Living and Aging with a Disability
By Robert Goodman, MSW
Have you recently lost your vision, become disabled, in need of services to help you become more independent? Are you living with a lifelong disability and notice changes in your functional capacity? There are services available to help you become and maintain your independence. Some of these services are listed at the end of this article.
It is difficult to be functioning independently one day, suddenly end up in a hospital, and have to learn to walk or function independently over again. There are services that can help you learn activities of daily living (walking, bathing, eating, personal care, etc). Other agencies help with the psychological aspects of adjusting to a disability. There is no harm in asking for help. Support groups offer support, friendship, and love.
Perhaps you have reached a point where it is becoming dangerous for you to continue driving. There are options available to help non-drivers. First, Boca Raton has several bus routes that take you to most places. The 91 bus that leaves from the clubhouse will help you connect to these routes. Century Village has buses (with steps) that go into the community. Palm Tran Connection provides door to door service throughout Palm Beach County for people who cannot use public transportation. If you are concerned about keeping your driver’s license for identification purposes, you don’t have to worry. Florida offers a nondriver’s ID card for those who need a form of identification to replace a driver’s license.
There has been a lot of research in recent years on what changes occur in the physical functioning of persons living with lifelong disabilities, such as polio, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, developmental and intellectual disabilities, and mental illness. The research has found that some people with lifelong disabilities have noticed more joint pain/arthritis, problems with balance, and fatigue at an early age.
