Discussing disability
ORIHUELA is hosting the first ‘functional diversity days for professionals and families. A life project’, on February 24-25.
Organised by the town hall social welfare department and the Vega Baja association for people with functional diversity (ADIS), the event takes place at La Lonja auditorium, and is aimed at professionals in the sector and families of people with functional diversity.
It features two sessions of presentations by professionals with extensive experience in this field, as well as two influencers who will give a motivational talk.
ADIS psychologist Purificación Torrecillas said the objective is ‘to help the life project throughout the life-cycle of families with members who have functional diversity, because people with functional diversity have a different life project and have to adapt to the new circumstances that disability entails’.
Basic questions, such as how to teach a person to sleep, early motor development, caregiver caregiving, and sexuality are some of the topics that will be addressed.
Another ADIS psychologist, Antonio Lozano explained: “Sexuality development in people with disabilities is a very demanding subject for families and on many occasions families lack resources and strategies to address it in the family environment. For these people we have invited two sexologists who provide guidelines for professionals and family members to address it.”
Mayoress Carolina Gracia highlighted the relevance of these days, as much for the professionals presenting it, as for those it is aimed at.
“In the end, people who live with people with functional diversity, and those who live with them on a daily basis, have to learn things that we are not aware we do not know about,” she said.
“It is the work of public administrations to always collaborate with associations and this type of training, and above all, to raise awareness that every day Orihuela is becoming a more welcoming town to anyone who has a disability’.
ADIS president Lourdes Pérez thanked the mayoress and the town hall for agreeing to host the conference, which will take place in the city for the first time, something that she ‘hopes will continue’.
Registration for the conference is taking place through the ADIS website at www.adis vegabaja.org
Attendees will be asked to ‘consider’ making a €30 donation to the association, in order for it to continue starting up new projects, such as the early attention centre in Benéjuzar.