Helping those with acquired disability

This post came out from The Straits Times (24 August 2015)

People who acquire disabilities halfway through life and can no longer do the same job may draw comfort from two schemes set up in the last year or so to help them.

The Transitional Programme for Employment was piloted in June last year and aimed at people below 50 who have spinal cord injuries or strokes. The scheme is delivered by the SPD - formerly the Society for the Physically Disabled - and puts clients through rehabilitation, job training and counselling, and then job matching. It has since taken in 63 clients and matched nine to jobs.

The other programme, iEnable, was launched in April last year and is helmed by SG Enable, a government-established agency formed to provide services for people with disabilities. iEnable attaches a case manager to each client to help repair clients' confidence, support them emotionally, prepare them for job interviews, and get them a new job with an employer who understands their needs. It has taken in 51 clients and helped 19 get jobs.

While there are no national figures on people with acquired disabilities losing employment, SG Enable said there are about 300 patients suffering from spinal cord injuries and amputations discharged from hospitals every year. Acquired disabilities can arise from severe stroke, traffic accidents, or diseases such as diabetes, which may require amputation. Those with new disabilities sometimes cannot carry out the same jobs. There were 6,567 stroke cases in 2013 and studies done in other countries show that only 20.7 per cent remained employed after a stroke, with half of these having had a change of jobs.

Depending on a person's financial situation, iEnable can help him get aid for his daily basic needs and offer pre-employment assistance such as buying new work clothes and helping with transport fees, training and job interviews. iEnable currently relies on medical social workers from 10 public and community hospitals to refer clients with acquired disabilities.

Thoughts:

1. Nice to hear more about employment support for the disabled. It is heartening to hear that other than employment, the psychological and financial support comes along with it as well, thus reducing the burden/ strains which these people and their families are facing over the loss of employment and income. 
2. Next step is to even make such schemes known further! As reported about seven thousand stroke cases in a year where only 20 per cent remained employed in their job. These agencies can do more with publicity and reach out to those in need! Besides, the disabled can also be meaningful contributors to the society, and need not be always on the receiving end!

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big