Living with a Disability
People with a disability are often thought of as forming one group. However, every individual person faces different challenges and health conditions.
The Equality Act 2010 defines a disabled person as anyone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out day-to-day activities.
These impairments include:
- Physical Disabilities - e.g. Loss of limb(s)
- Sensory impairments - e.g. Deaf, blind
- Learning Difficulties
- Mental Health problems - e.g. anxiety, depression
- Long term Health Conditions - e.g. Heart Disease, Multiple Sclerosis
With improved medical treatments and longer life expectancy, more people than ever are living with a disability as managing long-term health problems is easier. More than 11 million people in the United Kingdom are classed as disabled.