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I am undertaking a masters level research project, looking into the viability of the MS Society (of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) explicitly using the social model of disability to guide its work. I am a staff member within the MS Society's HQ and although I am not disabled myself, I am trying hard to include people with MS, carers, disabled people not connected to the MS Society and people within the 'disability movement' in the guiding of the research as it progresses. One particular issue that I am grappling with is the application of the social model to long-term medical conditions. In my discussions with people with MS so far, quite a number say that they find it hard to relate to the social model because it does not address the impact of the impairment upon their lives. Pain, fatigue, spasm, speech and sight difficulties all affect people with MS to varying extents. Whilst the social model can be applied to these aspects of MS, I haven't seen anything so far that relates the personal experience to the social model. I am sure there must be something out there. If you can help me or point me in the right direction, I would love to hear from you. Joanna Ridley %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%