Respond to the two discussion posts below in two or three paragraphs.

1) Some key factors that come into play with adulthood for individuals with disabilities is healthcare. Many health professionals have not the knowledge or experience caring for patients with disability. Not only is there a lack of knowledgeable doctors, there are also barriers that are physical, environmental, programmatic and cultural. physical barriers can be things like lack of access to be physically active and lacking of proper equipment. Some physical disabilities can be very complex. For example I had a patient with Ehlers Danlos syndrome. This is a disease that weakens connective tissue and makes it had to move. When your body lacks movement there can be a build up of fluid. To combat this someone who is not disabled could just simply get up and move or go to the gym. Since she is disabled we used a device called a pedal exerciser so we can help with moving her legs. Modern day gyms do not have equipment like this making it hard for some people with disabilities to use them. Lack of physical activities can cause secondary conditions that cannot be treated due to the lacking doctors with experience. As I make my endeavor into health services management and eventually public health, I would like to create practices and policies to improve accessibility of care for disabled patients.

Another key factor is life skills education, some disabled adults may not have access to learn life skills. In some areas there are specialized schools geared towards teaching life skills certain disabilities. The lack of access can make it hard to receive this education and can slow them gaining independence and autonomy. With the transition to adulthood another key factor is employment. Employment gives disabled individuals a chance at more autonomy and independence. Finding a job as a disabled person my be difficult not only do to physical limitations but the possibility of discrimination. Thankfully there are many laws and policies against employment discrimination to prevent it from happening.

2) Adults with disabilities experience a vicious cycle. At the ages when most adults without disabilities are maximizing employment and earnings, adults with disabilities earn far less, with more part-time work and lower wages, reducing individual and family income. Adults without disabilities show a different trajectory, appearing to earn their way to higher income. This may be somewhat misleading since it also reflects the incidence of disability at older ages among persons and families with low income.

Building careers that help them prepare financially for the years to come when their employment participation declines and their earned income diminishes. However, employment participation of people with disabilities is low at all ages and that has persisted over time. Adults with disabilities, employment rates are highest at ages 25-34, and they tail off at higher ages. They never approach the rates for people without disabilities which continue to increase up to ages 45-54, and then quit as retirement age approaches.

Improving access to health care and long term supportive services is crucial to help adults with early onset disabilities avoid secondary conditions and chronic diseases, to achieve independence, and to age in place. Low levels of education, employment, and earnings also place this group in a precarious situation with little chance to prepare financially for older ages.