Should I Tell My Employer That I’m A Carer
You do not have to tell your employer you are a carer. But it may help if you need to take time off to look after the person you care for.
You might make this decision depending on whether your employer has a policy to support carers, or whether they’d be open to exploring ways to support you. Find out what’s available before you approach your manager.
Possible support options include:
- special leave arrangements to cover any time you need to care for your loved one
- an employee assistance programme, if your workplace has one. This will be designed to deal with any personal or work-related problems you have that may affect your ability to do your job
- access to advice, support and information, perhaps on a staff website or carers’ network
What Benefits Can You Claim If You Have Parkinsons
There are a couple of benefits you can claim if you have Parkinsons, which are SSDI benefits and Medicare. The first being Social Security Disability Insurance or SSDI.
SSDI benefits are one of the two programs that the Social Security Administration offers and it is for those who at one point were able to work, but can no longer work for at least 12 months because of a disability or a severe ailment like Parkinsons Disease.
In order to qualify for SSDI benefits, you need to be deemed disabled by the SSA and you need to have a sufficient amount of work credits.
Work credits are calculated by your age and how long you have worked. If you are SSDI benefits, under certain conditions, your family members like children under the age of 18 or your spouse.
The other benefit that you can claim if you have Parkinsons is Medicare. Medicare is a federal program for those with disabilities and for people 65 and over.
If you qualify for SSDI benefits with Parkinsons, you will also qualify for Medicare as well. You automatically get Medicare Part A and Part B after you get one of these:
- Disability benefits from Social Security for 24 months
- Certain disability benefits from the RRB for 24 months
Can My Employer Terminate My Employment
Your employer technically cannot terminate your employment because of your disease. You are protected by the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms since it includes Parkinsons disease as a disability.
Nevertheless, there are situations where your employer may justify terminating your employment despite the fact that you have a disability. For example, if:
- The proper functioning of the business is excessively hindered due to the characteristics of your disability
- Your employer has tried to find appropriate accommodations with you, but you are still unable to perform your work in the reasonably foreseeable future
- You have an excessive absence rate with no possibility of improvement in the reasonably foreseeable future
- You do not work with your employer to agree on reasonable accommodations
Employee discrimination based on a disability means treating an employee differently from others because of their disability or how they deal with it. It can also include not taking their personal characteristics into account at work.
Discrimination can take many forms and is not always obvious. Employee discrimination based on disability is prohibited by law before hiring, during employment, and upon termination of employment, if applicable. If you believe you are being discriminated against, you may file a complaint with the Commission des droits de la personne of Quebec .
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Mst Pd And Neural Plasticity
After 4 wk of MST, the PD patients exhibited a V/M ratio level that was even higher than what is typically observed in healthy old individuals . Notably, this training-induced increase in efferent drive accounted for 26% of the increase in leg press 1RM and 46% of the increase in chest press 1RM . These results are in accordance with a recent study revealing that PD patients have the potential to improve efferent neural drive in response to strength training . Albeit, that study showed that improvements in V/M ratio were only evident if the training was performed while standing on an unstable device. Surprisingly, the Silva-Batista et al. study showed that the direct motor response during rest and during MVC improved following the unstable strength training in PD. This finding contrasts the current study and previous literature , documenting the Mmax and Msup to remain unaltered following strength training. Increases in efferent neural drive, as observed in the present study, may be attributed to both enhanced firing frequency and/or motor unit recruitment . In support of this notion, David et al. showed that high-intensity strength training improved voluntary muscle activation in PD patients. Collectively, the present data and previous observations demonstrate the effectiveness of strength training performed with high intensity to induce significant neural adaptations in PD patients.
Modifications And Adaptations In The Workplace
There are several modifications that can be made to the workplace to enable someone with PD to continue to work effectively. Occupational therapists can be a valuable resource and provide individual recommendations for adaptations or assistive devices to a persons workplace. Some common adaptations for the workplace include:
- Allowing a flexible schedule and/or flexible use of leave time to accommodate symptoms like fatigue
- Allowing an individual to work from home
- Reducing the amount of walking required or providing a scooter
- Installing an ergonomic work station
- Providing voice-recognition software instead of typing
- Providing speech amplifiers1,3
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Early Career Impact Award
Dr. Chris Phenix from the USask College of Arts and Science was presented with an Early Career Impact Award. This award is presented to one researcher for their work since being awarded a SHRF Establishment Grant five years earlier. It recognizes their efforts to build capacity, advance knowledge, inform decision making, and to provide health, economic and social impacts, as well as future potential to continue their impact in Saskatchewan.
