The world is full of devices that make daily tasks easier. For the disabled, assistive devices make daily tasks possible. Marian Bang spoke to the Disability Action Research Team (DART) who see research into these as far more than just reports on paper. Rather they are a tool for empowering both those with abilities and their care-givers.
In most countries the importance of the family as a form of social insurance is declining. As the extended family gradually disappears with industrialization and the labor market's demands on geographical mobility, as divorce rates go up and single parents become increasingly common, the ability of the family to provide mutual aid in everyday life is diminishing. One of the results is that families have fewer resources left for members with special needs such as disabled children or old parents. If there is no place for these groups in the family, where can they turn to?
What is your personal definition of Independent Living?
It is the ability to live independently and productively in the community and to live with the same freedom of choice as a non-disabled person. So it's not that you are living on your own but that you control where you live and have the same range of choices as a non-disabled person. (Jill Weiss)
Around 2000 people have personal assistance financed through personal budgets in Germany. Germany has a population of 80 million so 2000 PA users are not very many.
There are 3000 people getting personal assistance in Norway (2012 total population 5 million). Figures from ENIL state an average of 47 hours per week for members of one cooperative assistance provider (2013).
According to the ENIL Personal Assistance Tables for Belgium there were 2112 PAB (personal assistance budget) users in Flanders (nov 2012) and 250 PAB users in Wallonia. 6000 more people are waiting for a personal assistance budget. Belgium has a population of 11 million people.
