loss of talents. For instance, a child who is born with spin bifida will adjust differently from a youngster who suddenly becomes paralysed in adolescence due to an injury.

How the family reacts to a child's impairment is also heavily influenced by the parents' age at the time of the diagnosis. Teenage parents, for instance, are more likely to struggle with adaptation because their own developmental needs are still pressing and because they are less likely to possess the maturity and resources necessary to handle the additional demands of the child. There is a higher chance of having a kid with a disability, such Down syndrome, if the parents are older. Older parents might not have the energy to handle the added responsibility of care, and they could fear their own death and worry about who will take care of their child when they pass away.

The chronic disease will permanently impact how the child develops physically, psychologically, and socially. Since development occurs in stages and relative mastery of one stage's responsibilities is a requirement for tackling the problems of the next, one may predict that the earlier the commencement, the more detrimental an effect it will have on development (Eisenberg, Sutkin, and Jansen 1984).

For people with disabilities, completing developmental tasks can be challenging in a variety of ways. This in turn affects their families as well as the family roles that the person with the impairment can play (Perrin and Gerrity 1984). When a child is young, a handicap may alarm the parents or the child may not respond to their nurturing attempts, which compromises the attachment and bonding that are essential for the growth of trust.

The parent's ability to provide for their children may suffer as they feel unqualified to do so. A toddler's ability to actively explore their social environment, which is necessary for the development of autonomy and self-control, may be limited by motor, sensory, or cognitive deficiencies. Parents may limit their young child's efforts to explore and learn out of concern for harm or further damage, or they may overindulge the youngster out of sympathy or guilt. Parents may try to make up for the child's disability by being overly protective or overly solicitous if others react negatively to it. These parental actions put the child's ability to develop autonomy and self-control at risk.

Children with disabilities may struggle to master tasks and acquire social skills and competencies as they transition into school settings where they engage with teachers and classmates. There is still a lot of variation in how efficiently schools carry out their obligation to offer special education programmes for kids in the least restrictive setting and to maximise inclusion. Barriers to full inclusion for students with disabilities include insufficient funding for special education, inadequately prepared school employees, attitudes of other children and staff, and poor access to infrastructure. Assuring a child's educational rights might provide a whole new set of difficulties for parents of disabled children. Conflicts with schools and other service providers can occasionally become a significant source of stress for the people and their families (Walker and Singer 1993). In other instances, school programmes constitute a significant family resource.

When an adolescent has a disability, the developmental goals of adolescence such as forming an identity and increased autonomy are more challenging. Most teens go through this process in part by engaging in risky behaviours like drinking and smoking. Adolescents with impairments can also take risks; they may refuse medical treatment or alter a prescribed diet in order to get away with it. Sexuality-related issues can be particularly challenging for people with disabilities because they worry about their appeal to partners, their sexual performance, and their capacity to ever be married or have children (Coupey and Cohen 1984). There is some evidence that suggest that girls may be more likely to become pregnant due to their desire to downplay their disabilities and demonstrate their normalcy (Holmes 1986). Teenagers with mental illness may be sexually exploited by others.

When a disability first appears in a young adult, it may dramatically change that person's future aspirations for their personal lives, families, and careers. This connection could be in danger if the young adult has a long-term partner, especially if it interferes with their capacity to fulfil adult roles like sexual partners, parents, financial providers, or friends (Ireys and Burr 1984). A couple may find the adjustment to the disability to be too much to bear when they have only recently started making plans for the future with the premise that both members will be fully functional. Positive adjustment is more likely to result through the growth of a relationship with a significant person after the handicap is already evident. The crucial period of transition from one's family of origin to starting a new family with a spouse and maybe children occurs throughout young adulthood. At this point, if a handicap develops, the young adult's parents might take up the role of primary carers, reassuring or bringing the young person home. The possibility exists that the young adult and his or her parents' developmental trajectory may never resume. The availability of independent living choices for people with impairments in the community has an impact on this to some level.

Adults who develop disabilities in their middle years frequently experience significant disruptions in their careers and family responsibilities. Both the person with the handicap and other family members who have come to rely on them to carry out those tasks are impacted. It is typically necessary to restructure the roles, laws, and routines inside the family. If the person has a job, they may need to completely stop working and pursue a career, or they may need to drastically alter the amount and nature of their work. The family could lose out on significant income as well as health and other job perks. If the person is a parent, their role in childrearing may change considerably. The adult may need to change roles and become the nursed instead of the nurturer. This could leave a significant gap in the household for a caring figure. If it's a spouse, the dynamics of the marriage will change since one partner can no longer function as independently as previously. The disabled partner might be regarded as a different child. The sexual relationship could evolve, you might decide against having additional kids, and your lifestyle and leisure activities could change. Some partners are unwilling to make the necessary changes because they believe their marriage has been broken. Role changes also affect children of middle-aged adults with disabilities. They might not take care of their own requirements for care and nurturing. They might be expected to assume some adult responsibilities, such caring for younger children, carrying out home duties, or even earning a living. The success of the family's reorganisation efforts ultimately depends on their capacity to meet the developmental requirements of their children at the proper age. Adjustment is likely to go more smoothly in households where the adults are more willing to take on the various family roles.

