A rant about labels
 

The difference between handicapped vs disabled needs to be redefined. If you know someone living with physical limits then you may have heard this before. If not then please read with an open mind.

Here is a popular definition:
"As traditionally used, impairment refers to a problem with a structure or organ of the body; disability is a functional limitation with regard to a particular activity; and handicap refers to a disadvantage in filling a role in life relative to a peer group."

It sounds like all handicapped people have a disability of some sort but not all disabled people have a physical handicap. That's not nearly clear enough.

People refer to me as disabled and it is more than a little insulting. I am handicapped and it is a serious pain in my ass but I am not disabled. Neither am I "differently abled". That one really chaps my bony azz.

If someone is one of those poor souls with severe cerebral palsy and are incapable of independent movement of any sort then that is disabled.

Even those suffering with quadriplegia are capable of some function with the help of a modern wheelchair.

Label me as impaired or handicapped but not disabled. I've worked too hard for the past 23 years to regain and retain my independence.

I know this sounds trivial but a recent event tried to trivialize me and I'm not having it. I became very angry.

Thanks for reading and for the respect you guys have given me in these pages.

Rant off

I suspect much of it is simply misunderstanding and not malicious. I’ll admit that I don’t clearly understand the differences but would urge you not to concern yourself with labels. It’s what’s inside that counts…not what others say.

Most people are pretty ignorant. You could get a service dog and teach it to bark at people who say disabled, but where is a Doberman going to ride on a trike.

How does a sidecar work for you? Goggles for the dog and Bob's your uncle

I certainly couldn't have said it better.

I don't have the upper body strength to work a hack.

Oh man a service dog would be great! I wonder if I could fashion the trike's trunk into a rumble seat? :D

I hear ya Choco but sometimes my reserve of forbearance can run rather low.

I've never heard or been told or really thought about definitions or differences between impaired, disabled, and handicapped. Thank you for sharing. Hopefully, this will keep me from making a faux pas.

I'd like to ensure that I have a complete understanding of the definitions/differences so can you comment on my statements below, clarifying where my understanding seems incorrect or incomplete?


"impairment refers to a problem with a structure or organ of the body"
So, blindness would be an impairment as well as incomplete development of a limb or reduced function of a limb? (problem with the eyes or a limb)

"disability is a functional limitation with regard to a particular activity"
Those folks may have compensations for impairments that allow them to do most things, but there may be some, particular activities that they are just unable to perform completely or at the same level as non-impaired folks. Or am I misunderstanding?
For instance, blind folks can use a mobility cane to get around, and some blind folks use sound to "see" including the ability to differentiate the "texture" of different surfaces. But in a very loud environment (concert, loud factory, war zone, etc...) they would be disabled. (must compensate for an impairment to perform an activity that a non-impaired person could perform without the compensation)

"handicap refers to a disadvantage in filling a role in life relative to a peer group"
It sounds like handicap would apply to someone that may be able to perform a task with the aid sort of compensation to perform those tasks relative to non-impaired folks. Back to the example of someone blind, they are able to get around and do lots of things with the aid of their mobility cane or echo location. (Can perform activities like non-impaired, but with more difficulty or via alternate methods)
This seems very vague to the point of actually applying to folks with no impairment.
I've seen job reqs that mention "the ability to lift and carry 50#". From that point of view, someone that is physically weak, but not impaired that could not lift/carry 50# would be handicapped because they could not fill the role of a peer group. I suppose that might come down to how their peer group is defined.

As with much of our lexicon, many words are being forced to be replaced with more "friendly' words. And I'm not sure friendly is the best word to use, but at the moment I can't think of a better one. The context here is less offensive as flat pointed out.

Homeless is being replaced with unsheltered and we have the Special Olympics. I could go on but that's the crux of the matter. Handicap is a golf, etc. term. It really has no place WRT human function.

Physically and mentally challenged are the de jour substitutes. In time there will be more language shift.

From a legal/administrative perspective, being ‘disabled’ does not automatically follow from one who has a ‘disability’. Many people have disabilities but are not disabled and vice versa.

For Social Security Disability (SSDI) the definition of ‘disabled’ is not the same as the vernacular ‘disabled’.

