Tag: PwD

Autism – ADHD: What role do microbiota and antibiotics play in their appearance

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The role of the gut appears significant in the emergence of neurodevelopmental disorders in children, according to recent study data published in Cell. Specifically, disrupted gut flora in the early years of life is linked to diagnoses such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) later in life, as revealed by the study led by researchers from the University of Florida and Linköping University.

This study is the first prospective study examining the composition of gut flora and a wide range of other factors in infants in relation to children’s neurological system development. Researchers identified many biological markers that appear to be related to future neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, communication disorder, and intellectual disability.

“The remarkable aspect of the work is that these biomarkers were found at birth in umbilical cord blood or in the child’s feces at the age of one, over a decade before the diagnosis,” said Dr. Eric W Triplett, professor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science at the University of Florida in the United States, one of the study’s researchers.

The role of antibiotics

Autism: Turning the focus to parents with spectrum children – A psychologist explains

For the study, more than 16,000 children born between 1997 and 1999 were followed from birth to 20 years of age. Of these, 1,197 children, accounting for 7.3%, were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, communication disorder, or intellectual disability.

A large number of lifestyle and environmental factors were identified through repeated surveys conducted during the children’s upbringing. For some of the children, researchers analyzed substances in umbilical cord blood and bacteria in their feces at just one year of age.

“We found in the study that there are clear differences in gut flora as early as the first year of life between those who develop ASD or ADHD and those who do not. We found correlations with some factors affecting gut bacteria, such as antibiotic treatment in the child’s first year, which is associated with an increased risk of these diseases,” explained Dr. Ludvigsson, senior professor at the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences at Linköping University, who led the study together with Dr. Triplett.

Children who had recurrent ear infections in their first year of life were at an increased risk of being diagnosed with a developmental neurological disorder later in life. It may not be the infection itself that is the culprit, but researchers speculate that there is a correlation with antibiotic treatment. As they found, the presence of Citrobacter bacteria or absence of Coprococcus bacteria increased the risk of future diagnosis.

A possible explanation is that antibiotic treatment may disrupt the composition of the gut flora in a way that contributes to neurodevelopmental disorders. This risk may increase the likelihood of diseases associated with the immune system, such as type 1 diabetes and pediatric rheumatism, as shown in previous studies.

Other environmental factors

The present study also confirms that the risk of developmental neurological diagnosis in children increases if parents smoke. Conversely, breastfeeding has a protective effect, according to the study. Specifically, from umbilical cord blood samples for the detection of various substances from metabolism, such as fatty acids and amino acids, it was found that children who were later diagnosed had low levels of several important fatty substances in the blood. One of these, linolenic acid, necessary for the formation of omega-3 fatty acids and with positive effects on the brain.

Although the research is in its early stages and involves only a portion of children, and more studies are needed, the discovery that many biomarkers for future neurodevelopmental disorders can be observed at a young age opens up the possibility of implementing long-term preventive measures.

Increase of 115% in kidney patients undergoing dialysis, says the Nephrology Society

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“Increase of 115% in kidney patients undergoing dialysis,” says the Nephrological Society – On the occasion of the second Thursday of March, which has been established globally as World Kidney Day.

An increase of 115% in the number of our fellow citizens undergoing hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis is observed in our country during this period, according to the Nephrological Society of Cyprus.

In a statement issued on the occasion of the second Thursday of March, which is globally established as World Kidney Day, the Nephrological Society reports that kidney health problems are the 10th leading cause of mortality worldwide, while 1 in 10 people worldwide is affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD), and it is estimated that this number will continue to increase over time.

It is noted that even if only a small percentage of these individuals will require support through methods such as dialysis – such as hemodialysis – or kidney transplantation, in our country, these individuals amount to over 200 per year, a rate of inclusion that remains among the two highest in Europe over the past 10 years.

