Disability Futures

Finding the balance between parenting and caregiving children with disabilities can be challenging — there’s a fine line between hovering and being there to assist when needed. The dynamics of the caregiving/care receiving relationship are complex. They are constantly changing as our children grow up; what’s nurturing and helpful for a five year old doesn’t fly at ten, what was okay at ten, doesn’t work at eleven, and so on and so on.

The media typically presents the perspective of caregivers, particularly parent caregivers, but rarely provides the perspective of the person with a disability who uses personal assistance. I was especially interested in listening to a podcast by a disabled person that included stories about both caregiving and care receiving.

Enter “Caring Relationships: Negotiating Meaning and Maintaining Dignity”  featuring disability rights activist,  Alice Wong. This podcast takes a look at the relationships between disabled people who use personal assistance and the folks that assist them.