How does CM view disability?
More and more people are dropping out due to illness, for a short or longer period. As a result, they cannot work and are incapacitated for work.
Currently, more than 500,000 people have been out of action for more than a year. This is primarily a tough one for those who are incapacitated for work. No one chooses to stay home sick and fall back on a lower replacement income.
But this also places us as a society with an enormous responsibility . We must seriously ask ourselves why so many people become ill for long periods of time. If more and more people indicate that it is no longer sustainable in this way, then that is a signal that we need to approach things differently.
Overload
People become incapacitated for various reasons, whether or not linked to work, due to serious illnesses or problems with their mental health.
Overload is always an important factor. This concerns an imbalance between private and work life, too much pressure to perform or literally: an overloaded back or joints.
The increasing number of people who become ill for a long time is therefore also a social problem. It is a signal that our model of society systematically overburdens people.
The solution lies in prevention
Today, efforts are mainly focused on getting people back to work. Far too little do we ask ourselves how we can prevent people from becoming ill for a long period of time. However, that is the key to the solution.
What is needed for this?
- a much greater focus on prevention in healthcare and in the workplace
- attention to physical, mental and social well-being
- joint action by all actors involved
Restore and revive
Even with thorough prevention, people will still become disabled. They must be given time to recover and are entitled to a livable replacement income during that period.
Being meaningful, not having the feeling that you are completely on the sidelines, a network you can fall back on... contribute to recovery. That's why work, volunteering and other activities are certainly part of that recovery process, at the appropriate time .
Thinking about the future
Is the recovery going well? Then those who are incapacitated for work can start thinking about the future:
- When could I work again?
- Can and do I want to continue in the same job?
- Are adjustments needed?
- Should I take a completely new path?
Every opportunity must be given to move to a (new) activity, both to work and to other meaningful activities. Many players are ready to guide people in this, such as the back-to-work coordinator, advisory doctor, paramedic, health consultant, occupational doctor, VDAB...
View from CM
Those who can work again, also want to work there: that is CM's firm belief. Such a step must be a voluntary and motivated choice by those who are incapacitated for work.
That is why CM places disability high on the political agenda and we have five recommendations .