These rates are almost double the average for Europe and other Mediterranean countries, so “we observe an increase of 115% in the number of our fellow citizens undergoing hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis in our country during this period. This continuous and prolonged increase in patients with serious kidney health problems is accompanied by a significant economic burden on the healthcare system, which, combined with inadequate planning and timely and proper management of CKD in its initial stages, has led to many shortages in specialized medical and nursing staff, areas that also face shortages globally.”

The message of this year’s World Kidney Day, “Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere,” becomes even more important, it is noted. With the implementation of the General Healthcare System (GHS), it is added, access to healthcare services, both personal and specialist doctors, has become much easier for most residents of our island.

As stated, with more frequent and regular health checks, our primary goal of combating and timely addressing CKD, as well as other significant diseases that feed it – such as Diabetes Mellitus and Arterial Hypertension – becomes more feasible.

“A simple blood analysis to assess kidney function and glucose, a general urine examination to check for the presence of leukocytes (or albumin) or other signs of kidney damage, as well as blood pressure monitoring are often sufficient for the timely diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. As Diabetes Mellitus and Arterial Hypertension are contributory factors to the progression of CKD and affect more than 50% of the patients who are undergoing extrarenal dialysis therapies, it is also important to combat obesity and excessive salt consumption,” it is added.

In combination with what has already been implemented, the Nephrological Society of Cyprus (NSC) promotes and closely collaborates with the Health Insurance Organization (HIO) to adapt to Cypriot data and implement the guidance of the British National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) for the diagnosis and management of CKD.

This process, it is noted, is now at an advanced stage, and we have already committed as a scientific body to contribute to the training and education of healthcare professionals for their correct use and implementation. We also promote the integration of new drugs into the GHS, whose effectiveness in treating CKD is supported by numerous serious and large clinical studies. The evaluation process of these drugs, it is reported, by the HIO and the Drug Advisory Committee has already begun.

Finally, for those patients reaching the final stage of CKD, it is noted that kidney transplantation offers the best clinical outcomes as well as better survival and quality of life.

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“The Architecture of Disability: A Discussion with Architect David Gissen”

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Reimagining a city from the perspective of disability is much more than creating ramps on sidewalks,” says architect David Gissen. As an architect with years of disability experience, he speaks about the need to reconsider the values that shape our cities and to broaden our view beyond the concept of accessibility to include notions related to the intersections of disability critique in architecture with environmentalism and postcolonial perspectives on the city.
 

Interview with Bella Okuya

Translation: Editorial team of pass-world.gr

David Gissen is a Professor of Architecture and Urban History at the Parsons School of Design at The New School. His new book, “The Architecture of Disability: Buildings, Cities, and Landscapes Beyond Accessibility,” presents a new way of thinking about the history of architecture and architectural theory, placing disability at the center and changing the way we see the everyday built environment.

David Gissen

Q: Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration behind this book

A: I’ve spent my entire career in the world of architecture as a person with a disability. I am a survivor of pediatric bone cancer, underwent treatment here in New York in the 1980s. I am also an amputee.

I went to undergraduate architecture school as a person with a disability, partially using a wheelchair and crutches at the time. I went to college, did a Ph.D., was a curator, a professional, a practicing architect, and then returned to school to become an academic.

As someone with a long career in the world of architecture, I believe that ideas about debility, disability, and physical weakness are much more complex than simply making buildings more accessible.

The way we think about architectural history, architectural ideas about nature and the environment, the way architects create and design through architectural form, and the way cities urbanize and construct buildings are all intertwined with ideas about ability, debility, and disability.

I wanted to develop what I would call a disability architecture theory rather than just focusing on making architecture more practical for people with disabilities.
 

The genre of writing known as architectural theory interprets architectural history, the aesthetics of construction, and concepts about nature and the environment. My goal was to provide a critique from the perspective of disability on all these issues, especially on the way I learned, was encouraged to practice, and was encouraged to teach these ideas. Writing this book allowed me to express thoughts I had long held in one volume.

