Why Are Diabetics Not Considered Physically Challenged?
Terrence Throwe , Disability professional who, having a disability, raised a child with complex health care needs and works i... Answered Aug 27, 2014 Author has 489 answers and 751.3k answer views Trying to compare disabilities and, in essence, rate them on severity is an exercise in futility. Diabetics, and others with hidden disabilities have their sets of issues with which they must address and live. Those who live with a visible disability; paresis, blindness, deafness, etc., demonstrate what is creating their disability status. That is not to say these latter people are more severely disabled than those with unseen conditions. Hidden disabilities can be devastating on the person living with the condition. It may also be a simple nuisance. This applies to a physically disabled individual as well. That person may see their condition as a nuisance or devastation. Each individual deals with their condition in life individually. Many of us come to terms with what we have and live with it. Others become consumed by their condition and create additional problems for themselves. None of this is any different than the person who has not yet met the disability that will affect their life. Each faces issues and crises in their life that either will devastate them or give them a new tool with which to live. The majority of people will, at some stage in life, become part of the largest growing minority set, the disabled. So, to answer your question more directly, Diabetes is a "physical Challenge". How it manifests itself and is dealt with by the person will determine if it rises to the level of severity you appear to consider to be "worse". Thanks for asking and I hope this helps. Good luck. 155 Views View Upvoters Answer requested by Answered Aug 27, 2014 Author has 352 ans Continue reading >>
Do You Consider Diabetes To Be A Disability?
We asked the Diabetes Community “Do you consider diabetes to be a disability”. Here’s what they had to say. Danielle Watson: Bowers No, I do not. In 34 years, the only times diabetes has kept me from doing things I want to do in life have been the times I did not take care of it. JeVonda Flint: No, not at all. Definitely not overall. People may have complications from Type 1 that cause them to be disabled, but I don’t consider myself disabled just because I have it. I teach full time and work a part time job too and never miss work for diabetes Jessica Marie Mittasch: Yes and no. Yes, because it does inhibit some of your daily life. Even a job asks if you have any disabilities and have listed diabetes as one. If people around us don’t give us leniency to take care of ourselves, we get sick or hospitalized etc. I recommend reading the following: Lauren DuBois: Even well-controlled diabetics can be faced with complications. There is a lot of shame and stigma in the diabetes community regarding this, and I can’t help myself from commenting! After 15 years, up to 80% of T1 diabetics will show some signs of diabetic retinopathy (the leading cause for blindness among working-age adults), and it’s not always split by those that did and didn’t care for themselves! Thanks for reading. Jessica Marie Mittasch: I agree. I have retinopathy and I was well controlled for a while before it happened. I probably should have worded my comment better. Amy Headrick: I think it depends on the person. I didn’t for the longest, but as I get older I see how it’s become one. I’ve lost multiple jobs due to complications with diabetes. I require extra time and unlimited breaks because of diabetes. Laura Hellings-Kinkead: No I don’t and I cannot understand why it would be un Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes And Filing For Disability
How to Prove you are disabled and win your disability benefits 1) It is estimated that there are over 23 million people in the United States with diabetes, and 90 percent of those 23 million have type 2 diabetes. That is 8 percent of the United States population. It is also estimated that nearly 24 percent of diabetes cases are left undiagnosed. Nearly 20 percent of all Americans over age 65 have type 2 diabetes. 2) Type 2 diabetes is sometimes referred to as adult-onset diabetes, since it used to be diagnosed most commonly in the adult years after a lifetime of inactivity and poor nutrition. As obesity rates in children limb, more and more children are increasingly being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. 3) Type 2 diabetes is characterized by high levels of sugar in the blood (blood glucose). It most often occurs with obesity and insulin resistance. Many cases of diabetes can be managed by regular exercise and healthy eating habits. The best diet for someone with type 2 diabetes is one that is low in fat and high in soluble fiber. 4) Symptoms of type 2 diabetes can range from fatigue, blurred vision, and increased thirst and appetite, to increased urination, unexplained weight loss, slow healing infections, and erectile dysfunction. 5) If not properly managed, type 2 diabetes can cause complications such as heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, and even amputation of limbs. 6) Treatments for type 2 diabetes can vary greatly, depending upon the progression of the disease. Some people may manage symptoms through self monitoring their blood glucose, making dietary changes, exercising, and losing weight, while others will progress to the point of needing to take insulin and/or oral medications such as Metformin. Some will finally elect for gastric bypass surgery. 7) The Continue reading >>
Can Type 2 Diabetes Be A Disability?
