Report on Disabled People’s experiences during COVID-19

Inclusion Scotland Report Highlights Disabled People’s Experiences during COVID-19

Inclusion Scotland have published a report on Disabled People’s experiences during COVID-19, based on a Survey of 822 disabled people accessing social care support across Scotland, during the current Coronavirus crisis.

They found that Disabled people and their carers are under significant pressure because:

• Social care support has been stopped or reduced.
  Almost half of people responding on this issue told us that said that the Covid-19 pandemic has had an impact on the social care support they get, formal and informal. Around 30% of respondents told us their support had either stopped completely or had been reduced.
• People have new or increased caring responsibilities.
  Around 40% of people who responded to this question are experiencing challenges with caring for children/family members since the start of the pandemic.
• Disabled people are struggling to get access to the food and medicine they need.
  Around two thirds of those responding to this question (64%) said that the crisis has had an impact on getting the food or medicine that they need for themselves or the person they care for.
• People are being asked to sign Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) notices.
  Though we didn’t ask a specific question about DNR, 4 respondents told us that they or someone they know had been asked to sign DNR notices or informed that they would not be ventilated should they contract Covid-19.
• People are concerned that they will lose their job.
  Around one in ten respondents to this question (11%) were concerned that they could lose their job as a result of the pandemic.
• Social distancing and isolation is proving extremely challenging.
  Disabled people with and without pre-existing mental health conditions are finding everyday life under lock-down extremely stressful. Significant numbers of disabled people (15) with existing mental health problems told us that they are feeling suicidal at this time.

To see a copy of the report go here: Inclusion Scotland’s Initial Findings Report (July 2020)

You can also see here their: COVID-19 and Disabled People’s Statement

People affected by this can be directed to independent support accessing social care use our Find Help service or browse our member organisations.