Disability in America:Most Common Physical Disabilities

Physical disabilities are ubiquitous, they vary from many different types of diseases, conditions and affect people from all over the world. Some are born with a disability, while others become injured or contract a disease that leaves them handicapped. In America alone, according to the United States Census Bureau, 1 in 5 people live with some sort of disability or impairment and that accounts for over 70 million people. Some may argue that 70 million is an exaggerated claim, that 20% is not realistic. Something to keep in mind is the actual definition of a disability. Webster’s dictionary defines ‘disability’ as “A physical or mental condition that limits a person’s movements, senses or activities”. So when all is said and done, most of us still think disabilities are always severe and that blind or deaf persons aren’t considered disabled. Keep in mind that ‘severe’ disabilities are those diseases or conditions that are not expected to improve. The following are the three most common disabilities in America.

Visual Impairments

Vision impairment is the easiest disability to identify and also one of the 
most common. It accounts for 10 million Americans and varies from nearsightedness to complete blindness. Visual impairments as are most disabilities can be present at birth but also caused by an injury. Old age is also a very common cause. The best way to identify a visual impairment is a person with visual acuity of less than 20/60 vision. This doesn’t mean a person wearing glasses is considered disabled. It means when a person is vision impaired they cannot be cured with glasses or contact lenses.

Hearing Impairments

A hearing impairment is a hearing loss that prevents someone from totally receiving sounds through the ear. Hearing loss can be caused by head trauma, ear infections, pregnancy complications and genetic disorders. If the loss is mild, the person may have difficulty hearing faint or distant speech. In such cases, a hearing aid will be used to amplify sounds and facilitate hearing. In other cases the hearing loss is so severe that the person may not be able to distinguish any sounds. 38 million Americans are considered hearing impaired in which 30-40% are over 65 years old.

Impairments Caused by Injuries to the Skeletal System, Joints, Muscles and Ligaments

Here we find people affected by a more physical handicap such as amputations and disabilities due to spinal cord injuries. We have the common misconception that everyone in a wheelchair is struck with the same condition and disease. Some are partially paralyzed while others have a higher percentage of a loss of mobility. Amputees are also mentioned because due to a disease some people are seen forced to remove an appendage to save their lives. The percentage of Americans in wheelchairs may not be as high as visually or hearing impaired but accessible Americans account for 1.7 million citizens.

Physical disabilities have affected millions of Americans and will continue to do so until a breakthrough in science and medicine manages to provide a cure for the thousands of conditions that exist. A disabled loved one was difficult to take care of due to lack of resources and awareness. Nowadays it is common for theme parks to have recreational activities done so no one is excluded. There are also companies that provide transportation services that propel accessible travel. Wheelers Van Rentals is one of those companies. Wheelers provides Florida Wheelchair Van Rentals and takes you to the best locations. With Wheelers you don’t have to worry about how to get from point A to Point B. They help you plan your vacation responsibly and encourage fun for the whole family. For more information or for a free quote, contact Wheelers today.

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