I just read an article on MSN about how the number of claims for disability benefits have soared during this Great Recession.  People in the 50s, and younger, who have medical problems are now having an even harder time keeping jobs and finding new ones.  In our society, the word 'disabled' can mean many different things.  You can have two amputees, one who considers himself or herself unable to work, and the other who works full time.  Each case is unique and can involve many factors, including work history, education level, other health complications, and even prescription drug dependency.  Diabetes is becoming more common in our society.  It is often a 'gateway disease' that can lead to other serious physical problems, such as vision impairment, circulatory disease, and amputation.  With the rates of obesity on the rise, the low cost of fast food, and our lack of exercise, I can imagine our 'disabled' population may someday become the majority.  There are some things we can change... there are some things we cannot.  The disability program is important for our country.  It's something that I'm very proud of, that we are a society that provides a safety net for the disabled.  What upsets me in the article is that they fail to highlight programs that aim to assist working-age people with disabilities find and maintain gainful employment.  Yes, these programs are out there.  Vocational Rehabilitation is a program that helps people learn new skills and find work... this is particularly useful for someone who has previously worked in a very physically intensive job and can no longer do so due to a physical disability.  This program can provide education, can fund necessary medical care, and can assist with job placement.  If a person is currently on disability, wants to try to return to work, and is not sure he or she can tolerate working, Vocational Rehabiliation offers a 'ticket to work' program where the person can return to work on a trial basis without the loss of disability benefits.  Every state has a Vocational Rehabilitation program, which receives a combination of state and federal funding.  With better funding, this program could reach more people in need and the result is win-win.  I'm rather disappointed that the MSN article failed to mention this resource.  Not to say it won't still be hard to find a job in these times.  Not to say everyone can work.  But at least Vocational Rehabilitation could help some of us try.    

To read the MSN article I'm talking about, go to:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34381782/ns/us_news-the_elkhart_project