Posted on Jan 20, 2017 in Employment by Noele McClelland According to Diabetes UK, there are now 3.9 million people in the UK who are diagnosed with diabetes, and an anticipated 1.1 million currently undiagnosed. Type 2 diabetes is by far the most common type, with an estimated 90% of diabetics suffering from Type 2. In light of these alarming statistics, are employers required to make reasonable adjustments for type 2 diabetics in the workplace? Disability is one of the nine “protected characteristics” covered by the Equality Act 2010 (“the Act”). It is unlawful for an employer to treat those with disabilities less favourably than those without. In addition, employers have an obligation to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees. The Act contains principles that employers should follow in their treatment of employees with disabilities. The Act defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial long-term effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The Act does not refer to an exhaustive list of what will be considered as normal day-to-day activities, and rather will be determined on an individual basis. Applying common sense however, in the workplace, examples could include using a telephone or computer, writing, interacting with colleagues or following instructions. Similarly, what is considered to be a substantial and long term effect, is a question of fact and evidence but the Act provides the following guidance. The term “substantial” effect is an effect which is more than minor or trivial and an impairment will be treated as having a substantial adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities if, measures are being taken to treat or c Continue reading >>
Is Diabetes A Disability Under The Americans With Disabilities Act?
Is diabetes a disability? Do diabetic employees have any protection in the workplace? Does an employer have any obligation to its employee who have diabetes? Millions of Americans live with diabetes—a disorder caused by the body’s inability to produce or use insulin. While diabetes can be managed and those affected can still lead normal lives, the disorder is still a disability and diabetic employees cannot be discriminated against because of their condition. In 1990, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which protects employees from being discriminated against because of their disability. This means that an employer cannot discriminate against a qualified individual on the basis of his disability when it comes to hiring, firing, promotion, and pay. So, an employer cannot deny job benefits to a disabled employee or create tests that screen out otherwise qualified but disabled individuals. The ADA also requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for disabled employees so that they can perform their jobs. The ADA covers employers with fifteen or more employees, and, like most federal employment statutes, only applies to employees and not independent contractors. An employee is an individual that the employer has the right to control. If an employee believes that he has been discriminated against on the basis of his disability, he must show that he has a disability as defined by the ADA, that he was otherwise qualified for the position, and that his employer failed to make a reasonable accommodation. To qualify as a disability, diabetes must be a physical impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines a physical impairment as “any physiological disorder or condition, Continue reading >>
Is Someone With Type 1 Diabetes “disabled”?
I have never been one to feel limited by monikers or labels. I am a woman, I am an athlete, I am diabetic, I am a sister, I am a friend, and I am disabled. None of those terms define me, but they are an authentic representation of who I am. The epithet in that list that might have surprised you (especially if you have seen me at work as a professional skier) is “disabled.” Now, I know what many of you are thinking. It goes something along the lines of, “My child with diabetes is not disabled,” or “I do not want to be viewed as disabled.” I have some news for you: if you have Type 1 diabetes, you are disabled. Now before you jump all over me, let explain few things about disability to you. I promise, I do not mean to marginalize you or the diabetes community by calling those with Type 1 diabetes “disabled.” Here is the thing, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act “An individual with a disability is defined as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities or a person who has a history or record of such an impairment.” When a person’s pancreas doesn’t make insulin, the person’s body is unable to convert glucose into useable energy without exogenous insulin. Useable energy is required to live. Failure to thrive due to an organ not producing a hormone required to sustain life is a “physical impairment that substantially limits” the major life activity of living. If this isn’t enough to convince you that diabetes is a disability covered under the ADA, let’s take a look at the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, which explicitly names diabetes as a disability covered by the ADA. Simply put by the Department of Justice, “The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil righ Continue reading >>
Articles Diabetes And Risk Of Physical Disability In Adults: A Systematic Review And Meta-analysis
