We are all one nanosecond away from a disability. One in seven Canadians will develop a disability in their lifetime.

Mia Farrow as Daisy in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

“Susan Sontag said we all carry two passports: one for the land of the well, one for the land of the ill,” Mia Farrow noted. “Any minute, the passport for the land of the well can be revoked, and you’re in another land entirely.”

We are all one nanosecond away from a disability. One in seven Canadians will develop a disability in their lifetime. It could be from an accident or from an illness.

When I was young I thought disabilities came from diseases like polio (mine). I considered the sporting or other accidents that created paraplegics or quadriplegics a sad waste of young lives. Yet they happen, along with a vast array of medical and accidental incidents to create disabilities.

What can one do, other than be careful and eat your veggies?

Carry the best disability insurance you can. Make sure it covers beyond the normal 2 years from the disabling situation. Insurance companies love to sell their policies as all-inclusive until you need them. Then the fine print says two years and out. Never leave your employment while disabled: go on disability leave first. Usually, you must be employed at the time of disability to be covered.

We need a better safety net for those with disabilities. Too many people are affected to ignore it as somebody else’s problem. It is coming and the time appears to be sooner than later. Continue reading →