International Day of People with Disability

Today is the International Day of People with Disability. This is a United Nations sanctioned day that aims to promote an understanding of people with disability and encourage support for their dignity, rights and well-being.

The Disability Services Commission has reported the following information:

An estimated total of 405,500 Western Australians have disabilities (20.6 per cent of the population) and an estimated 246,800 Western Australians are carers for people with disabilities (12.6 per cent of the population).
More than one in every three carers has a disability (91,600).

Of the 405,500 Western Australians with disabilities, 115,800 people have profound or severe core activity limitation. 71,600 of these are under 65 years of age and may be eligible for Disability Services Commission services.

Profound limitation refers to when a person is unable to do, or always needs help with, a core activity task.
Severe limitation refers to when a person sometimes needs help with a core activity task, has difficulty understanding or being understood by family or friends, or can communicate more easily using non-spoken forms of communication.
Most people with disabilities experience some form of limitation or restriction due to their disability. This is defined in terms of the impact of the disability on selected activities of daily living.

It is worth taking the effort today to find out more about disability.  Have a look at these links:

International Day of People with Disabilities

People with Disabilities WA

Developmental Disability Council of WA

Disability Infolink

Disability Services Commission