Empowering Through Consumerism

by Peter Tan on October 25, 2006 ~ 1:30 am | No Comments

The Independent Living Movement subscribes to the philosophy of consumerism. Practitioners of Independent Living want to be consumers of the services that they require. As consumers, they have the ability to control the standard of service and goods provided. This is a paradigm shift from the traditional mindset of disabled persons being the recipients of charity, welfare and volunteerism.

When it comes to charity, the recipients are mostly in a position of passivity. The assistance provided are often according to the perception of what the benefactors think disabled persons need. The perception may not always be correct. The recipients do not have a say in what is given to them lest they be deemed to look at a gift horse in the mouth.

In Malaysia, we have not reached a stage where all disabled persons can practice consumerism due to economic factors. When they are not gainfully employed, they have to depend on the mercy of their family and carers for all their needs. In such circumstances, they are not in a position to dictate what they require.

It is a vicious cycle. In the end, this group of people are reduced to a state where they have to accept whatever that is dished out to them, whether they like it or not. They lose their dignity and the ability of self-determination. What is the value of life then? They not only are prisoners in their own bodies but trapped in a society that sees them as charity cases and nothing else.

The burden of caring for them should not fall solely on the family. The state must play a major role in ensuring that their rights and dignity are protected. This can be achieved by first making available a range of support services and aids to assist them in their daily living. These all must be consumercentric services where they have the final say in how they want it provided.

Nobody likes to be compelled to accept goods and services that do not conform to their standards. Likewise, disabled persons should not be obligated to accept the same. We, as a society, must move away from viewing them as perpetually helpless people needing welfare handouts to providing them with opportunities that can empower them to lead fulfilling lives. Consumerism is they way to achieve that.

This entry first appeared in MoNSTerBlog on October 18, 2006.

Give The Disabled Child An Opportunity To Grow Up

by Peter Tan on October 25, 2006 ~ 1:29 am | No Comments

Who can blame a parent for being protective over a disabled child? More often than not, the child is mollycoddled; all his needs are looked after, sometimes to the extent of being overwhelming and suffocating. That is the basic instincts of parents at work.

Nevertheless, parents need to understand that as the child grows up, there is a real need to allow him to take charge of his own life. How long can the parents be there to protect the child? What will happen to the child after the parents are no longer around?

We certainly cannot expect the child to suddenly grow up and fend for himself. There are skills that are required for activities of daily living and skills needed for living independently. These have to be learnt over a period of time. Those skills may be second nature to many but for one who had been protected all his life, it would be as foreign to him as Greek.

Parents who really care for the wellbeing of the disabled child, no matter how old the child is, should gradually wean him off his dependency on them. This is the best legacy that they can leave their child with.

It is only through managing his own needs that the child regains a sense of self-reliance and self-worth. That confidence will in turn empower him to take charge of his own life, be responsible for his own actions and learn to be independent.

As it is, disabled persons are faced with more challenges than they can overcome. Parents should take the initiative to encourage their child to go out and face the world instead of keeping them away from the prying eyes of the public. Sooner or later, they will have to go out and face the world anyway.

This entry first apeared in MoNSTerBlog on October 10, 2006.

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