Revealed: 10 Most Accessible Cities For Travellers With Disabilities
Accessibility arrangements for people with disabilities remain an afterthought in tourism
Tourists on a city break. Photo: Deposit
Screengrab: Valuable500.com
Ella Doyle, Pól Ó Conghaile
Amsterdam, Paris and London have been named among the most accessible cities in the world for disabled travellers in a new survey.
Research by Valuable 500, a global collective of 500 CEOs and their companies advocating for inclusion, asked 3,500 respondents with disabilities across the UK, US, Australia, China and Japan what they believed was the most accessible city in the world.
It then compiled a list of the top 10 globally , rating them on criteria including accessible transport links, clear signage, accommodation being close to cultural attractions and inclusive attitudes.
European inclusions are Amsterdam, London and Paris. No Irish city featured.
Recovering Benefits Is Not Always A Simple Procedure
As every persons circumstance is unique, recovering benefits is far from a simple process and requires you to prove that your condition is severe enough to prevent or limit your ability to work. Other qualifying health conditions could entitle you to benefits. Further information can be found on the SSA website.
To proceed with your claim, you must obtain and provide the SSA with information about your medical providers so that they can obtain evidence to support your application for benefits. Evidence that can support your claim may include:
- Medical history
- X-rays and other scans such as ECGs and CT scans
- Prescribed treatment history
- Information about surgeries
- Other corroborating statements about the impact of your condition on your health and ability to work
This information is included as part of your application and passed to the Disability Determination Department for review.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
The #1 Easiest Va Disability To Claim: Tinnitus
According to the 2018-2019 disability claims data, Tinnitus was the number one most common VA disability claims for all Veterans with 157,152 compensation recipients. 93.6% of Veterans were rated at 10%.
Tinnitus can only have one VA rating.
It is either 10% or nothing.
There is no lower VA rating and there is no higher VA rating.
Therefore, we call it a low-value claim, because it is always rated at 10%, and 10% only, with no exceptions.
People most at risk of Tinnitus are thosewho work in loud conditions including musicians, elderly and the militarypersonnel.
Tinnitus is not categorically a conditionbut a symptom of an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, earinjury or a circulatory system disorder.
Tinnitus involves the sensation of hearing sound when no external sound is present.
Tinnitus symptoms may include these types of phantom noises in your ears such as ringing, buzzing, roaring, buzzing, clicking, hissing or humming.
The most common type of this is Subjective Tinnitus which is the kind the veteran can only hear.
If youre thinking about filing your VATinnitus claim as a secondary disability, the following conditions can cause ormake Tinnitus worse: head and neck conditions, Menieres disease, depressionand anxiety, PTSD, TBI, hearing loss, Temporomandibular Joint Disorder and high blood pressure, among others.
Read all about VA Tinnitus claims HERE.
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What Is A Learning Disability Exactly
The learning disability is defined as any mental condition that prevents a person from acquiring the same amount of knowledge as others in their age group.
Do you want to learn more about the different types of learning disabilities? Keep reading to find out the 5 most common learning disabilities special education and their symptoms.
Is Your Condition Found In The List Of Disabling Conditions
For each of the major body systems, we maintain a list of medical conditions we consider severe enough to prevent a person from doing SGA. If your condition is not on the list, we must decide if it is as severe as a medical condition that is on the list. If it is, we will find that you have a qualifying disability. If it is not, we then go to Step 4.
We have two initiatives designed to expedite our processing of new disability claims:
- Compassionate Allowances: Certain cases that usually qualify for disability can be allowed as soon as the diagnosis is confirmed. Examples include acute leukemia, Lou Gehrigs disease , and pancreatic cancer.
- Quick Disability Determinations: We use sophisticated computer screening to identify cases with a high probability of allowance.
For more information about our disability claims process, visit our Benefits for People with Disabilities website.
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Medical Records Needed To Qualify
If you are unable to work because of a heart condition, you may qualify for disability benefits. To be approved for disability benefits, the Social Security Administration requires that specific medical criteria be met. Supporting documentation is essential to your claim.
