The Analysis on the Multiple Sclerosis Article

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The Times Colonist report written by Katie Derosa on November 8, 2013, talks about a couple living without recognition from society until an incident of public concern draws them into the spotlight. Linda is a person with a disability of Multiple Sclerosis. Mark is her husband and he is facing charges of neglect to provide the necessities of life, after Linda was brought to the hospital under a medical emergency that almost took her life. The oppression model developed by Franz Fanon and others conceptualizes oppressed people suffer by being disenfranchised and they become invisible to the dominant society (Rothman, 203 p 9). Linda and Mark were invisible until this article was written. The media might not have the power to determine what people think, but they do determine what people think about (Neunedorf, 1990 P. 115). This article portrays Linda as helpless, and at the mercy of her incompetent, husband Mark. This newspaper article is more about what is not reported than what is reported.
Multiple Sclerosis affects about one in 500-1000 people in Canada and is more common in women. Symptoms are weakness, numbness and tingling, extreme fatigue, muscle spasticity, shaking and loss of coordination, poor balance and unsteadiness, difficulty talking and swallowing, depression, pain, memory loss, lack of concentration and problem solving, vision loss and changes, vertigo or dizziness, bladder and bowel issues, and sexual problems. The symptoms associated with this disease vary and different people are individually affected in different ways (C-Health. 1996-2007). This is a very important fact when addressing any person with a disability because each person is an individual and will not have the same personal experience as anot...

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...ervice and care from a social worker that incorporates the social model approach could help the couple engage in a caring relationship with professionals in the community that can bring assistance with their needs and help the couple find a way to become socially active. Rothman articulates that it is often harder to make friends and get around (Rothman, 2003 p 10). This could remove Linda and Mark from isolation that is often associated with a person with a disability and their caregivers. Their dignity and worth would be dignified in accordance with the Social work code of ethics. Implications surrounding this newspaper article choose to focus on the negative aspects of a person with a disability, but a collaboration of issues has contributed to the situation. Societal issues of neglect, ignorance, and aloofness contributed to the exclusion and care for Linda.

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