The final category of the disablement continuum is disability. There is a growing body of knowledge suggesting that physical impairments and functional limitations directly contribute to disability.Consequently, an approach to patient management that focuses on restoring or improving function may prevent or reduce disability and may have a positive impact on quality of life.

A disability is the inability to perform or participate in activities or tasks related to one’s self, the home, work, recreation, or the community in a manner or to the extent that the individual or the community as a whole (e.g., family, friends, coworkers) perceive as “normal.”This is a broad definition of disability and encompasses individual functioning in the context of the environment that includes basic ADL and more complex daily living skills as well as societal functioning. These functions, or roles, fall into several categories summarized in.

However, some sources in the literature classify only difficulty with societal functioning as a disability. Despite the inconsistencies of definitions of disability in the literature, a person’s roles or functions in life must be placed in the context of the physical environment as well as societal expectations. Social expectations or roles involve interactions with others and participation in activities that are a part of who each of us is. These roles are specific to age, gender, sex, and cultural background.

Because disability is such a complex process, the extent to which each component of the disablement process affects one’s perceived level of disability is not clearly understood. An assumption is made that when impairments and functional limitations are so severe or of such long duration that they cannot be overcome to a degree acceptable to an individual,

a family, or society, the perception of “being disabled” occurs. The perception of disability is highly dependent on a person’s or society’s expectations of how or by whom certain roles or tasks should be performed.

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