Q: Could you speak more about a key concept in the book, the “urbanization of impairment,” and how it relates to this theory?

A: Typically, contemporary critiques of cities for disability focus on ensuring greater access for people with disabilities to movement within urban spaces, such as sidewalks, roads, and public spaces. All of these, of course, are extremely important.
 

However, in my chapter “The Urbanization of Impairment,” I question whether the critique from the perspective of disability in the contemporary city should simply target access to the city as it is, or if it should reconsider some of the values embedded in urban spaces.

Jon Tyson/Unsplash

For example, many cities like New York and London manage water based on the European perception of hydrological management. The recent torrential rains in New York highlighted the limitations of our Western model of paved roads with curbs. There are various environmental critiques of roads and sidewalks that support alternative approaches to urban wastewater management.

There is an opportunity for people with disabilities to form alliances with environmentalists and postcolonial urban theorists who are redefining the streets. Reimagining traffic in urban spaces will likely reduce barriers experienced by people with disabilities and introduce a more nuanced approach to how cities are envisioned.
 

Disability activism often overlooks how navigating the city is governed by predetermined ideas about property rights and trespassing laws.

For example, when I walk along Long Street in New York – which is 950 feet long – and encounter a passage between two apartment buildings or buildings that would make my journey more accessible, I often see signs that say “no trespassing,” which hinder my ability to pass through.

This forces me to take a longer route around the block. It’s a simple example, but it underscores that while many disabled writers focus on sidewalks that determine our movement within cities – which is certainly true to some extent – it is primarily property rights, easements, and trespass laws that dictate urban navigation and determine the placement of sidewalks.
 

The critique of the city from the perspective of disability that I am writing about extends beyond the physical infrastructure and delves into the values ​​that are rooted in urban space. It questions ideas about property, urban mobility, hydrology, and environmentalism.
 

From my perspective, this entails the potential for an extensive political dialogue that transcends the scope of accessibility.

Josh Appel/Unsplash

Q: After reading your ideas about the “natural” – or what we consider “natural” – I saw my environment in a different way. What does it mean when you say that “nature is produced”?

A: I began my architectural career with a strong interest in architectural environmentalism, also known as the green movement in architecture, environmental movement in architecture, or sustainable architecture.

Over time, I became increasingly disillusioned with this movement. About two decades later, I realized that my disillusionment was connected to what I would describe as a form of “soft eugenics” – or an overemphasis on harnessing capability that I encountered in meetings, where architects proposed changing building materials to “revitalize” people. Some even proposed designing office buildings to enhance the health of workers and reduce sick days, ensuring the return on investment through the use of healthier materials.
 

I was troubled by the evaluation of elements of nature solely based on their capabilities, especially the concept of biocapacity. For example, trees were considered “good” because they absorb carbon and release oxygen, and certain species of shellfish were valued for their ability to clean up urban river waters. As someone who often feels incapable, I wondered who advocates for the “weak” aspects of nature.

Then I read “Concrete and Clay” by geographer Matthew Gandy. It focused on how cities produce nature both as a physical entity – such as Central Park, a fully designed landscape – and as an idea, assessing specific aspects of nature according to the demands of an industrial capitalist society.

The book was unlike anything else the environmental movement in architecture was concerned with. I applied to become Gandy’s doctoral student and spent six to seven years collaborating with him.

The architecture of disability reexamines much of this rationale, but from the perspective of a disability critique. I begin the book, Architecture of Disability, with a discussion of the national parks in the United States, particularly Yosemite. National parks like Yosemite are constructed spaces, designed to offer specific aesthetic qualities and experiences to visitors.
 

The earlier inhabitants, the Native Americans – who lived there for thousands of years – inhabited a very different landscape, which would resemble more of an agricultural landscape rather than the idea of wilderness that has been incorporated into it in the last 100 to 150 years.

