If Only I'd Known That a Year Ago: Living with Ill-health, Injury or Disability

An information-packed guide to the services, welfare rights and facilities to help people living with ill-health, injury or disability participate fully in every aspect of life. Written by and for people affected by ill health, injury and disability, this book presents many opportunities to negotiate for change to give choice and control back to your life and work as a partner, a parent, a friend and an active member of your community. This book signposts to valuable support and specialist information on Independent Living including equipment, housing, community care, Information Technology and carers. The Times of Your Life from childhood to later years covering education and skills, relationships and life events. A chapter on employment and support covering work, careers and benefits. A Rights and Justice area covering discrimination, reporting disability hate crime, legal and consumer services, advocacy and decision making. A Travel and Leisure section with specialist information on motoring, public transport, holidays, public toilets and potential leisure activities. Finally a chapter on health covering health services, mental health and wellbeing. One in five people have experience of living with a disability or health condition - that's over 11 million of us. Whether you are recently disabled, have been diagnosed with a long-term mental or physical health condition, or have a disabled relative or child, this book answers the questions constantly asked by people in exactly those situations. All too often people who become or are disabled are unaware about the many services that could help them lead an independent and inclusive lifestyle. This book signposts to valuable support and specialist information on housing, benefits, rights, social care, discrimination, education and training, employment, equipment, holidays and leisure, health care, legal services, relationships, transport and motoring, plus many other services. Written by and for people with lived experience of disability or health conditions, this book presents many opportunities to negotiate for change to give choice and control back to your life and work as a partner, a parent, a friend and an active member of your community.

Table of Contents:
Advocacy and Decision Making Benefits Careers Carers Childhood Community Care Discrimination Education & Skills Equipment Health Services Holidays Housing Information Technology Later Years Legal and Consumer Services Leisure Activities Mental Health and Wellbeing Motoring Public Toilets Public Transport Relationships and Life Events Reporting Disability Hate Crime Work

About the Author :
Radar is Britain's largest disability rights campaigning network, with a membership of 800 organisations and individual campaigners. We are a pan-disability organisation led by people with lived experience of disability or health conditions. We work in broad partnerships to have the widest impact. We campaign for the rights and equality of the 11 million disabled people in Britain with lived experience of disability or health conditions regardless of age or impairment. Radar is directed by our board of Trustees, of whom at least 75% must be disabled people. 80% of our Trustees have lived experience of disability or health conditions.