Social work practice with clients with disabilities. Try to cope with clients barriers together In the beginning, we could start with a quote that is directly related to the issue of disabled clients. Walther von der Vegelweide said: "Nothing is difficult for the one who wants it". This also applies in the case of combating the barriers of disabled clients with the help of social workers in practice.

A healthy person does not realize how easy it is to get out of bed, go wash, get dressed, go to another room, go out. For us healthy people, these are natural and repetitive activities, they are a matter of course for us. The ideal state can change at any moment. That's when we find out how difficult it is for us to perform "simple actions". These described factors are also the main motive for helping people who are dependent on our help and cannot overcome the barriers associated with disability on their own without help.

In society, we meet disabled citizens who have reduced mobility. A decrease in mobility leads to a decrease in socialization to complete isolation, which is also a trigger for other psychosocial problems in the client's life.

Physical disabilities such as severe disorders of the central nervous system (cerebral palsy), conditions after brain damage (stroke, tumor, injury), spinal cord damage (severe paraparesis, paraplegia, quadriparesis, quadruplegia), lower limb amputations, inflammatory and degenerative joint damage (coxarthrosis, gonarthrosis), muscular dystrophy and the result of neurological damage are associated with a reduced ability to move. (multiple sclerosis). Each disease is assessed individually and depends on the extent of the disability.

Physically disabled citizens have the opportunity to secure aids by paying in cash, on the basis of a medical prescription from a specialist doctor from a health insurance company, to apply for compensatory aids, lifting equipment or on the basis of an application submitted to the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, to the Department of Cash Contributions for Compensation of Severe Disabilities (ŤZP) and assessment activities.

Legislative framework related to the issue of disability of social work clients

Law no. 447/2008 Coll. on financial contributions for compensation of severe disability and on the amendment of certain laws, as amended, allows the provision of individual types of compensation for severe disability, but does not mandate them. Physically disabled people are forced to overcome disadvantages in access to things of personal consumption and moving around as a result of severe disability. A monetary allowance for the purchase of lifting equipment can be provided according to § 33 paragraph 1 "A physical person with a severe disability who, according to a comprehensive assessment drawn up in accordance with § 15 paragraph 1, is dependent on lifting equipment, can be given a monetary allowance for the purchase of lifting equipment, if the lifting equipment is not provided or loaned on the basis of public health insurance. Paragraph 2 Lifting equipment is equipment intended for physical a person with a reduced ability to move to overcome architectural barriers and to increase the ability of a physical person with a severe disability to move or to provide self-service. A financial contribution can also be provided if the lifting device enables or facilitates the transfer of a physical person with a severe disability or the provision of assistance by another physical person. The lifting device is mainly a stair climber, a hoist, an inclined stair platform platform, lift, or overhead lifting device.' The goal is to support the social inclusion of a physical person with a disability in society and their active participation in preserving their human dignity.

Medical aids to improve the mobility of disabled citizens

There are several companies on the Slovak market that provide lifting equipment. Their mission is to provide comprehensive services to people with physical disabilities while removing barriers.

Lifting devices are certified devices that guarantee full comfort and safety. Selected types of lifting equipment are:

  • The stairclimber is a device intended for the transport of physically disabled persons moving in a wheelchair or a baby carriage.
  • The wheeled stair climber is a device intended for overcoming difficult stairs, especially steep and winding ones, a gentle slide is possible on each step. Does not require assembly, accompanying service is required.
  • Chair lift, stair seat is designed with a guide rail system where the seat can be mounted.
  • An inclined stair platform is a transport device for people moving in a wheelchair, used to overcome stairs.
  • A vertical lifting platform is a device intended for people also in wheelchairs, used to overcome height differences in the vertical direction.
  • A ceiling lift is a device designed for lifting and transporting immobile persons from bed to wheelchair, to bathtub, to toilet, to swimming pools.

Some types of lifting equipment can be used in verticalization for walking training of clients with disabilities. At the same time, a big advantage of some devices is that they are suitable for both interior and exterior use. Most of them can be left-handed or right-handed and also work for remote control. Their special modern advantage is that they are functional even after a power failure. For clients with disabilities, selected types of medical aids are custom-made, while they do not require any special structural modifications to the apartment or house in which the client lives. Manufacturers also emphasize that special medical devices do not take up too much space and do not restrict other residents of the apartment or house in which the client lives.

Social work with disabled clients in practice

As part of social work with disabled clients, we would like to draw attention to, for example, an event that took place on May 26, 2016. It was the first working meeting of the employees of the Office of Social Affairs and Family, the Department of Cash Contributions for the Compensation of Disabled Persons and Assessment Activities specifically in the city of Prievidza. The meeting was also held with the participation of employees of a company providing lifting equipment at the Office of Social Affairs and Family in Prievidza. The company's employees gradually introduced individual lifting devices and willingly answered curious questions. Answering questions and explaining the function of these specific devices, which make life easier for disabled clients and help them socialize, was crucial for a better understanding of the issue and assessment of modern possibilities.

Photo from the event held at the Labor Office of Social Affairs and Family in Prievidza Conclusion

In everyday life, citizens with physical disabilities encounter various limitations and disadvantages in various areas of life (moving from a bed to a wheelchair, from a room to a bathroom, climbing stairs, elevated floors). Physically disabled citizens would like to live life like healthy people, so that they can more easily overcome architectural barriers, so that they have access to everything and do not have to deal with it on a daily basis.

In the end, we have no choice but to stimulate the interest not only of experts, but also of citizens, to help people with disabilities - to help them live life to the fullest, so that despite these problems, they can live a life full of joy. Therefore, let's give a helping hand to people who depend on the help of others. Let's overcome barriers together, it's not as difficult for us as it is for them.

Author: PhDr. Lívia Červená