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Re: Elderly and self identification as having a disability

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From: Jonathan Avila
Date: May 25, 2016 7:55AM

Great article Thad. This gets at many aspects of true accessibility that we typically don't discuss.

Jon

Sent from my iPhone

> On May 24, 2016, at 9:37 PM, Thad C < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
> 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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>> >> >> >> >> > > > >