Disability Determination Services , which reviews the claims filed for Social Security Disability benefits, must be able to confirm the severity of your condition and the diagnosis.
Your medical records should be as detailed as possible, and your records must be able to support your claim and confirm the severity of your condition. As an example, you will need to provide copies of medical tests that confirm your diagnosis.
These tests must show that your heart muscle doesnt function normally and that you suffer discomfort because of activity or emotion, you experience myocardial ischemia, or you suffer from atypical angina.
To do this, you will need to provide the result of an abnormal stress test, ischemic episodes, or abnormal imaging results, and the results of an exercise test. Your exercise test should be a tolerance test with a workload at 5 METS or less, and it must reveal at least one of the following issues:
You can also be approved if you can provide medical records that detail three separate ischemic episodes within 12 consecutive months. Each of those episodes must require revascularization, which refers to bypass surgery or angioplasty.
Is Your Condition Severe
Your condition must significantly limit your ability to do basic work-related activities, such as lifting, standing, walking, sitting, or remembering for at least 12 months. If it does not, we will find that you do not have a qualifying disability.
If your condition does interfere with basic work-related activities, we go to Step 3.
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List Of Vietnam Veterans Presumptive Conditions
This applies to Vietnam Veterans who were:
- Exposed to Agent Orange
- Served in the Republic of Vietnam or on a vessel operating not more than 12 nautical miles seaward from the demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and Cambodia between Jan. 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975
For Vietnam Veterans, the VA considers the following conditions to be presumptive:
- Soft-tissue sarcoma
- Chloracne or other similar acneform disease
- Porphyria cutanea tarda
Because of widespread exposure to Agent Orange, to include the waters around eligible locations known as Blue Water Veterans, the VA presumes that these conditions are service connected, and thus, you have an excellent chance winning these claims.
Circulatory System: 83% Of Ssdi Beneficiaries
Includes coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, and more.
With heart disease being the leading cause of death, one might expect that this group to account for a higher percentage of disability cases. This discrepancy may indicate that claims involving cardiovascular impairments are unfairly difficult to get approved and, indeed, this is what I have experienced. Judges minimize the effects of work-related stress on the cardiovascular system, how the symptoms of a heart problem would affect someones ability to work full-time, and the difficulty a long-time manual laborer would have in performing the technology use required of modern office work.
There is another reason this difficulty is fundamentally unfair to claimants heart disease shortens life expectancy. Someone with heart disease is more likely to die young, meaning they would be expected to receive less lifetime value from Social Security payments. This would seem to indicate favorable disability standard, as opposed to the difficult one described above. This unfairness could also be considered with respect to the prevalence of heart disease amongst genders and races .
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Arthritis In The Neck
The majority of people with neck arthritis have no symptoms. When neck arthritis symptoms do appear, they usually consist of mild to severe pain and stiffness in the neck. It can be worse by prolonged looking up or down, as well as activities that keep the neck in the same posture for long periods of time, such as driving or reading a book. Neck pain normally goes away when you rest or lie down.
Your doctor will begin by taking your medical history and performing a physical examination. They’ll assess your neck’s range of motion, strength, sensitivity, and reflexes to see whether there’s any strain on your nerves or spinal cord. They’ll inquire as to when your symptoms began, when the pain occurs, and what causes the discomfort to improve or worsen.
People With Disabilities Raise Voices At Climate Talks
Drew Costley And Teresa De Miguel
Associated Press
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Jason Boberg, center, a member of the disability caucus and a founder of the disability climate action network SustainedAbility, speaks with disabled persons after a panel discussion, during the COP27 U.N. Climate Summit, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022.
SHARM EL-SHEIKH Last year, climate activists who focus on disability rights scored a major victory at the United Nations climate change conference known as COP. They gained official status as a caucus recognized by the U.N. Secretariat, the conference organizer. They say it was the culmination of years of effort to be officially included in the proceedings. Here’s what that means for this week and beyond.
