Medical Stability (1 of 4)
In terms of Disability and Employment, successful employment is supported by Stability, which includes these 4 areas: Medical, Psychiatric, Transportation and Residential.
This article focuses on Medical Stability; which should be discussed and addressed with ‘your’ Health Care Provider(s) prior to applying for jobs.
Stability can be achieved by following doctor’s recommendations Pre-employment, examples: physical/vocational/misc. therapies, dietary restrictions, medication management & compliance, follow-up appointments & referrals. Post-employment Stability is just as important: continuing to follow doctor’s recommendations, follow up appointments to address any new or exasperated symptoms occurring since starting the job, and any medication side-effects that may be negatively affecting work performance.
In efforts to preserve Medical Stability, the following should be addressed with the Job Seeker’s Provider:
- Recommended work hours per week/per shift – to maintain successful employment, minimizing the risk of (further) injury.
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Lifting restriction(s) – examples may include: acceptable amount of weight to be lifted from floor to waist, waist to shoulders, shoulders to above head.
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Frequency of the Lifting restriction(s) in a work shift – example, in a 6-hour shift, acceptable to lift up to 20lbs of weight: not at all 0%, occasionally 1-33%, Frequently 34%-66%, Constantly 67%-100%.
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Standing or walking restriction(s) in a work shift – example, in a 6-hour shift, stand/walk: not at all 0%, Occasionally 1-33%, Frequently 34%-66%, Constantly 67%-100%.
- Additional medical restrictions that maybe addressed – examples: Bending, squatting, climbing stairs/ladders, pushing/pulling weight, environmental restrictions (pertaining to allergies, accessibility, workplace temperature control, etc.).
Why is this important? It’s all about the medical well-being of the Job Seeker, Pre- & Post-employment. Consider this: if the perfect job is found, but the individual is not medically well enough to go to work, or once at work, is not medically/physically well enough to meet the responsibilities of that job with or without reasonable accommodations, maintaining employment is not likely short or long term.
Here is an example – Mary
- Mary’s primary barrier to employment was mobility; gait impairment, which affected her balance, making her a potential fall risk. Due to a medical condition, she is limited to walking no further than 50 feet (at a time, using a cane) and then needs to sit. Unfortunately, traditional armchairs, wooden chairs, or any chair that “cuts into the back of the legs”, only further aggravates her condition and cause symptom flare ups (pain/swelling, lasting up to 3 days). This is what I am hearing…
- What about a wheelchair? Removes the mobility barrier (limited to 50 feet) and the chair doubles as a workstation-desk seat, as seated employment was her goal.
- Mary shared that her doctor had told her that she was not eligible for an electric wheelchair during a discussion that had occurred several years prior. I asked if the doctor was aware that circumstances have changed, meaning – employment was now a goal? “No” the doctor had not been informed.
- I then assisted Mary (this was going to take 9 months) working with her Health Care Provider and two 3rd Party Agencies, completing the lengthy but required application for an electric wheelchair through Medicare.
- Application #1 was denied by Medicare because of a paperwork error (‘coding’) by the doctor. We then resubmitted the application with corrections made; though this took time because the doctor had to complete the required paperwork again.
Ultimately, Mary was not employment ready (yet)… but, by exploring the option of employment she began to look at the day-to-day practicalities of getting to/from work and mobility considerations while at work… now it’s just a matter of time (and follow up with Medicare) until she reaches her goal.
Where ‘Preparation Meets Opportunity’
** the information found here is not meant to be medical advise, rather, tips and tricks shared by a Peer Advocate**