The last twenty to thirty years have seen significant activism for increasing accessibility in these national parks. One of the questions I raise is whether advocating for increased accessibility in national parks is the right path for disability leadership in the United States.

Why don’t these leaders consider forming alliances with those who are reimagining the history of these spaces, seeking ways to weave together the land, landscapes, and resources with concepts of reconciliation and other forms of politics?
 

[…]

Excerpt from the article published in Public Seminar.

David Gissen is a Professor of Architecture and Urban History at the Parsons School of Design at The New School.

Bella Okuya is a candidate for an MFA in Photography at the Parsons School of Design.

Near miss call to disabled due to lack of sidewalk – “I could have been killed”

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Independence and accessibility. That’s what Damien Handlan, a resident of DeSoto, Missouri, is asking for. After a bone infection in 2015 led to the amputation of his leg, he became confined to a wheelchair.

He never felt disabled himself. Only when he was forced to go onto the road because there was no sidewalk, and even received a warning from a local police officer.

“He stopped in front of me, essentially blocking my path. He got out of the car and came to tell me that I couldn’t be on the road. I told him there was no sidewalk,” says Damien Handlan.

The warning says he wasn’t moving with traffic, but he argues it would have been more dangerous to cross the road. “I could have been killed. You say you care about my safety and life. Then do something about it,” adds Damien, saying, “I don’t need you to pay for the rest of my life. I just want a sidewalk.”

The 4 early signs – sos that we suffer from vertigo and we don’t know it.

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It can occur at any age. Audiologists share the red “lines” that urgently signal that we should check our ears as soon as possible

While we often believe that hearing loss is something that only happens to much older people, this is not actually true.

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) in the United States, 1 in 8 people aged 12 and older has hearing loss in both ears, and approximately 28.8 million adults in the US could benefit from hearing aids. While difficulty in hearing may be the most obvious sign that we need to check our ears, it is not the only one.

We asked audiologists to share the main signs that it’s time to check our hearing. Here’s what they had to say:

Number 1: We struggle to follow conversations.

If we constantly find ourselves saying “what?” during conversations, it’s probably time to check our ears.

“Terry Zwolan, director of Audiology Access & Standard of Care for Cochlear Americas, says, ‘Making an effort to listen when we talk to others or to continue a conversation is very important. This may include struggling to hear when there is background noise and regularly asking people to repeat what they have said or often mishearing.'”

Number 2: We need to increase the volume of the sound on the television.

Whether others regularly tell us to turn down the volume of the television or we are surprised by the number we see on the volume control, this can be a sign that it’s time to check our hearing.

“We may find ourselves turning up the volume on the television or radio to a level louder than others prefer, or feel that people are mumbling (because of it),” he says.

Number 3: Our ears are ringing.

While ringing in the ears (or tinnitus) isn’t always a sign of hearing loss, it certainly can be at times. “Some people may experience persistent ‘ringing,’ buzzing, pain, or pressure in one or both ears,” says Zvolan. “Also, difficulties hearing from one ear may arise, it may be challenging to distinguish where sounds are coming from, or our own voice may sound different.”

Katie Campbell, an audiologist and Senior Director of Audiology at HearingLife Canada, emphasizes that experiencing symptoms like ringing in the ears is a good reason to consider getting a hearing test. “Ringing in the ears, or tinnitus, is usually associated with situations of hearing loss,” she states. “If it persists for an extended period, it’s a good idea to arrange for a hearing test.”

Number 4: We may struggle to hear the sounds of nature.

If we suddenly find it difficult to hear the sounds of nature, such as birds chirping or rainfall, this could be a red flag, according to Zvolan.

Compulsory sterilization in Europe

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People with disabilities are more vulnerable to abusive behavior from their surroundings and even from their own families. This happens due to their difference. And because some countries do not consider these individuals reproductive due to their illness. Therefore, they are not considered functional to contribute to a job. The violence they experience is increasing, especially in women with disabilities. One form of violence they experience is compulsory sterilization.

