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Re: Elderly and self identification as having a disability

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From: Thad C
Date: May 24, 2016 6:39PM

Hi Lori,

It is interesting that you bring up self identification today. I just had
the follow piece published. It was one of the most satisfying projects I
have worked on.

https://modelviewculture.com/pieces/designing-better-experiences-for-people-facing-anxiety
On May 24, 2016 8:01 AM, "Gillen, Lori" < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

> Hi Jim-
>
> I'm not sure this is relevant but it is my hope that people in my company
> self-identify as having a disability so that they can reach out for the
> help they need to do their job to their optimum capacity. I think that I
> may be planting some seeds, but for the most part those with invisible
> disabilities, such as depression and other mental illnesses still have a
> stigma. Perhaps that is what is going on with the elderly. They came from a
> time when no one talks about those subjects, or maybe they are in denial
> about getting old and the disabilities that come with it.
>
> Lori Gillen
> Specialist Technical Writer
> McKesson Corporation
> Newton, MA
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On
> Behalf Of Jim Allan
> Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2016 10:32 AM
> To: WAI-IG; WebAIM Discussion List
> Subject: [WebAIM] Elderly and self identification as having a disability
>
> Hello,
> I have used, written, and repeated what I thought was a truism, but I
> don't recall when I first heard this ...
>
> Some/many elderly (aged) folks do not self identify as having a
> disability, they respond that they are just old and things don't work as
> well as they used to.
>
> Based on conversations with elderly relatives and others (aged and people
> in the disability field)...I found this to be true. Perhaps it was the way
> the question was asked.
>
> Be that as it may, I was trying to verify/research this truism. When I
> searched on "self identification" and other terms -- of course I found
> forms to self-identify, demographics, services, etc. all about folks who
> have self-identified.
>
> What I could not find is anything that verifies that elderly do not self
> identify because in their view they are not disabled, they are just old.
> There may other subsets of folks who would/could be considered disabled
> but for whatever reason choose not to self-identify.
>
> Do you have any insight/ideas...anything?
>
> --
> Jim Allan, Accessibility Coordinator
> Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
> 1100 W. 45th St., Austin, Texas 78756
> voice 512.206.9315 fax: 512.206.9264
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> "We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us." McLuhan, 1964
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