March is Disability Awareness Month. In our day-to-day lives, I’m sure we can all think of someone we know that has been affected by a mental, emotional, or physical disability—may be more than one. There is such a wide array of disabilities, both visible and invisible. As family and friends, it can become overwhelming to support our loved ones, especially when we can’t experience what they are going through.
Disabilities don’t discriminate. No one is too young or too strong. I would challenge everyone reading this to educate themselves about a new disability. Perhaps, you know a lot about Multiple Sclerosis (MS) but have never heard of chronic fatigue syndrome. Maybe you’ve heard of PTSD but don’t quite understand how it can really affect someone day-to-day. One thing that can mean the world to your friend or family member, is to research their disability and raise awareness.
Awareness doesn’t have to be a heavy-hearted task. In fact, there are many fun and creative ways to teach! If you enjoy crafting, make a shirt with the name of the disability and symptoms. That way, those around us can learn something new. Try making bracelets with the color the disability was assigned; Alzheimer’s is purple, Autism is blue, mental health is green. No matter how you choose to raise awareness, make sure it is full of love and hope.
The goal of Synergy HomeCare is to give family and friends their relationship back to their loved ones. Sometimes, being disabled can come with tremendous guilt. Not being able to shower, unable to work, or no longer capable of participating in events can affect your loved one’s mental health. Caregivers can be a way to let your loved ones know they are always deserving of help, friendship, and love.
I hope you all learn something new this Disability Awareness Month!