Summary According to previous reports, the risk of disability as a result of diabetes varies from none to double. Disability is an important measure of health and an estimate of the risk of disability as a result of diabetes is crucial in view of the global diabetes epidemic. We did a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate this risk. We searched Ovid, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature up to Aug 8, 2012. We included studies of adults that compared the risk of disability—as measured by activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), or mobility—in people with and without any type of diabetes. We excluded studies of subpopulations with specific illnesses or of people in nursing homes. From the studies, we recorded population characteristics, how diabetes was diagnosed (by doctor or self-reported), domain and definition of disability, and risk estimates for disability. We calculated pooled estimates by disability type and type of risk estimate (odds ratio [OR] or risk ratio [RR]). Our systematic review returned 3224 results, from which 26 studies were included in our meta-analyses. Diabetes increased the risk of mobility disability (15 studies; OR 1·71, 95% CI 1·53–1·91; RR 1·51, 95% CI 1·38–1·64), of IADL disability (ten studies; OR 1·65, 95% CI 1·55–1·74), and of ADL disability (16 studies; OR 1·82, 95% CI 1·63–2·04; RR 1·82, 95% CI 1·40–2·36). Diabetes is associated with a strong increase in the risk of physical disability. Efforts to promote healthy ageing should account for this risk through prevention and management of diabetes. Monash University, Baker IDI Bright Sparks Foundation, Australian Postgraduate Award, VicHealth, National Hea Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Social Security Disability
Diabetes - Condition Diabetes is a medical condition in which a person’s level of glucose, or blood sugar, is elevated. In a properly functioning circulatory system, blood carries glucose to all the cells in the body in order to produce energy, while the pancreas produces insulin to help the body absorb excess glucose. High levels of glucose in the blood are an indication that the body is not producing enough insulin, or that the insulin produced is not working as it should to help the body absorb glucose, indicating a Diabetic or pre-Diabetic condition. There are three types of Diabetes: Type 1, or “juvenile” Diabetes Type 2, or “adult onset” Diabetes, and Gestational Diabetes Diabetes mellitus is the medical name for both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. Pre-Diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are elevated, indicating that an individual has a high risk of developing full-fledged Diabetes. Diabetes is a very serious disease which can result in high blood pressure, damage to the eyes, nerve damage, kidney disease, heart disease, blindness, and stroke. In addition, it is not uncommon for a long term diabetic to loose limbs to amputation because of poor circulation. Symptoms The presence of Diabetes is generally indicated by some combination of several symptoms. A diabetic will often experience unexplained: frequent need to urinate, especially if it is combined with extreme thirst, chronic hunger, especially between meals, fatigue, weight loss, and/or general feelings of irritability Many diabetics report dry, itchy skin and trouble with genital itching and fungal infections. A tingling sensation or numbness in the feet is another indication, as is blurred vision. Finally, the skin of many diabetics is slow to heal from wounds, skin abrasions, or so Continue reading >>
Social Security Disability For Diabetes (type I Or Type Ii)
Diabetes happens when the body doesn't produce enough insulin to process glucose. Diabetes can often be controlled with treatment -- a combination of medication and diet. As a person gets older, sometimes diabetes can't be controlled, and then it can cause damage to internal organs and other problems. Symptoms and Complications of Adult Diabetes Symptoms of both diabetes type 1 and diabetes type 2 include frequent urination, unusual thirst and hunger, and extreme fatigue. People with type 2 diabetes also can suffer from tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, frequent infections, and cuts that are slow to heal. Complications from diabetes include: retinopathy (eye and vision problems) nephropathy (kidney disease) neuropathy (nerve damage) in feet or hands that disrupts your ability to stand, walk, or use your hands hypertension (high blood pressure) gastroparesis (a type of nerve damage that interferes with digestion) peripheral arterial disease (reduced blood flow to your limbs) cellulitis (skin infections), and Qualifying for Disability Benefits with Diabetes If you have uncontrolled diabetes and you have been prevented from working for at least 12 months, or you expect that you won't be able to work for at least 12 months, then you may be eligible for Social Security disability (SSDI/SSD) benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. But to qualify for disability benefits, the damage caused by your diabetes must severely limit what you can do, or you must have complications that fulfill the requirements of one of Social Security's disability listings. If your diabetes is uncontrolled because you don't follow your doctor's prescribed treatment, you won't be eligible for disability. For more information, see our article on failing to comply with treatmen Continue reading >>
Making A Living With Diabetes: Disability
