Stereotypical views may impact the healthcare practice, and understanding diversity entails comprehending how ability and disability play a role in providing human services. I researched that people with persistent medical or physical disorders, such as cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis, who have speech, articulation, or communication impairments, for example, are sometimes seen as having an intellectual deficiency (Corey & Corey, 2021). Additionally, professionals may interpret a visible physical disability as mental or bodily incapacity, necessitating a significant reliance on personal caretakers and total dependency rather than independence. People with spinal cord injuries have also been labeled as physically or cognitively inferior, severely affecting socializing, career prospects, self-esteem, and basic independent living.
Individuals with disabilities experience prejudice, intolerance, a lack of awareness, and discrimination caused by their physical appearance and assumed emotional or mental capacities. The attitudes of those who help are critical in successfully participating in the lives of individuals with disabilities. Corey and Corey (2021) state that people with disabilities remain the most marginalized minority in every country, regardless of race. These individuals are frequently either unemployed or underemployed, and many are impoverished.
I have seen that sometimes people with disabilities are treated differently. For instance, I overheard a conversation in a park between a man in a wheelchair and a woman who began questioning him about his condition, presuming he could not live independently; she was also leaning on his wheelchair. I suppose it was an unpleasant conversation for this man because I know that wheelchairs are frequently regarded as an extension of the human. Corey and Corey (2021) acknowledge that it is impolite to lean on or hang anything from the handles without permission. It is also critical to avoid directly addressing the impairment unless it is relevant to the current circumstance because no one feature identifies a person.
Reference
Corey, M. S., & Corey, G. (2021). Becoming a helper (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.