Out of work = hungry?

Disability is responsible for putting many people out of work and therefore, these people do not have the financial earning power that they would otherwise. Even living off disability checks becomes difficult. I know this first hand because my mother is trying to support two children on disability. It is nearly impossible without any other source of income. But what does this mean for those who don't have the funds to buy healthy food because of their job status. Surely it isn't their fault...

Food insecurity at the household level is said to be due to one of two factors: low earnings or high expenses. Guess what? Disability of working aged adults (18-64) increases prevalence of both of these factors. In the best of situations, people with disability are unable to go to work and therefore do not bring in some money to support the family. However, in the worst cases, those on disability need extra care (which eats into paid employment time) and/or need to purchase medication or other expenses. A representative of the United States Department of Agriculture states that extra expenses can include "wheelchairs, special telephones, or other adaptive equipment. In addition, people with disabilities may have difficulty shopping for food and preparing healthy meals" (Coleman-Jensen, 2013).

Disabilities include:
-Hearing disability: Deafness or hard of hearing
-Vision disability: Blindness or unable to see even with aids
-Mental disability: Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions due to a physical, mental, or emotional condition
-Physical disability: Difficulty in mobility
-Self-care disability: Difficulty in bathing and dressing
-Going-outside-home disability: unable to leave the home alone without help.

Of course we can easily attribute food insecurity to disabled adults who are unable to hold a job, but what about those who are disabled and still hold a job? The USDA's research found that food insecurity was more common in households where working aged-adults were kept out of work due to disability rather than those who hold a steady job. Similarity, people with disabilities but maintained a job, had a higher prevalence of food insecurity over those with no disability.

So what are some steps that we can take as a community to help those with disabilities? Heads of households that are disabled usually need to hire in home maids in order to keep their house clean. These weekly expenses can add up and take away money needed to buy medication. If you know someone with disability in your neighborhood, offer to do their dishes once a week or to mow their lawn once a month. This will mean that they will not need to hire and pay someone to take care of chores. Though it will only be a volunteer position for you, it is an opportunity to build rapport and potential learn through the experiences of another. These people greatly appreciate any help they can get. Another possibly is to help disabled people start a garden in their yard. This way they will be able to grow fresh produce in their yard and less of their money will go toward groceries because seeds are cheaper. Of course, the upkeep of a garden may be too much for them to handle but if there are children in the household try to get them to find a new hobby in gardening. Watering plants twice a week is an easy task for children but will exponentially provide more food for the family.

Finding solution to help those with disabilities can be difficult. Do you have any suggestions?

References:

Coleman-Jensen, Alisha. Disability is an important risk factor for food insecurity. Feb 12, 2013. United States Department of Agriculture. 4 May 2014. Retrieved from: http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/02/12/disability-is-an-important-risk-factor-for-food-insecurity/

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