physically challenged - handicapped

[moyashi]

sorry if the subject line is wrong ... just don't know which is proper anymore.

Tosh started an idea over here in the J-Faq thread but thought maybe it was better just to split it to here.

@physically challenged

Japan has been making strides, bounds, and back steps on this subject.

Last year, a very able young girl entered the high school I work at.

Most schools in town turned her away since they don't have the facilities and built in easy access that would accomadate a wheelchair and her needs. The public school I work for just mentioned that she would be welcome as long as she passed the entrance test. She obviously passed.

I don't teach her class but looking at pictures of her and her class on outings I'd say that most likely things are going pretty well. She seems to be well liked with very little "Over Attention" to her condition.

Her main custodial teacher has been more than acceptive and has gone many times out of his way to help her.

Mr. Miyazawa and I have talked many times about her and her problems at school. She must miss many classes for operations and hospital stays. I complained that she might not have progressed to her second year since she missed so many classes. She had kept up with her course work but still the school district and educational ministry frowns on lack of attendance. We both felt so strongly about this that Mr. Miyazawa went over the principal and raised hell (well in a Japanese fashion) and our complaints actually were heard and she's now in her second year.

Still, even with an elavator, rearranging the classroom groupings, the school doesn't have automatic doors. I realized this one morning while I was still sleepy headed and needed to pull open the door. Why I asked? Mr. Miyazawa also brought up this issue with the school but ... alas automatic doors are a no go. Funny that a bell chirps to help blind people find the door, that there are special tiles that help the blind, but ... doors still remain difficult to open.

Of course, many cities have started making easy access the norm, but much of this is probably due to the increasing age of the population than for helping the handicapped.

Also, I heard that there is only 1 elevator on the Yamanote Loop Line in Tokyo. lol ... can get on the train but can't get off at any station without the assistance of the understaffed stations.

Sapporo is much more friendly and I believe that all subways have elevators to the platforms.

Now, if the streets were only a bit wider and proper walk-ways existed.

I hope that this helps

[deborah gormley]

alot of schools suffer the same under-thought corridors and access routes that you have mentioned, and its takes alot of cash to bring a school up to an acceptable level for the disabled ect, but this money should be found through goverment funding or a seperate body such as lottery donations ect, Why should a child be refused tution on the basis of its physical disablity, this I find unexceptable to say the least, the secondary school I attended had two pupils that I know of that had a disability, one girl was blind from birth, and was lead from class to class by two different pupils every day, I had my turn as did almost every body that had away with the disabled, this particular girl had an excellent sence of humour and we would get told off about laughing and keeping her late for class, but it was fun to be with her and know that what we did helped, she was in the highest rated class, got all of her homework in brail,books that needed studied where either recordings of the book or we read it to her, I suppose If the schools would take more of these students in they would be overwhemled by the williness of exsisting students to assist and help in all aspects of the daily life, (toilet needs, eating, exersise, bad jokes hehe), these where never a problem for the challenged pupil or ourselves

[moyashi]

how sadly true about the difficulties that they must face.

I personally had a blind pronunciation teacher to help erase my parents German pronunciation that I learned. He was a gifted man, who always amazed me.

The young girls classmates are always around her. I think much more out of her company than duty.

Hopefully one day in the future more easy access facilities will be availble.

[thomas]

How is the situation for handicapped in professional life? European labour law for instance stipulates some sort of "affirmative action" in regard to handicapped people. Is there something similar in Japan?

[moyashi]

I've never heard of any such program. This could be that my Japanese isn't good enough to pick it up or that it just doesn't exist.

Although, I've heard of 3 different types of professions and business categories that handicapped people work in.

The largest handicapped profession is the massage workers. Get your mind out of the gutters for a second eh! In Japan their are many messues (spelling) and many of them are blind. They even come to your house.

2nd largest group, are shoe repair. I normally get my shoes fixed at such shops because they are very skilled workers, it helps them, and they know how to adjust the soles of my shoes to compensate for parts that wear out the quickest.

3rd is a slowing growing sector are bread/pastry shops. Many shops are run and attended by handicapped people.

For regular companies I wonder if it depends on the severity of their challenge. I guess anything beyond a cane is pretty much difficult to find a job, mentally handicapped folks I'm not sure but I think I've come across a few light cases of dow at supermarkets.

The mentally challenged folks I'm pretty sure have a very difficult time finding any type of work.

[deborah gormley]

Difficult in deed!

I know of schemes here that take on mentally challenged groupes and thier work positions range from dish washer operators to cleaners, they are placed for periods of time in a reputable shop or resturant and paid a small wage for their efforts, the employer is also paid a sum of money each week for taking on these otherwise unemployable people, which in turn allows the public to see that the employers do care and the mentally challenged parties are nothing to fear and are capable of carring out tasks such as the above mentioned, others beleive this is exploiting the mentally challenged as they are not paid a full wage and are used for these tasks, it just depends on your opinion of this matter, I personally believe that if a mentally challenged person has the opertunity to work in a so called normal inviroment and have a reason to feel needed and depended on then this is surely a good move forward, plus the wage (little as it is)proves that they are worth something, and keeps thier mind active, thats only my opinion of course, what do you think on this matter?

[moyashi]

Actually sounds like a good situation. To be honest being a good samaratin would be the most optimal but being realistic is also important since a restaurant needs to take on added responsibilities and getting money makes accepting a difficult situation easier at times. Baby sitting money?

My home town at one time operated possibly one of the largest mental institutions on the East Coast. I've seen many different levels of severity and most are basically harmless. Now that facility is a middle security prison. I'm glad I moved away.

If I were in a situation where I could employee such folks I would.

I'll see what I can dig up in the mean time.

[thomas]

When I had my legal training at civil court I was assistant to a judge responsible for people who had been committed to a mental asylum for one reason or another. So one day per week was exclusively dedicated to procedural hearings in order to determine if a person was sane enough to be discharged or not. These hearings took place in the presence of the person concerned and of course in the asylum. That was tough, and not all cases were harmless.

I still admire the staff for their patience and their strength to deal with these poor souls.

[moyashi]

Agreed not all mental patients are harmless.

Ever come across the superman group?

[thomas]

[Disclaimer: the lines below are not intended to ridicule persons concerned]

Superman group: we had one lady who had jumped right through a window from the third floor. She survived miraculously.

Another group were the conspirators: there was a guy who claimed to work undercover for NASA as well as for the CIA. He complained bitterly we'd prevent him from carrying out a top secret mission. He was verbally very aggressive.

Spooky.

[EKmisao]

Hello, I'm a newbie. 8 )

I took physical therapy as a college course, and I was wondering what is the situation concerning physical rehabilitation in Japan, if anyone knows? If I go find work in Japan as a PT, do I have a chance?

Thanks!

EK 8 )

[tosh]

I've had this half-baked thought for the last couple of days...You get off the plane in Japan, and your luggage is gone,misplaced, or damaged(something like that). So now you are stuck without your Insulin, prosthesis(had to look that one up), or something I havn't thought of... Um...Are there any ...surgical supply stores in Japan? Or stores that function in that manner? (I understand Japan has um...national medical care). I'm not sure how things get done over there, in that regard.