According to the European Disability Forum (EDF), governments in thirteen member states of the European Union implement compulsory sterilization on women with disabilities. This is another form of violence experienced by these women. Among these thirteen member states where compulsory sterilization of people with disabilities is legal are Portugal, Finland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Malta, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia.

The justifications for implementing this practice vary. For example, in 2015, a court in Croatia allowed compulsory sterilization. They sterilized a woman with psychosocial disabilities, arguing that her frequent pregnancies endangered her life. In reality, compulsory sterilization is what harms the health of these women. However, in Spain, compulsory sterilization has not stopped, especially for women with intellectual or psychosocial disorders.

Legislative framework in Greece

Regarding Greece, according to the European Disability Forum, there is no clear data on the percentage of women who have been forced to undergo sterilization. However, there are some recorded cases from 2022. In these records, three women with intellectual disabilities underwent compulsory sterilization with the consent of their guardians. There is also a recent complaint from the Cypriot Federation of Organizations of Disabled People. Specifically, a woman with intellectual disabilities was sterilized after giving birth to prevent her from giving birth again in the future

This issue has been brought to the attention of the Greek Parliament. Because it is a very delicate issue, a legislative framework must be established. This framework will cover the needs and rights of people with disabilities. The President of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights explained that special attention must be paid to the issue and the legislative framework surrounding it. Because there is involvement of others, as in some member states of the European Union where people with disabilities need approval for sterilization from their guardians.

European Union legislators are trying to put a stop to compulsory sterilization. The problem that arises is an ethical issue. To what extent should the guardians of people with disabilities determine whether they should be sterilized or not.

Sources:

Chatziapostolou, Panagiotis. (2023). “Middle Ages” for People with Disabilities: The Law that Renders Them Nonexistent and How It Will Change. Retrieved from https://app.alphanews.live/cyprus/mesaionas-gia-amea-o-nomo.

Unknown author. (2023). EDF: Europe Continues Compulsory Sterilization of Women with Disabilities. Retrieved from https://www.reporter.gr/Oles-oi-eidhseis/586370-ESAmeA-H.

Mytaras, Evangelos. (2022). Policies for Women with Disabilities at European and National Level. Retrieved from https://www.eoty.gr/politikes-gia-tis-gynaikes-me-anapiria-se-ev.

Parthenidis, Kyriakos. (2018). Sterilization Program for Remuneration and Ethical Extensions. Retrieved from https://www.maxmag.gr/politismos/koinonia/programma-prolipsi.

The road to elections is full of obstacles for people with disabilities.

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Respecting the rights of people with disabilities starts with each one of us, and primarily with the state itself. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, among other things, addresses the issue of accessibility. While the word “accessibility” usually brings to mind sidewalks, ramps, etc., these days, our thoughts turn to polling stations and voting booths.

Respect for persons with disabilities entails measures that allow every citizen to participate unhindered in electoral procedures. However, while in other countries there is the possibility of electronic voting, exercising the right using sign language, and ballots in Braille, in Cyprus we are far behind in this regard!

By Konstantinos Zachariou

Significant obstacles must be overcome by people with disabilities in order to exercise their voting rights, as the state limits itself to very basic provisions regarding the necessary accommodations for ensuring equal access for all citizens. In contrast, other EU countries provide significant facilitations, as evidenced by a report prepared by the relevant service of the European Parliament.

More specifically, in Cyprus, the physical presence of the voter at the designated polling station, determined by the competent state authority based on their residential address, is required. In contrast, in many EU countries, other options are available (either to all citizens or specifically targeted at people with disabilities), such as postal voting, the possibility of exercising voting rights in advance, voting by proxy, and electronic voting.

