The Beauty Of Support

Everyone needs support and people with disabilities are no exception. We either had our disabilities for a long time or just acquired them. No matter what the situation may be, everyone, families, individuals without disabilities, need support. However, people with disabilities are either embarrassed to seek support or do not know where to go. First of all, don’t be embarrassed! We all may have different circumstances; things happen to us that we have NO CONTROL over. We all have had a bathroom issue in public even if you have a disability or not. It happens and if someone says they have not had that issue they are either not telling the truth or it has not happened to them – yet.

The bottom line is that we all need support. There are ways to reach out to get this. It starts with you. Take a small step, Be honest. Reach out to a trusted friend. However, there are other resources you can reach out to and here are some suggestions:

•  Find your local CIL. Many have peer support staff, or peer support groups. DEC has a monthly support group.

       Check out the calendar under "Events' or call our office for more information.

• Look for Online support groups – Online support groups are out there. Just a word of caution – make sure that they are run by reputable groups.

• Seek a group that has a shared interest in something you do. It does not have to be disability related to be supportive. When you do something you like or have an interest in you are meeting people who share an interest with and have that to discuss. Over time, you can make new friends.

• Some people need more professional support and there is nothing wrong with that. One good thing that came out of the pandemic was that telehealth is popular. You can now see a therapist on your computer, iPad, or cell phone. Most of them will take your insurance. Just ask. Telehealth eliminates the need to scheduling transportation or having someone go with you if you need personal care.

These are just a few suggestions.

You can also reach out to DEC anytime!