Did you know?….

Did you know?….

There are an estimated 360,000 people with disabilities in Ireland. That is one in ten people in Ireland have some type of disability.
Everyday activities like shopping or travelling can often be difficult for many people with disabilities?
Sometimes this is due to a lack of facilities, but more often it comes from other people’s attitudes, lack of awareness and understanding.
Being disabled is not the same as being ill. Most people with disabilities are perfectly well - they have impairments, not ailments.

Language

It is important to gain a general understanding of the words and phrases which may give offence to people with disabilities. In order to reflect the broad spectrum of opinion among disabled people themselves, about terminology, the phrases ‘people with disabilities or disabled people are accessible.

Many disabled people find the word ‘handicapped’ offensive as it portrays an image of a ‘cap’ in hand or begging.
Similarly the term ‘invalid’ should be avoided because it can be seen as not ‘valid’.
Medical ‘labels’ are undesirable and often misleading as no two people are alike. Medical labels say little about people as individuals, and tend to reinforce stere