Phenix and his team are working to develop radiotracers to detect Parkinsons disease, a chronic degenerative brain disorder that affects more than 100,000 Canadians. The radiotracers are chemical compounds that have been labeled for easy detection, such as with PET scans, and that selectively attach to a specific protein in the body. This work looks at radiotracers for an enzyme called glucocerebrosidase, or GCase, that shows decreased activity in the brains of Parkinsons patients. Currently, there are no radiotracers available to image GCase in patients, and the radiotracers could be used both to diagnose Parkinsons, particularly in people with aggressive cases, and to help develop new drugs for the disease. This groundbreaking work has garnered $150,000 in funding from the extremely competitive Michael J. Fox Foundation, drawn interest from multinational drug companies, and attracted collaborators and clinicians from across the country.
Improving Functional Mobility In Pd
Due to PD heterogeneity, patients experience of mobility impairment and respective coping strategies are very personal. In order to find an effective option is crucial to understand the patients needs and offer suggestions according to local offerings, personal preferences, and cultural background .
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What If I Am Self
The same considerations apply if you are self-employed but you will have to make the decisions that an employer would make.
In some countries, the laws regarding retirement if you are self-employed are not as generous as for those who are salaried. You may therefore want to think about taking out insurance to protect your revenue or find an employed position so that you can benefit from more generous social security schemes as a salaried worker.
We Help You Find What Super Insurance You Have For Free
We can help you find all of your superannuation funds and confirm if any insurance claim can be made on those funds. We do this for free. If we work out that you are entitled to bring a claim, we can help you with the claim on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis and with no upfront fees.
You can contact us directly by phone or email for free. It costs you nothing to find out what your rights and entitlements are.
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Are Carers Protected Against Discrimination In The Workplace
If you care for someone with a long-term condition like Parkinson’s you are protected from being discriminated against or harassed at work.
This means that as a carer you should not be treated less favourably than another employee who isn’t a carer, and should still get the flexibility you are legally entitled to. Any offensive language about your association with a person with Parkinson’s should also not be tolerated.
What Type Of Work Is Best For Me
There are different options you can consider, including full-time and part-time work.
Before deciding what you want to do, you may find it helpful to think about:
- how your Parkinson’s symptoms affect you. Would doing simpler tasks be better? It might be possible for you to change roles or level of responsibility in your work
- travel and mobility. How easy is it for you to travel to and from work? Think about whether you need to travel to other locations or offices
- how many hours you feel you’re able to work
- your finances, including any pensions and savings you have. Knowing where you stand financially alongside what you think is best for your health will help you decide what type of work is best for you
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Enjoy A Healthy Sex Life:
We have no particular reason to say that sexual ability goes down with Parkinsons disease, says Rosenthal. There are certainly challenges, but rest assured that a satisfying sex life is not something you have to put behind you after a diagnosis. Treatments for erectile dysfunction can work for Parkinsons patients, just as they do for non-Parkinsons patients. Problems that crop up run the gamut: Men may experience sexual problems, like erectile dysfunction, and men and women may have problems with decreased libido. Physical symptoms of the disease, such as stiffness and tremor, may make moving around in bed more challenging. But you can help some of these problems enormously through good self-care. For example, getting enough sleep and exercise can boost sex drive.
Review Articleworking Capacity Of Patients With Parkinson’s Disease A Systematic Review
PD has a detrimental effect on working capacity of patients.
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Early retirement of PD patients is associated with high societal costs.
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Both motor and non-motor symptoms of PD contribute to a reduced working capacity.
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Employed PD patients ask for workplace adjustments these are not always supported.
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How Do I Ask For Reasonable Adjustments
If you’re having problems doing your job or parts of your job, the first thing to do is to talk to your manager. If you need adjustments then you will need to tell them that you have a disability, but you don’t have to tell them you have Parkinson’s if you don’t want to.
Try to explain which part of your job is causing you a problem and what that problem is. For example, you may have difficulties travelling to work on public transport during rush hour because you can’t get a seat and find it hard to stand for long periods of time. Or you may have problems using a computer keyboard because of a tremor.
Don’t worry if you don’t have any suggestions for what reasonable adjustments may help you. Your manager can arrange for you to have an assessment with an occupational health specialist to find out what your problems are and to make suggestions for how to solve them.
Do I Have To Tell Potential Employers That I Have Parkinson’s
If you’re looking for a job you may be wondering about whether you need to tell a possible employer about your condition.
In Great Britain
It is against the law for a potential employer to ask you about your health or any disability before offering you a job, except in very limited circumstances.
