Long COVID should make us rethink disability – and the way we offer support to those with ‘invisible conditions’

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 11:46:35 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/long-covid-should-make-us-rethink-disability-and-the-way-we-offer-support-to-those-with-invisible-conditions-187531>

"Australia has only a handful of specialists familiar with managing what
happens when the nervous system can’t properly regulate the body, as sometimes
occurs with long COVID. While long COVID clinics are being set up, there are no
government-funded clinics for this type of nervous system dysfunction and
private waiting lists are now long.

From the outset, long-COVID sufferers faced the same prejudice experienced by
patients before them who sought assistance through Centrelink and the National
Disability Insurance Scheme for the effects of post-infection conditions.

Disability insurance schemes worldwide are driven by definitions and checklists
that allow non-medical workforces to assess and approve candidates for support
services. But those with “invisible illness” rarely meet these criteria.

If we are to manage the tidal wave of impairment and disability bearing down on
us, policymakers must heed the warnings that have been sounding for the past
two years. We’ll need to rethink disability and support."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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