Month: December 2017
Blog: Why Embracing Autism Is Key to Improving Mental Health Within The Autistic Community
Even as a high-functioning autistic individual who has experienced mental health problems, finding out that those on the autistic spectrum are nine times more likely to commit suicide than the general population is still, to me, a shocking figure. Upon reflection however, it perhaps isn’t that surprising. According to figures from the UK charity Autistica, those on the spectrum with a learning disability are also twice as likely to take their own life. Furthermore, research is beginning to indicate that a significant proportion of people who die by suicide in the UK overall meet the diagnostic criteria for autism.
Blog: Philip Hammond Was Utterly Wrong About Disabled Employees Negatively Impacting Productivity
Rather than spreading negative attitudes, the government needs to help workplaces make sure their applications are accessible to people with a disability.
I had to go to over 50 interviews before I got my job. It was hard and upsetting but I knew why. I have a learning disability, which means I faced a lot of employers who did not know anything about learning disabilities and when they heard the word ‘disability’, they doubted my ability to work.
Minister confirms £72,500 social care cap plan scrapped
Plans to cap social care costs at £72,500 from 2020 have been scrapped, the care minister confirmed yesterday.
Article: Narrative competence in caring encounters with persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities
If part of being a person is our ‘story’, what about people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities who don’t have language? This article by Anita Gjermestad includes 2 profound examples of how healthcare professionals became better able to understand their patients; Kate Sanders remarked: it ‘exemplifies person-centredness’. Daniel Marsden commented ‘I was struck by the enthusiasm to engage staff in actively listening to this traditionally disenfranchised group of people. The practice in this regard has many implications across the world and in particular in the context of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.’
Read the article here.