Vocational Rehabilitation.
Last updated Thursday, January 06, 2005
Arthritis and workCan people who have arthritis still work? Can vocational rehabilitation help people with arthritis? The presence of arthritis does not mean a person can not lead a
productive and interesting life, although it may require changes in
lifestyle and employment.
It is important to understand how arthritis affects your work,
what types of jobs are compatible with your limitations, and to have
confidence in your skills and abilities. Vocational rehabilitation is
available to help you achieve your employment goals.
This article was assembled for people disabled by arthritis who may:
- Be unable to locate or maintain employment
- Need retraining for a new job
- Need financial assistance for retraining or educational programs
- Be school-age and planning to enter the job market or higher education after graduation.
Most of us work because of financial necessity or a desire to be
financially independent. In addition to providing an income, work is
one way Americans "connect" with each other. The relationships enjoyed
through work help us to be vital, giving members of the community.
People with arthritis often have difficulty in finding or keeping
employment. Individuals need to judge for themselves whether arthritis
is affecting their ability to be employed.
Consider if any of the following are interfering with your ability to work:
- Frequent days missed from work. Have you missed more days this year than last year? Are you and your doctor concerned?
- Need more assistance from co-workers. Sometimes even without
knowing it, your co-workers may help lift items, carry things or pitch
in to help on "bad days."
- Decreased level of performance due to arthritis.
- Lost employment opportunities because of inability to meet job demands.
- Assistance required from family for daily living skills (dressing,
cleaning, cooking, driving) in order to conserve energy for work. Does
all your energy have to go into your job? Are weekends spent resting up
for the work week?
- Need for flexibility at work site: rest periods, work-site modifications, or sharing responsibilities.
If several of these factors are preventing you from becoming
employed or remaining productive within your current job, it may be
time to consider vocational rehabilitation.
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