From a simple injury to the most complex disease or impairment; more than 13% of all Canadians experience some sort of disability. Regardless of the type, each disability has a profound impact on how these Canadians live their lives and results in inevitable restrictions in their daily activities and lifestyle.
Disabilities are not only physical but can also include mental, sensory and intellectual impairments. Regardless of how advanced it is, or who is experiencing it; it’s important that the general public is understanding, knowledgeable and willing to help create and maintain awareness.
Types of Disability
There are three main types of disability – mobility, pain and flexibility. Of Canadians who reported a disability, 40% experienced all three of these categories. Here’s a little more info about these three types:
Mobility Disability
The definition of a mobility impairment can vary and includes people with different types of physical disabilities. Physical disabilities can consist of lower or upper limb loss or the limitation of limbs or manual dexterity. It also encompasses disability in coordination with different parts of the body. Mobility disability can be acquired with age, or congenital, and those with broken skeletal structures also fit this disability category.
Pain Related Disability
Many Canadians suffer from disability caused by pain, defined as either acute or chronic. Acute pain generally lasts less than three months, and chronic pain lasts more than three months. Acute pain is typically injury-related and does not last that long. Chronic pain does not disappear after three months. Chronic pain can occur on and off and varies depending on its severity and the person’s activity. It can often be persistent and can be the result of surgery; joint inflammation is part of a disease process. However, chronic pain does not always have a known cause.
Chronic Pain affects six million people in Canada, which is around 19% of the population. Chronic pain can be associated with various neurological conditions including spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and more.
Flexibility Limitation Disability
A flexibility disability is a condition that affects physical capacity, mobility, stamina, or dexterity. Flexibility Disabilities can come from a range of causes including arthritis, amputation, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, spinal injury including paraplegia or quadriplegia, and many more.
While these are the three most common forms of physcial disability, many Canadians are also impacted by psychological disabilities, dexterity, hearing and vision impairments, as well as memory and learning disabilities.
Whether you’re caring for someone with a disability, or you have a disability yourself, we offer a range of services that are designed to assist you – so you can venture through life easier. We want you to know that we care, regardless of the type of disability you experience. Get in touch with us today.