Working a job with diabetes can be tough, sometimes impossible. If you run out of work options, you may qualify for disability pay. Here are some things to consider. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has two disability programs: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSDI is insurance most workers pay into through payroll taxes. Depending on how much you’ve paid into it, your monthly payments might range from about $700 to about $1,700 per month. SSI is not insurance. It’s a need-based program for people who haven’t paid payroll taxes. SSI maxes out at about $730 per month for an eligible person and $1,100 per month for an eligible person with an eligible spouse. Here’s a calculator that will give a very rough estimate how much you might get on SSDI. There are also private disability insurance plans you can buy into, or your employer may provide. Having one could make your life much easier, if you qualify as disabled. Should you consider disability? Nobody wants to go on disability. Work is too important a part of most people’s lives. Some people may feel they will be freeloading if they receive disability benefits. People will say you’re not contributing. I reject those thoughts totally. I relied on SSDI for 15 years, since I could no longer work as a nurse. I have always regarded it as government paying me to do good things. I write books and health articles; I volunteer. I take care of myself and try to be of service. Like most people on disability, I spent all the payments on necessities, helping keep the economy going. Being disabled might be embarrassing, but it can be lifesaving. A Forbes magazine piece quoted one woman with lung disease. “Emotionally, going on disability insurance was a Godsend, k Continue reading >>
Disability Benefits For Uncontrolled Diabetes And Severe Diabetic Complications
Disability Benefits for Uncontrolled Diabetes and Severe Diabetic Complications This is a guest post by Molly Clarke. Molly is the Social Media Coordinator for Social Security Disability Help. She contributes regularly to the Social Security Disability Help blog where she works to promote disability awareness and assist individuals throughout the disability application process. Diabetes is a fairly common medical condition that can often be controlled with medication and lifestyle changes. Unfortunately, not every diabetic is able to manage their symptoms. When diabetes cannot be controlled, serious health complications can arise. These may include kidney disease, vision loss, neuropathy, or tissue necrosis. Serious side effects such as these can make it impossible to maintain employment and earn a living. If—despite following medical instructions—serious complications keep you from working, you may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits. The following article will give you a general overview of Social Security Disability and will provide you with the information needed to begin the application process. The Social Security Administration is responsible for two different types of benefits. These are: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) - this type of benefit is offered to disabled workers and their dependent family members. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - this type of benefit is offered to elderly, blind, or disabled individuals who earn very little income. To qualify for benefits from either program, you must first meet the SSA’s definition of disability. This definition is comprised of the following: You are considered to have a disability if you suffer from a medical condition(s) that prevents gainful employment (Gainful employment i Continue reading >>
Is Diabetes Covered Under The Americans With Disabilities Act (ada)?
As a woman with diabetes, you should be aware of how you/your disability (diabetes) are covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. This varies based on your specific circumstances. The good news is that the you are more likely to be covered under the ADA since it was amended by Congress in 2008. In the past, diabetes often was not accepted as a disability under the ADA. However, Congress has made it clear now that it wants a much broader range of disabilities to be covered under the ADA. Congress wants the ADA to apply to most if not all conditions generally considered disabilities to the general public. While the three part ADA definition of a disability has not changed, the recent amendments modified the meanings of phrases used in the definition. The ADA definition of disability is: (1) Disability.--The term 'disability' means, with respect to an individual-- (A) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual; (B) a record of such an impairment; or (C) being regarded as having such an impairment. Specifically, the amendments to the ADA require the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to change their regulations 1) from a strict narrow interpretation of “substantially limits” to a broader more inclusive concept, 2) to prohibit the consideration of most mitigating factors when determining whether a disability is covered under the ADA, 3) to expand the definition of major life activities, 4) to assume that a condition is active even if a condition is currently or sometimes in remission and 5) to allow people that do not have a disability but are merely considered to have a disability to be covered under the ADA without having to show any limits to life activity. These are discussed below in m Continue reading >>
Diabetes & Social Security Disability Insurance
