Promoting inclusion and wellness for those with disabilities

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This article was published 13/12/2018 (1968 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DORIAN Phillips lives with cerebral palsy, a disorder that causes involuntary movements and sometimes makes it challenging for her to speak clearly.

Phillips, 42, doesn’t go to school or have a job, but she often spends time at the Society for Manitobans with Disabilities (SMD) — dancing, bowling, swimming, making art — in its adult leisure and recreation program.

“Without this program, I am afraid that I would be bored sitting at home a lot more,” Phillips said.

For people living with disabilities, SMD’s programs are an invaluable resource — and without funding from groups such as United Way Winnipeg, they may not exist, said Derek Day, a manager of community inclusion and support services at SMD.

“Without (the United Way), these programs wouldn’t be the same, and we wouldn’t be able to provide these opportunities to make sure people with disabilities are included,” Day said.

“We’d have more people on the outside, looking in.”

SMD is one of more than 100 programs that receive funding through the United Way’s “healthy people, strong communities” focus area.

The initiative supports programs that encourage community building, inclusion and wellness.

“This kind of wrap-around support makes sure everyone has the chance to succeed,” said Linda Godin-Sorin, United Way director of community investment and capacity building.

“United Way Winnipeg supports all people to reach their potential.”

The United Way says about one in seven people in Winnipeg lives with a disability.

Because of the barriers they face, they often have lower education achievements and poorer health outcomes than people without disabilities.

People who live with disabilities are more likely to experience higher rates of poverty, which can include food insecurity and inadequate housing, because of the extra costs related to expensive medical care and devices, personal support or assistance.

Because Phillips doesn’t qualify for the kinds of services people with intellectual disabilities can receive (such as day programs), but her physical disability limits her ability to find a job, she lands somewhere between having access to resources and having access to employment.

Phillips said SMD, which received $1,087,240 in United Way grants last year, gives her a chance to try new things, while also knowing she has a support system in place.

“I fall through the cracks,” she said. “It is nice knowing SMD staff are there to help me if I need it.”

Phillips uses a powered wheelchair to get around outside of her apartment, and a small keyboard that rests on a bar over her lap — a kind of electronic assistive technology — to type out words to be read aloud if it becomes difficult for someone to understand her speech.

She types or pre-programs phrases into the keyboard, waiting quietly for the technology to relay what she wrote so people can catch up with what she’s thinking.

“Cerebral palsy has no effect on my intellect, even though my speech is difficult to understand,” Phillips said with the help of the assisted technology.

“I have lots of extra movements that are just part of cerebral palsy that are out of my control.”

Phillips said the programs at SMD help her enjoy life and maintain her independence.

“Having cerebral palsy is one part of me,” Phillips said.

“Although having a disability is significant, I am an independent person, like everyone else — striving to be the best me I can be.”

caitlyn.gowriluk@freepress.mb.ca