Additionally, the only tools utilized in Cyprus, which can be considered as supportive for people with disabilities, are those applicable to all voters: large print ballot papers, easy access to polling stations, and the freedom to choose the assistance needed by each individual.

In other countries, many more tools are utilized to provide assistance to people with disabilities, such as different standards for printing ballot papers depending on the type of disability, the use of magnifying lenses, ensuring adequate lighting, audio description of the ballot, the option to use sign language, printing of ballot papers in Braille, exercising the electoral right through mobile units, and the choice of a different polling center from the one designated by the competent government agency.

What applies in other countries

The accommodations provided to people with disabilities in other countries are as follows:

Lithuania: There is the option of postal voting, as well as the possibility of exercising the voting right in advance. Additionally, tools are provided such as using different ballot templates depending on the type of disability, using magnifying lenses, audio description of the ballot, using sign language, and exercising the voting right in mobile units that come to the voter’s location.
 

Belgium: There is the option of postal voting and proxy voting, as well as tools for using different ballot templates and magnifying lenses, and audio description of the ballot.

Spain: There is the option of postal voting. Additionally, tools are provided for using different templates and magnifying lenses, audio description of the ballot, using sign language, and using ballots in Braille.

Ireland: Tools are provided for using different templates, using Braille ballots, and voting in mobile units.

Netherlands: There is the option for proxy voting. Additionally, tools are provided for using magnifying lenses and sign language.

Estonia: There is the option of electronic voting, as well as advance voting. Additionally, tools are provided for using magnifying lenses and sign language, as well as voting in mobile units.

Croatia: Tools are provided for using different templates depending on the type of disability, audio description of the ballot, using sign language, and voting in mobile units.

Hungary: There is the option of postal voting. Additionally, tools are provided for using different ballot templates, using Braille ballots, and voting in mobile units.

Luxembourg: There is the option of postal voting. Additionally, tools are provided for using different templates, audio description of the ballot, using Braille ballots, and voting in mobile units.

Slovenia: There is the option of postal voting and advance voting. Additionally, tools are provided for using different templates and voting in mobile units.

Austria: There is the option of postal voting. Additionally, tools are provided for using different templates and voting in mobile units.

Germany: There is the option of postal voting. Additionally, tools are provided for using different templates, using sign language, and choosing a polling station.

Denmark: There is the option of advance voting. Additionally, tools are provided for using magnifying lenses and voting in mobile units.

Finland: There is the option of postal voting and advance voting. Additionally, tools are provided for using different templates depending on the type of disability, using magnifying lenses, and voting in mobile units.

Czech Republic: Tools are provided for audio description of the ballot and voting in mobile units.

France: There is the option of postal voting, proxy voting, internet voting, and audio description of the ballot.

Latvia: Tools are provided for audio description of the ballot and voting in mobile units.

Poland: There is the option of postal voting, proxy voting, and using different templates.

Portugal: There is the option of proxy voting. Additionally, tools are provided for using different templates, using Braille ballots, and voting in mobile units.

Sweden: There is the option of postal voting and proxy voting. Additionally, tools are provided for using magnifying lenses, using Braille ballots, and voting in mobile units.

Bulgaria: The option of voting in mobile units is available.

Italy: The option of voting in mobile units is available.

Malta: There is the option of advance voting. Additionally, tools are provided for using different templates and using Braille ballots.

Romania: There is the option of postal voting and voting in mobile units.

Slovakia: The option of voting in mobile units is available.

Greece: There is no option other than physical presence, and the only tools provided for people with disabilities are the minimum requirements applicable in all countries, concerning easy access to polling stations and booths. It is the only country, along with Cyprus, where almost no facilitation is provided for people with disabilities to exercise their voting rights.

Vacation Subsidy Scheme for Persons with Disabilities for 2024

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The Holiday Subsidy Scheme for People with Disabilities, approved by the Council of Ministers on 10/05/2022, for vacations to be taken within 2024, will operate for 2024, according to the Department of Social Integration of Persons with Disabilities (DSIPD).

