Most people understand that it’s good for one’s health to have friends and to get out of the house to socialize every now and again. However, for those who live with disabilities, it’s even more important to increase social connection, and simultaneously, even more challenging.
Social participation NDIS participants find themselves alone and at home, disengaged from their peers. This is not to say, however, that they enjoy being stuck in their homes, with Netflix blaring in the background. Instead, the barriers to out-of-the-home engagement become far too strenuous without someone there to help facilitate the undertaking.
The Danger of Social Isolation
Let’s face it, loneliness as a concept isn’t that serious; there’s a stigma attached to it that makes people feel bad for crying on a Saturday night. However, loneliness works against physical health. Research suggests that prolonged isolation predisposes participants to later-in-life mental health challenges, like anxiety, depression and heart disease. When one already has a disability on top of that, compounding physical ailments becomes even more complex.
And even worse, it compounds over time. One can go long periods without social interaction, and over time, it decreases one’s self-efficacy when it comes to joining social engagements. What should be easy (jumping into a conversation, asking a friend to meet up, trying a new group) becomes as complicated as climbing Mt. Everest for anyone outside of the introverted box. It’s not that they’re shy, per se; the brain gets used to being alone and anything else feels foreign.
Why Community Efforts Often Don’t Work
Many community efforts try their best; they sound good but lead to disappointing results when it comes to the necessary accessibility support. The local gym may boast group fitness classes but without anyone there who knows how to modify for different abilities—or if the workout itself isn’t accessible, it’s one more fail. Even grabbing a coffee with friends is complicated; can they help you get there? Do they understand what you’re saying? Is the coffee shop wheelchair accessible?
They’re often challenged to rely upon family members to fill gaps, and no one denies their good intentions. But relying solely on a mom or sister for social connection provides complications for all involved. They have their lives to live, too; it’s not fair that they should be the sole long-term social connection option just because that’s what familial love dictates.
How a Support System Makes a Difference
That’s where NDIS social and community participation support makes a difference. No one’s going to help babysit every movement in a social outing; support helps assess interests, find truly accessible groups, help build skills necessary for participation and then gradually fade away as confidence increases.
While it may take time for a participant to gain consistent access to group activities, practice makes capacity and ability. Someone might need support for the first few group settings in order to develop momentum and that’s okay, at least it’s a start. Over time, they’ve been able to navigate spaces that previously felt inaccessible to them without help and they’re doing it on their own.
But in the meantime, it’s often overlooked that these groups help foster friendships with other participants. When other individuals seek out groups based on similar interests or experiences, the growth doesn’t come from someone getting paid to sit with them or family feeling as if they have to stay close; it comes from authentic friendship derived from collaborative efforts.
How Everything Else Improves Because of It
When people have plans and genuine connections in life, it’s not just their social calendar that transforms; they feel better about getting out of bed in the morning, they’re reporting better sleep patterns at night and they’re generally feeling better about themselves. There’s something about looking forward to events, or spending time in which they’re wanted, that goes a long way.
This also helps family members, too. When NDIS participants have their social situations to engage in out in the world, family members at home don’t feel as much pressure. Family dynamics become more relaxed; togetherness is valued instead of stemming from the mentality of “you’re my only option.”
Increased confidence due to community connections opens other doors. Someone who is comfortable trying new passions may feel empowered to volunteer or even get part-time employment down the line. Social skills learned don’t remain confined to one box—they become applicable in multiple areas of life.
Taking the Scary First Steps
It’s incredibly scary to try something for the first time after being isolated for so long. There’s so much pressure that goes into worrying about how one might judge you if you don’t blend in or you situate yourself in areas where you struggle and no one can help you out. But most community groups are much more welcoming than imagined and those people trained to support activities for those with disabilities are even nicer.
Support workers make those scary first times much less intimidating. They mediate logistics and introductions and serve as backup if anxiety surges. If someone doesn’t know how to make a potentially awkward situation flow, someone who understands the needs goes a long way in preventing quitting after one bad day versus sticking it out until one finds their people.
The goal is to find activities appealing based on true interest instead of what’s available nearby; you can’t force someone who hates crafts to appreciate arts and crafts weekly sessions just because that’s the local group. But if it’s possible to find a niche group based on their passions for gaming, cooking, etc., then all bets are off for motivation.
Making It Sustainable Long Term
The goal is for support workers not to stick around forever. It’s vital to build confidence enough for participants to maintain their social connections with less support over time. For some, support will always be needed for particular situations, and that’s 100% fine, but even small strides toward independence are significant wins.
At the end of the day, socialization should become integrated into general life without concern for being celebrated as something extraordinary. If it’s expected as part of life, then no one has to hype themselves up for it; that’s just how things are now. That mentality, moving from engaged socialization as an early challenge into an expected easy routine, makes it worth it for so much more quality of life than having something to do on Saturday afternoons.