Hello Jennifer
You are right to point this out because it does make a difference. As
John indicated, the degree of support required or the degree of
independence that the child or adult has, or is likely to have, does
imapact on the role of carer. I did point out that my study was
specifically on the mothers of people who have an intellectual
disability. I purposefully narrowed down the sample to those whose
children did not have very high support needs because I didn't want
the study to concentrate on the time taken attending to the more
physical and personal care needs of the child or adult. I wanted to
look more at emotional and attitudinal constraints to leisure or 'my
space'.
In case anyone is interested in the topic of carers and disability: I
am supervising an honours thesis looking at young carers. Children
and young adults (up to 18) who are taking on what may be
described as a primary support role for an adult with a disability.
Essentially this is about children who spend a large part of their day
performing tasks directly or indirectly supporting a parent or older
sibling who has a disability. The student conducting the research is
looking at any perceived difference in leisure lifestyles compared to
children of the same age who do not have this role.
> You know, at the risk of pointing out something that may be obvious, I
> really worry about all this discussion of "disability." It often does not
> seem politically correct to break out disabilities, particularly in this
> forum. I must say that in this case, however, it seems critical to be
> specific about which disability(ies) are meant. Oh, I suppose I really
> mean 'impairment."
>
> In my case, for example, since I'm a blind person, living 3,000 miles away
> from any family, I *am not* dependent upon my parents or cibling in any
> ways, other than those ways in which any family member may be dependent on
> other family members.
>
> And, as for my mother, for whom I venture to speak, guilt disappeared for
> her a long time ago. My mother is all about the business of living life,
> not dwelling on things she cannot change.
>
> Just cautioning about avoiding sweeping generalizations.
> Jennifer
>
>
Best regards
Laurence Bathurst
School of Occupation and Leisure Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Sydney
P.O. Box 170
Lidcombe NSW 2141
Australia
Phone: (62 1) 9351 9509
Fax: (62 1) 9351 9166
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Please visit the School's interim web site at
http://www.ot.cchs.usyd.edu.au
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Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious
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