According to the department’s announcement, the application submission will start from March 11, 2024, and will last until November 30, 2024, or until the fund for this Scheme is exhausted.

Interested parties can obtain the guide of the Holiday Subsidy Scheme for People with Disabilities as well as the application form from the department’s website: www.dmsw.gov.cy/dsid and from the Assessment Centers for Disabilities of the DSIPD: in Nicosia, Archbishop Makarios III Avenue 67, 2220 Latsia, in Limassol, Apostolou Andrea 11, Hyper Tower, Shop 1, 4007 Mesa Geitonia, and in Larnaca, Akropoleos 25 & Chaniwn, 7000 Menoú. They can also get them from Citizen Service Centers in all cities.

“It is the responsibility of beneficiaries to ensure that hotels/tourist accommodations are approved by the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and that they charge the usual fees for the period. The Department will conduct checks in case of significant deviation from the usual charging rates for the period and will adjust the payment amount accordingly,” it is added.

No payment will be made to a bank account other than that of the direct beneficiary or their guardians in the case of a minor beneficiary.

For more information, interested parties can contact, depending on their province of residence, the following contact numbers: 22815015/082 for the Nicosia Province, 25729131 for the Limassol and Paphos Provinces, and 24205975 for the Larnaca and Famagusta Provinces.

Katerina Saranti: ‘I say it with pride that I belong to the disability movement

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In today’s episode of “When Life Gives You Lemons,” I host champion para-triathlete Katerina Saranti, who was born with a partial development of both tibias, as during embryonic development, her legs developed incompletely from the knees down. From infancy until the age of 18, she underwent dozens of surgical procedures.

Katerina Saranti was born and raised in Rhodes, Greece, and from a young age, she had a passion for sports. In school, a gym teacher advised her to get exempt from Physical Education classes because it would lower her overall grade average. At the age of 17, after a trip to Finland, she realized that she could participate in any sport she wanted, just like everyone else.

 
 
 
 
 

Today, she is studying Medicine and is a champion para-triathlete. She dreams of a world and a Greece with facilities and accessibility for people with disabilities, just like in major European cities.

Katerina Saranti: “Going out on the streets in Greece with a wheelchair is a Golgotha with obstacles.”

How should people refer to her and to other people with disabilities?

“Many people perceive our rights as a luxury; it is the obligation of a state of equality to provide them to us.”

“The linkage of disability benefits with the Minimum Guaranteed Income creates distortions,” says the Commissioner for Administration.

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“Public services should reach reasonable solutions and avoid any inconvenience to citizens.”

The linkage of the disability benefit with the minimum guaranteed income creates distortions,” notes Commissioner for Administration Maria Stylianou Lottides in her report, while also emphasizing that public services, particularly those dedicated to serving vulnerable population groups, should, within their discretion, seek reasonable solutions and avoid any inconvenience to citizens.

Specifically, as reported, ‘XX, on July 28, 2022, lodged a complaint against the Social Welfare Benefits Management Service (SWBMS), regarding failure to make a decision on her application for Minimum Guaranteed Income (MGI) – Disability Benefit.

In the findings of the report, it is mentioned that the spouse of the complainant, who is suffering from cancer with a highly burdened health condition, submitted an application for MGI on December 15, 2020. The application was rejected thirteen months later. An objection against the rejection was not examined because it was deemed time-barred.

Meanwhile, an application for MGI was also submitted by the complainant herself, within the framework of which the complainant was referred to the Medical Board for Disability Assessment and was deemed a person with a disability entitled to MGI and disability benefits. However, it appears that the said application was never examined by the SWBMS, nor did the complainant or our Office receive any relevant information.

“And even if it had been examined, it might have been rejected for the same reason as her husband’s application was rejected, namely due to the alienation of immovable property, which was not deemed necessary or essential by the SWBMS.”