You should only be asked questions about your health for certain purposes, such as in the examples below.
- If a potential employer is trying to find out whether you need any changes or reasonable adjustments to be made to the recruitment process.
- For monitoring purposes. Potential employers can ask you to complete a form stating your race, gender, sexuality, religion, age and if you have a disability. Filling in these forms is usually optional and they are processed separately from your application.
- If a potential employer is trying to find out if you have a disability or health condition that would affect your ability to carry out an essential part of the job. For example, if you were applying for a job as a scaffolder, your employer could reasonably ask you if you have any condition that would affect your ability to climb scaffolding and work at heights.
- If they require an employee to have a particular disability or condition as part of the role they are recruiting for.
In Northern Ireland
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What If My Manager Doesn’t Know What To Do Or Does Nothing
If your manager doesn’t do anything to make the reasonable adjustments you need, you should contact the human resources department and explain your situation.
You can also contact the Access to Work scheme and apply for a grant. .
Take some time to think about what adjustments may help you, but remember that they have to be reasonable and something that your employer is able to do.
When considering whether it is reasonable to make a particular adjustment, your employer should take the following into account:
- Will the adjustment help you to do your job?
- How practical is the adjustment? For example, is it possible for you to access a database from home, or is there anyone to cover for you if you start work later in the day?
- What will the effect of the adjustment be? For example, what would the impact be in making changes to the building?
- How much will the changes cost the business, financially or otherwise? The type and size of your employer will be taken into account what is reasonable for a large employer may not be affordable for a small business.
- Would the changes be disruptive to your employer’s business?
- Is there any financial or other assistance available to help make reasonable adjustments? The Access to Work scheme may make a contribution to the cost of some adjustments.
Active Aging For Individuals With Parkinsons Disease: Definitions Literature Review And Models
Seyed-Mohammad Fereshtehnejad
1Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences & Society , Karolinska Institutet, Novum 5th Floor, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden
2Department of Geriatric Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden
Abstract
1. Introduction
1.1. Background
In the late 1990s, the World Health Organization introduced the term active ageing as the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation, and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age . Since then, a large number of definitions have been launched by different authors , most of which have focused only on normal population and yet less attention has been paid to the elderly suffering from a chronic condition such as PD. While active ageing promotes elderly to realize their potentials for physical, social, and mental well-being throughout the life course and to participate in society , motor and nonmotor problems of PD necessitate a new adoption of active aging concept to fit the condition of the patients. In this view, the recently emerging caring approaches such as personalized medicine and patient-centered care have brought new insights into practice which will be further discussed in this review.
1.2. Aims
2. Methods
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Components
3.1.1. Physical Activity
3.1.2. Social Communication
3.1.3. Mental Well-Being
3.2. Consequences
3.2.1. Employment
3.2.2. Quality of Life
3.3. Modifiers
3.3.1. Self-Care
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Filing For Social Security Disability With A Parkinsons Disease Diagnosis
The SSA has a complied list guidelines of conditions that qualify for disability benefits. Under it’s listing in the “Blue Book,” Parkinsons Disease is a condition that can qualify a person for Social Security Disability benefits provided that certain diagnostic criteria are met and documented which include:
- rigidity
- bradykinesia, or tremor in two extremities causing ongoing problems with movement
- gait, or ability to stand
There is no single test that can provide a definitive diagnosis of Parkinsons Disease. Diagnosis is based upon an evaluation of the symptoms present, as well as a neurological examination.
Also, the presence of at least two of what are considered to be the cardinal symptoms of Parkinsons can be considered to be strongly indicative of the presence of the condition.
Additionally, tremors of the hands that occur while the hand is at rest, symptoms that begin on one side of the body, and/or a positive response to levodopa are also telltale diagnostic tools.
It can be assumed that these symptoms could be used as the basis for a Social Security Disability case on their own should they become serious enough to inhibit ones ability to work. If the disease has progressed to this point, however, the patient has likely already qualified based on physical/motor symptoms.
Free Case Evaluation For People With Parkinson’s Disease
All too often, claimants are denied Social Security benefits based on missing, inaccurate, or incomplete paperwork. As a result, the applicant must then begin on the arduous disability appeal process. Unfortunately, the this process is long and slow, resulting in excruciating delays.
A Social Security Disability lawyer can make sure you have the documents you need the first time, saving you the hassle and the delay of a lengthy disability appeal process.
To speak with a qualified Social Security Attorney about your chances of getting Social Security benefits, request a free disability evaluation today.
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