Determine if an individual is working (engaging in substantial gainful activity) according to the SSA definition. Earning more than $1,170 a month as an employee is enough to be disqualified from receiving Social Security disability benefits. Conclude the diabetes disability must be severe enough to significantly limit one’s ability to perform basic work activities needed to do most jobs. For example: Walking, standing, sitting, lifting, pushing, pulling, reaching, carrying or handling Understanding/carrying out and remembering simple instructions Responding appropriately to supervision, co-workers and usual work situations Evaluate impairments that result from endocrine disorders under SSA medical listings for other body systems. For example: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an acute, potentially life-threatening complication of Diabetes Mellitis (DM) and usually requires hospital treatment to correct the acute complications of dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and insulin deficiency. You may have serious complications resulting from your treatment, which the SSA evaluates under the affected body system. For example, the SSA evaluates cardiac arrhythmias under the Cardiovascular System (4.00), intestinal necrosis under the Digestive System (5.00) and cerebral edema and seizures under Neurological (11.00). Recurrent episodes of DKA may result from mood or eating disorders, which SSA evaluates under Mental Disorders (12.00). Explore the ability of an individual to perform work they have done in the past despite their diabetes. If the SSA finds that a person can do his past work, benefits are denied. If the person cannot, then the process proceeds to the fifth and final step. Review age, education, work experience and physical/mental condition to determine what other wor Continue reading >>
Can I Work With Diabetes?
Both Type I and Type II Diabetes, as well as the other forms of diabetes, can be debilitating if not controlled. Many can and do qualify for Social Security Disability benefits because of diabetes. However, simply having diabetes does not automatically qualify you for Social Security Disability benefits. Your eligibility for Social Security Disability depends on which symptoms you have and their severity. You may also qualify for Social Security Disability benefits due to diabetes-related conditions, such as having amputated limbs or blindness. Diabetes is a digestive disease which affects your insulin levels. Because of the imbalance in insulin, your levels of blood sugar become elevated. This causes an increase in hunger and thirst and frequent urination. A common side effect of the constant hunger associated with high blood sugar levels and diabetes is weight gain and obesity. Additional symptoms include abdominal pain, altered consciousness, vomiting, nausea, and dehydration (usually due to craving sweet or caffeinated drinks to quench thirst). Nearly 3% of the world’s population suffers from some form of diabetes, making it one of the most prevalent diseases in the world. Effects of Diabetes on Your Ability to Perform Physical Work Depending on the severity of your symptoms, and which symptoms you suffer from (some people with Type II Diabetes have no noticeable symptoms at all), your ability to perform physical work may or may not be affected. In order to be eligible for Social security Disability benefits, you must be unable to perform any kind of work which you have ever done in the past, and the SSA must determine that you could not reasonably be trained to do any other kind of work. In order to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits from diabetes, y Continue reading >>
Getting Disability Benefits For Diabetes
An individual may qualify for Social Security disability benefits based on uncontrolled diabetes or related symptoms like peripheral neuropathy or poor vision. While diabetes that is well-controlled with medication won't form the basis of a successful claim on its own, most disability applicants with diabetes also suffer from other medical problems that limit their ability to work. When filing for disability benefits for diabetes, it's important to list all your symptoms and diagnoses, even those unrelated to your diabetes. Diabetes Mellitus: Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic medical condition marked by an inability to process glucose in the blood. When the pancreas fails to produce sufficient amounts of the hormone insulin, which sends signals to other body cells to absorb excess glucose, blood sugar levels rise. Elevated blood sugar levels often can be controlled through medication and diet, but persistently high blood sugar levels may give rise to neuropathy (nerve damage) causing numbness, burning, and tingling in the extremities. Other complications of diabetes include cardiovascular disease, kidney problems, skin infections, and visual changes. Type 1 diabetes, often referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes, typically manifests in childhood and requires daily insulin injections and monitoring of blood sugar levels. Individuals with Type 1 diabetes are unable to produce the insulin which regulates blood sugar levels. Only about five to ten percent of diabetic individuals suffer from Type 1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, also called adult-onset diabetes, occurs when the body's cells become resistant to insulin and thus fail to process sufficient amounts of glucose. Type 2 diabetes is most common in those over 45, and it is strongly associated with o Continue reading >>