For SSDI being found disabled meant one must have been found to be ‘completely and totally unable to perform all types of work permanently (12 continuous months) due to a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that is permanent or expected to result in death.’

However, over the years the definition has been diluted and expanded to mean a person is reasonably expected to be unable to perform substantial gainful activity (SGA) due to a medically-determinable…’

Eventually, it included verbiage wherein a person who cannot reasonably be expected to do his prior work and if his skills (if he has any) are not transferable to other work within his residual functional capacity (RFC) which prevents him from performing SGA considering his age, education and work history.

Presently, ‘disability’ for SS benefits (or SSI payments) includes what boils down to having the stamina to appeal denials up the ladder to eventually get heard by an administrative law judge (ALJ) who is completely devoid of medical or vocational knowledge who will say, in essence, ‘You’re disabled’ even in the absence of any disability.

I can pretty much echo that sentiment. I don’t want to offend anyone, but with so many definitions of the things that separate us and the nuances of the separations it’s hard not to step on some toes now and then.

I’ll admit to being somewhat jaded on this subject. I had an employee who looked for every opportunity to be offended by something someone said or did.

This is what shoes are for.

A potential problem that I see is that while FB is an extremely intelligent and learned man who is going to use correct definitions making correct distinctions between the 3 terms, there are lots of folks out there and probably a bunch of them are going to invent or adopt incorrect definitions and then scream about the wrong terms. Hell, there are probably a tiny minority that will complain about all 3 terms and want to invent their own term (as is the way for so many things these days).

So you're likely guaranteed to offend someone no matter what you say.

Steve this is all my opinion / PoV.

I consider disability to be the lack of ability to do a task at all. Whereas handicapped means difficulty in performing a task with or without some sort of compensation. I don't consider blindness to be disabling. It is a severe handicap that requires compensation but blind people can function.

Perhaps this will make more sense if I reveal more about what brought me to post this thread.

I'm currently training to be a member of a volunteer first aid squad. I've already passed the basic life support training and I'm scheduled to take the Emergency Vehicle Operations training. IOW an ambulance driver.

I had an EMT tell me that I shouldn't be allowed to serve as I would be more of a liability than an asset and would never be more than a gopher for the EMTs. You can imagine how that made me feel.

Gravity always wins, Flatty.

Embrace the descent.

I'm no so good at that Cb.

I tend to rail against the dying of the light.

Imagine if you go down that path and it turns out that he’s right. How would that make you feel? Lots of us are unable to do lots of things…for lots of reasons. Find enjoyment where it works for you…as most do. I would love to play golf with friends but have no natural ability. I’d love to play guitar but have no talent. Bad examples but the concept applies. Do the things you can safely and enjoyably do.

Good advice Cb. I've already given that serious consideration. I have known my share of failure in my life, and it sucks but one must keep trying. That guy just chapped my ass with his dismissive attitude. In fact proving him wrong may be the extra drive that I need.

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts."
Churchill

Rumble seat, or a little dog RV trailer maybe. Does a trike have reverse, you could have it bark instead of beep when you back up

Cup half empty, half full, either way someone is making coffee

I can just imagine the ball breaking I'd endure if I go with a trailer. :D

I successfully agued that I am disabled and get quite a large discount on my sub's at the gym.

Nothing wrong with being a bit disabled if it saves you money I say. And me, personally I don't really mind which label or category I'm put in. In fact, being disabled, I should really be getting one of those car parks that are right next to the door.

A family member who is a professional counselor said that the definition of handicap is 'a circumstance that makes progress or success difficult'. So, to with that in mind, what Flatty considers 'handicapped' was an accept understanding at one time but not really valid. We older people have an outdated understanding of the definition of terms.
They suggested that Flatty consider addressing the offense with the other person and also to remember that "what other people think of me is none of my business".
I have great respect for Flatty and all that he does to prove the naysayers wrong. I am also reminded of the utube video of the comedian Steve Hughes "I was offended" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceS_jkKjIgo

Flatty: search your heart, do what you think is best for the greater good of the community as well as youself. When you come to a conclusion then go full throttle in which ever direction you take.