When we think about disability, we often talk and act as if there is only one party involved in the
struggle for equality, but this is simply not true. The fact of the matter is that this simply isn’t
true. There is more than one group of people involved in disabilities and they are often key to a
more accessible life – the carers. Lots of disabled folks have a caregiver, be it someone who
comes to visit, lives with them full-time or is even a family member.
Unfortunately, it’s also the case that these individuals, many of whom work tirelessly to help
their chosen individual, often struggle to get even the most basic recognition and support from
governments around the world. They have no resources to draw from, no support to help with
the cost of caring, and these individuals can often find themselves thrust into a world of
responsibility from a very young age.
Ultimately, the problem with this lack of support is that it can backfire when we try and create a
quality among people who have disabilities and those who do not. The caregivers that we often
treasure within the disabled community also need to be considered when negotiating for
equality and accessibility, because the work that they do is so valuable.
As disability support providers Gold Coast, we are very aware that the caregiver community is
often neglected and left out of discourse, which is to the detriment of the wider disability
community as a whole. Giving these people a voice means that we get that unique perspective
on things, and this can be very helpful when trying to work out what disabled people both want
and need from a more inclusive world. After all, there are very few people who are as qualified
to give an expert opinion on inclusivity for disabled people than those individuals who work with
them on a daily basis.
They can provide insights into helping navigate the world as a disabled person which will
support the statements given by actual disabled people. Together, they form a unique
testimony, which presents a very realistic picture of what life is like for people who have a
disability and need to navigate the world with this support.
Hopefully, future discourse will incorporate their opinions into the equation, as they probably
have some very unique ideas that can be offered up. Now, we are not suggesting that they
should be the sole decision-makers in the process, as of course, the ideas and thoughts put
forward by disabled people should take centre stage, but we feel that they are often left out of
discussions to the detriment of the overall conversation. If we are going to make changes to the
world in order to create a more inclusive environment, then we will naturally need to work with
every individual who is part of the disabled community, and caregivers do play a crucial role for
many people.