COP27 CONFERENCE
Someone from the caucus will have the chance to address conference attendees at the closing plenary about disability inclusion. People will have an official space to gather. Members of the caucus will also have more access to the conference organizer, making it easier to connect with other attendees including country delegates, negotiators, disability rights organizations, as well as to participate overall in events.
The issue of payment for harm caused by climate change, known in the jargon as loss and damage, is also on the agenda for people with disabilities. Activists want to include disability rights in conference negotiations on this subject.
NEXT OBJECTIVES
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List Of Gulf War Syndrome Presumptive Conditions
This applies to Gulf War Veterans who:
- Served in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations
- Have a condition that is at least 10 percent disabling by Dec. 31, 2021
For Gulf War Veterans, the VA considers the following conditions to be presumptive:
Medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illnesses that exist for six months or more, such as:
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Irritable bowel syndrome
This also includes any diagnosed or undiagnosed illness that warrants a presumption of service connection, as determined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Signs or symptoms of an undiagnosed illness include:
Click HERE to read about the 3 recently approved presumptive conditions to burn pit exposure.
What Are The Top 10 Conditions That Qualify For Disability Benefits
Submitted by Deanna on Tue, 07/12/2022 – 12:51
10 of the most common conditions that qualify for disability benefits are Arthritis, Heart Disease, Degenerative Disc Disease, Respiratory Illness, Mental Illness, Cancer, Stroke, Nervous System Disorders, Diabetes, Immune System Disorders.
There are thousands of conditions that may be approved for disability benefits. The SSA offers monthly resources to anyone in need who is unable to work due to their illness. That being said, some conditions qualify more often than others.
If you have any of the above disorders, there is a good chance of your disability claim being approved. Be sure to get help by taking a Free Case Evaluation to see if you qualify for disability benefits today. So what conditions qualify for disability?
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How The Ssa Determinesdisabilities
The SSA analyzes its beneficiaries in its annual report by various factors, including diagnostic groups.
Diagnostic groups are a group of conditions often based on body systems for example, mental disorders, diseases of the respiratory system, and congenital anomalies are examples.
Because there are so many beneficiaries in the United States with unique disabling conditions and sometimes, multiple conditions the SSA doesnt break down each diagnostic group further by specific diseases or illnesses.
They do have a list of impairments that are considered approved disabilities if they impact your ability to work, however.
People With Disabilities Rate The Top 10 Cities That Are Easiest For Them To Travel Around
The Valuable 500, a business coalition, released its list of the top 10 most accessible cities in the world.
The report cited a survey conducted among 3,500 individuals with disabilities, who rated cities based on “transport links, proximity of accommodation to attractions, shops, and restaurants, and the availability of information about accessibility.”
The survey was conducted in August and September, and involved participants from five countries the U.K., United States, Japan, China and Australia.
“Our research shows that across both the public and private sectors in the travel and tourism industry, these cities consistently score well in the accessibility rankings,” said Caroline Casey, the founder of the Valuable 500.
Over 95% of pedestrian walkways, taxi stands and bus shelters in Singapore are also accessible to wheelchair users, seniors or other individuals with disabilities.
Shanghai
As much of its development happened in recent years, modern Shanghai’s pavements are in “good condition, with plenty of curb cuts,” said the report. Curb cuts are ramps connecting sidewalks to the street.
The city also has the largest metro network in the world, which is fully accessible to wheelchair users. The survey found that 39% of respondents who chose Shanghai did so because of its accessible public transport.
Tokyo
Such indicators help warn visually impaired pedestrians of hazards and aid navigation.
United States
Las Vegas
New York
Orlando
Europe
Amsterdam
Paris
London
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What Heart Conditions Qualify For Disability
You can qualify for disability with a heart condition if you have:
- Chronic Heart Failure.
- Ischemic Heart Disease,
- Chronic Venous Insufficiency,
- Recurrent Arrhythmias.
