There’s an entire chapter dedicated to some of the disturbing statistics around the health of someone living with a disability compared to someone who isn’t. I would strongly encourage you to read these and gain a better understanding of how we can look to change this in our local community, state and even country.
But one alarming statistic that I have learnt along this journey is as high as 41% of people living with a disability are suffering with depression compared to 27% of people who do not have a disability. What makes this figure more alarming, is that one of the leading treatment suggestions and options for depression and this able bodied 27% is exercise. But with limited equipment, accessibility, and a lack of appropriately trained expertise that same treatment suggestion or option is not as easily available to a person with a disability.
We need to think differently about how we can improve the environment to be more accessible so that everyone can enjoy our beaches, playgrounds, pools, and parks.
Tremendous lengths have been made to improve our beach access here on the Gold Coast, but that’s not the case in so many other locations in our country and around the world.