As biological capabilities decline with age, the onset of impairment is increasingly probable. The physical function deterioration is frequently accompanied by increased depression. An elderly person may require support with daily tasks for a long time, and deciding where to acquire such help is not always simple. Couples may not be able to provide the additional caregiving requirements indefinitely when their own health and strength deteriorate (Blackburn 1988). When an old parent or parents can no longer care for themselves, adult children are frequently placed in the situation of choosing where they should live. The most typical options include having their parents move in with them or moving them to a nursing home or senior community. However, the old person and his or her adult offspring must weigh the emotional, monetary, and social expenses associated with each of these options. Sometimes adult children don't share this duty of caring for ageing parents. Adult daughters are more likely than adult sons to assist in giving their ageing parents direct care (Brody 1985). The numerous choices and obligations may lead to resentment, disagreement, and stress among members of the extended family. Given the medical ability to prolong life, this period of infirmity in old age can last for a very long time. Although it is still uncommon, more elderly people are creating a living will, a legal instrument that forbids the use of extraordinary measures to extend their lives.

Impact of Disability on Family: 

Disability places a set of extra demands or challenges on the family system and most of these demands last for a long time (Murphy 1982)

Numerous of these difficulties are independent of the person's condition, age, and sort of household they are a part of. Obtaining health, education, social services, purchasing or renting devices, adapting the home, transportation, prescription drugs, and specialised meals all come with a financial cost.

Another challenge faced by families is the coordination of services among various providers, such as a doctor, developmental therapist, occupational therapist, dietician, social worker, teacher, and counsellor, who frequently are unaware of what the other professional is doing and may provide conflicting information (Sloper and Turner 1992). The weight of this lack of cooperation falls on families.
 
Daily stress from giving care and support drains family members' physical and mental resources, resulting in depletion and lethargy. The causes of the handicap, the future, the requirements of other family members, whether one is offering enough aid, and a host of other difficulties can all lead to emotional stress. These issues include worry, guilt, anxiety, rage, and uncertainty. At the moment of the condition's beginning and frequently again at different times throughout the individual's life, grief at the loss of function is felt by the person with the disability.

Family life is frequently significantly altered. Caregiving obligations may result in altered or abandoned employment aspirations. Family members who are female are more likely to take on caregiving responsibilities and subsequently stop working or change their jobs. The fact that men are able to make more money working in society has an impact on this as well. This is the most effective strategy for families to split up role responsibilities when the additional financial burden of handicap is taken into account.

Family members occasionally form new allegiances and bonds, with some feeling too drawn in while others are left out. For instance, the main caretaker could become overly attached with the disabled individual. This has been observed, particularly with mothers of disabled children. In these homes, fathers frequently neglect their children in favour of engaging in job or leisure pursuits. This tendency is typically linked to increased marital strife. Although there may be more marital conflict, it is crucial to emphasise that there does not seem to be a higher incidence of divorce among couples with children with disabilities (Hirst 1991).

The handicap may take up an excessive amount of a family's time, effort, and financial resources, leaving other individual and family needs unsatisfied. Families frequently discuss taking each day as it comes. " The family's lifestyle and leisure activities are altered. A family's dreams and plans for the future may be given up. Social roles are disrupted because often there is not enough time, money, or energy to devote to them (Singhi et al. 1990).

Friends, neighbours, and members of the community may shun the person with the impairment, make derogatory comments or gestures, or blatantly try to exclude them along with their families. Many towns still lack the programmes, facilities, and resources necessary to fully include people with disabilities despite the Persons with Disabilities Act's enactment in 1995. Families frequently state that caring for the disabled person is not a significant burden. The difficulty comes from coping with neighbours whose views and actions are condemning, stigmatising, and hostile toward the disabled person and his or her family (Turnbull et al. 1993). Family members claim that these unfavourable attitudes and actions frequently apply to strangers as well as their friends, relatives, and service providers (Patterson and Leonard 1994).

Overall, stress from these additional demands of impairment in family life can have a negative impact on family members' health and functioning (Patterson 1988). Numerous studies show that family members of people with impairments are more likely to have psychological and behavioural disorders (Singer and Powers 1993). Although having a family member with a handicap raises the risk for these issues, most individuals and kids who share that family member do not exhibit any psychological or behavioural issues. They have developed coping mechanisms to deal with the new stress in their lives. The literature on families and disability increasingly stresses this capability for adaptation in families. It is referred to as familial resiliency (Singer and Powers 1993). In fact, many families claim that having a disabled member has made their family stronger; they have become closer, more accepting of others, have deeper faith, have made new friends, have a greater regard for life, have a greater sense of mastery, etc.

Impact of Disability on Society:

Socioeconomic status (SES) is frequently determined by taking into account factors including occupation, income, and education. It is frequently understood to refer to a person's or a group's social rank or class. Through the lens of social class, privilege, power, and control are highlighted. SES as a continuous or gradient variable demonstrates unequal distribution and access to resources.

SES has an impact on many aspects of our functioning, such as our physical and mental health. Our society as a whole is eventually impacted by low SES and its correlates, including poorer education, poverty, and bad health. Inequities in wealth distribution, resource allocation, and living quality are getting worse both in India and around the world. An increasing emphasis on the causes of socioeconomic inequality and measures to close the wide socioeconomic status differences are beneficial to society.

People with disabilities are likely to have less options to make money and frequently have higher medical costs. Children's and adults' disabilities may have an impact on the socioeconomic status of entire families.

According to estimates, 2.21 percent of all Indians have a disability, and a large number of them are impoverished (Census, 2011). People with disabilities continue to be overrepresented among India's underprivileged and destitute, despite the fact that the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 guarantees them equal opportunity in job and education and outlaws discrimination based on disability. Individuals with disabilities and the families that provide for them may have emotional maladjustment as a result of the handicap. When a person's handicap status affects their socioeconomic standing, it puts them and their families at higher risk for poor health and quality of life outcomes.
































































































































































Comments

Thank You

Find your topic