Chronic Heart Failure: Also called congestive heart failure, there are medical tests administered to measure the flow of blood from your heart. Your heart needs to be performing at 30% capacity to qualify as totally disabled. Additionally, you need to demonstrate that your heart problem causes you pain, even while not exerting yourself. This sort of heart failure can stem from cardiomyopathy, including dilated, hypertrophic, or restrictive cardiomyopathy.
Ischemic Heart Disease. This is a pre-heart attack condition which is caused by problems with your arteries. Those who have this condition have poor oxygen flow within their blood stream. This condition is normally diagnosed as a result of a particularly poor stress test or angiography.
Hypertensive Heart Disease. In order to qualify for Social Security Disability, your hypertension must be so serious that you would also meet the criteria for disability from ischemic heart disease or chronic heart failure.
Heart Transplant. The SSA considers a heart transplant a disability one year following the surgery. They will also evaluate residual impairment under the appropriate listing.
You can find more information and tips for qualifying with a heart condition here: Tips for Applying for Disability with Heart Problems
Dealing With A Mental Disorder: Advice From Those Who Have Been There
Its no secret that mental health is often an ignored topic, especially when it comes to seniors. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 20% of adults aged 55 or older suffer from a mental disorder. That means that for every five seniors you know, at least one is dealing with depression, anxiety, Alzheimers disease, bipolar disorder, or some other form of mental illness.
Mental disorders are nothing to be ashamed of they are real medical conditions that can be extremely debilitating if left untreated. If you are a senior who is struggling with a mental disorder, know that you are not alone and there is help available. Here are some tips from those who have been there:
1. Seek professional help: This is probably the most important piece of advice for anyone dealing with a mental disorder. A therapist can help you understand your diagnosis and develop coping mechanisms to deal with your symptoms. Dont be afraid to ask for help it could make all the difference in your recovery.
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Other Requirements For Disability Benefits
Not only will you need to medically qualify for disability benefits, you will need to meet other qualifications. For those applying for Supplemental Security Income , you will need to be within specific income limits. Those that are unmarried will need to have less than $2,000 in assets while those that are married will needed less than $3,000 in assets.
If you are applying for Social Security Disability Income , you will need to have obtained enough work credits. These are earned by working and paying into Social Security. Though the number of credits changes depending on your age, typically if you have worked five of the last ten years you will have enough work credits.
Nervous System And Sense Organs
The nervous system helps all the body parts communicate. Its also responsible for decision-making.
The nervous system includes the:
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the following are examples of nervous system disorders:
- Infections like meningitis and polio
- Functional disorders like epilepsy and neuralgia
- Degenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis and Parkinson disease
- Structural disorders like Bells palsy and brain or spinal cord injuries
Nervous system and sense organ disorders make up 9.7% of those receiving Social Security Disability benefits.
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Protecting Yourself From The Medical Costs Of Disability
What can you do to guard against the risks of disability and high medical bills? Here are some tips from the experts.
Go over your health insurance policy. Don’t just assume your coverage is good. Read the booklet your insurer sends. Ask your benefits advisor at work if you have questions.
Settling health insurance issues is important before you get sick. The health care reform law will prohibit insurers from denying people coverage because of preexisting conditions. But it won’t take effect for adults until 2014.
Get disability insurance. See if you can get it through work. You should purchase it as soon as possible. Trying to get disability insurance when you’re older — or diagnosed with a health problem — is a lot more difficult.
Look into long-term-care insurance. It’s not right or affordable for everyone. But long-term-care insurance will cover some of the costs if you become disabled and need home health care or a stay in a nursing home.
Improve your lifestyle. Take these commonsense steps to protect your health:
- Exercise regularly.
- Eat a healthy diet and lose weight if needed.
- Lessen your stress.
Improving your lifestyle could dramatically lower your risk of many conditions, including:
Even if you already have been diagnosed with a health problem, changing your habits can still have a big benefit.
Take an honest assessment of your risks and do what you can to lower them. That way you can help minimize the risk of a financial setback.
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