However, it is noted in the report that the alienation concerned the terrace of the complainant’s residence, which was transferred to her daughter for the purpose of building her own residence, and not for any other reason or benefit.

It is evident that if the complainant had not proceeded with the said donation to her daughter with the permit for construction, the immovable property she would have possessed would still have been solely her main residence, given that the terrace does not constitute a separate immovable property, and therefore, the complainant would meet the conditions of the legislation regarding the provision of MGI.

“From the above, it primarily emerges that the SWBMS violated its legal obligation to examine the complainant’s application, and moreover, within a reasonable time, which entails a failure to take due legal action, and consequently, a violation of the principle of legality.”

Given, indeed, it should be noted that the complainant is a person with disabilities, the failure to examine and evaluate her application for financial support from the state entails a violation of her right to an adequate standard of living and social protection, as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

“I consider it appropriate, at this point, to reiterate my position that linking the payment of disability benefits to the minimum guaranteed income creates distortions, as evidenced in the present case, and often leads to depriving people with disabilities of a basic level of protection that would help them enjoy a comparable standard of living to those without disabilities and protect them from poverty and social exclusion,” stated the Commissioner for Administration in her report.

Accordingly, I expect,” she adds, “that with the legislation currently being prepared by the Ministry of Social Welfare, in consultation with the Cyprus Confederation of Organizations of the Disabled, the creation of a new framework will be ensured to guarantee and protect to the maximum extent the rights of people with disabilities to a sufficient level of life and social protection.

With regard to the fact that the transfer of the complainant’s rooftop to her daughter was deemed by the Ombudsman as an unnecessary/alleged alienation of immovable property and considered as a reason for rejecting her husband’s application, ‘on the one hand, a misguided perception is evident as to what constitutes the alienation of property since the rooftop is not separate from the rest of the property, especially when it is granted as consent for the construction of a residence by the beneficiaries (daughter) of the owner. On the other hand, it constitutes a particularly strict interpretation of the relevant legislation, which violates both the spirit of the Minimum Guaranteed Income Law and the General Law on Social Benefits, aimed at supporting socially vulnerable groups, as well as the principles of good governance, which require administrative bodies to act in accordance with the sense of justice, so that when applying the relevant legislative provisions in each specific case, unfair and unjust solutions are avoided.'”

“I reiterate what was indicated earlier, that if the complainant had not proceeded with the said donation, the immovable property she would possess would still be only her main residence, given that her rooftop does not constitute a separate immovable property, and therefore it would meet the requirements of the legislation regarding the provision of the Minimum Guaranteed Income,” noted Ms. Lottides.

Furthermore,” she adds, “it is a common practice in Cypriot reality for the rooftop of a house to be granted by parents to their children for the construction of a residence, and it is very rare for it to be sold to third parties

“In light of the above, I deem it appropriate to emphasize that public services, especially those tasked with serving the vulnerable groups of the population, should, within the scope of their discretion, seek reasonable solutions and avoid any inconvenience to citizens. They should apply the law on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the real circumstances of each case for the benefit of citizens,” she notes.

In this particular case,” she notes, “the Department failed to meet the above criteria, as it did not take into account the actual facts, namely that the ‘alienation’ of property is not essentially an alienation but a transfer to the couple’s daughter of the ‘terrace’ for the construction of her own residence, acting under a misconception.

The Commissioner recommends that within one month, any misconceptions and injustices regarding the application of the complainant and her spouse for Minimum Guaranteed Income, Disability Allowance, and Care Allowance be reviewed or re-reviewed, taking into account the above findings, with the aim of providing them with the allowances they are entitled to.

She emphasizes that this is a couple where the husband is suffering from cancer with severely compromised health, while the wife has a serious mobility impairment, certified by the Department of Social Inclusion.

“It is therefore evident that they have both increased financial needs and a need for home care services,” it is stated.

Source: Cyprus News Agency (KYPE