Ageing and Disability Policies | Country Comparison

• Gian Nestle Sorronda
• Aging and Disability – Task 4

4.1

Disability

United States of America – In United States of America, they made an act that would help lessen or eliminate discrimination in the country for those people who have disability. This act was created back on 1990 and was called the Americans with Disability Act or ADA which prohibits discrimination towards the disabled person in any sector of the community. This is from employment, transportation, public accommodation, communication and any other government activities. The services of the mentioned should be suitable, reasonable and realistic for the individuals with disabilities to be qualified.

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New Zealand – In New Zealand, they have formed an act that would help and give benefits for the disabled person. The act was called The New Zealand Disability Strategy which was created last 2001. This act pointed out 15 objectives that would basically address the needs of those individual who are suffering from disability. This was made to make sure that New Zealand does have a long term plan for these individuals who are perceived by the society as different. This act also will pave way to changing New Zealand’s point of view from a disabling society to an inclusive society.

United Kingdom – In 2010, the United Kingdom replaced the act that was established in 1995 and called the Disability Discrimination Act. It was changed to The Equality Act of 2010 and the goal was to address the discrimination against age, gender, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, civil partnership, marriage, and lastly the disability. This act was established to make sure that the mentioned group or part of the society receives adequate help. The help should be fair enough and proper to make sure that it will comply with the act.

Similarities and Differences:

The similarities of these two policies are that they wanted the people of their country and their respective community to treat the people with disability with fairness, equality and without discrimination. This means that they need to encourage and allow education for the disabled individual, ensure that their rights are met, proper employment, aware on how to access services, life style choice and allow them to live with a quality life. On the other hand, differences are also noticeable especially in the part of United Kingdom wherein they included the disability together with other part of the society. Unlike the United States of America and New Zealand, they have created a separate act and strategy for those disabled individual to make sure that their needs will be addressed immediately.

Aging

United States of America – They have established an act for the older people to make sure needs are met. It is called the Older American Act which was established back on 1965. This was created to provide each community to have services for the aging people. This was passed due to the concern that was arising during this time that older people are not receiving appropriate care in the community.

The government mostly funds the services that will be provided to the person though there some nonprofit agencies as well that helps out for the services, the government is still the primary provider.

United Kingdom – The Equality Act of 2010 by the UK Government also covers the needs and the rights of the aging population by receiving adequate help from them and treat them without discrimination by the public and from the society. This covers from their employment, education and training. One individual who in fact is aging doesn’t lose their rights to be able to work and support themselves. They can continue to be employed as much as they like or pursue any education that they would like.

New Zealand – In New Zealand, there are two current act and strategy that is in place and active. One was established in 2001 and called the New Zealand Positive Aging Strategy and the other is the Health of Older People Strategy which was established in 2002. Both of these act has only one goal which is to provide a proper care and place for the aging people and live a quality life despite their age. Both of these also encourage the government or guide the government to have agencies to be able to provide the kind of services that these older people need. Starting from a place where a person can age and still is able to have a quality life until to the services that are needed from transport services, communication and etc.

Similarities and Differences

The similarities with these act and strategy are that they are aiming one goal for the older people. These acts are a representation from the government by each country that everyone has the right to receive proper care as they aged and that the government is still accountable for them. These countries are well aware as well that they need to fund the services that will be provided to aging people. Their respective government mostly provides the funding and they also linked with other nonprofit or local government unit to provide proper assistance, care, transportation needs, communication needs, mobility needs and that they will not be discriminated in any part of the society from employment to other services for the aged. The differences are mainly how these acts are established. Both US of A and New Zealand created or established a different and specific act and strategy to address the aging population while United Kingdom created a broader aspect as aging was included to their Equality Act of 2010 which covers from gender, religion and disability.

4.2

Disability

United States of America – The Americans with Disability Act of 1990 or ADA provides services such care in a hospital, education and public transport to the disabled individual from the government. This means that services are being funded by the American government to give out proper care to those who are affected. This is by way of the creation of sub group of the government to particularly provide these cares and also from an individual or private sector but still fully funded by the government.

United Kingdom – The Equality Act of 2010 by the government solely addresses the needed guide on how to provide cares to the disabled people. This may be by the government or any private service provider. This is to make sure that cares and services delivered from or by a public hospital, educational institution, nonprofit organization and local government unit are aligned to the act. This is also to ensure that there is no discriminatory act anywhere from banks, shops, colleges, transport services, taxi and public bodies.

New Zealand – the New Zealand Disability Strategy of 2001 provides guide on how to be able to give out proper care and services to an individual who is suffering from disability. This is to make sure that services given to them are associated and calibrated by the act. This is also one way of making sure that DHB’s or District Health Board, General Practitioner’s or GP’s and other private and local agencies are providing care without discrimination and that they are providing their care according to the act.

Similarities and Differences

The similarities within the acts of these three countries are that all of them can be able to apply for those individual who are affected by mental disability and physical disability. These acts were established for them to be able to have an access whenever they needed help. Especially when an individual that has disabilities have been discriminated by and in the society. Lastly, the main goal of these acts is to provide fairness in giving out care and services for an individual who has disability. On the other hand, the difference between these acts is that for the United Kingdom, they merged together 116 legislation and made into an act which will provide better service for the disabled. Some services as well are publicly funded and there are services that are not and could be subsidized by the government and the family.

Aging

United States of America – The Older American Act of 1965 was established to provide community services for the aging people whose services are often funded by the government and some are provided by a private agency. This is to ensure that older people can still improve their lives in relation to their income, health, housing, employment, long term care, retirement, and community services. The purpose for the act is to provide and enhance the ability of an aging individual to maintain its independence and to be able to stay and interact still in their house and in their community. The funds are given from federal funds wherein it is allocated solely for the purpose of the act.

United Kingdom – Since the act made by the UK government replaced previous laws and made into a one act which made it to be easier to grasp and understand. The act just clearly states that providing care for the aged people should be without discrimination. They should be receiving the same treatment as what others received as well. The law particularly states that an individual should be receiving fair treatment when they receive services from the government or any other local government unit and should not be discriminated due to their age. This also covers not only for the services but for education, transportation, accessing the services and communication.

New Zealand – This is to ensure that Kiwi’s or New Zealanders will receive proper care and have a significant life while coming to age. The strategy made sure that they will be able to acquire services whenever they needed from DHB’s or District Health Board, in the community and whenever they use transportation. The strategy also made sure that aging individual can still receive services like health and wellness, financial security, independence, self fulfillment, a good and living environment.

Similarities and Differences

The similarities between these acts by different countries are they aim to make sure that service deliveries are well provisioned and there is fairness in the services given to the older and aging individual. Due to the rampant discrimination of other citizens in these said countries, their government created this acts and their primary goal is to have a positive aging for each individual such as employment of mature workers, changing the society’s attitude towards older people and last the protection of the rights and interest for the older people. On the other hand, there are noted services that are available for the older people that are competent enough to be able to provide idealistic care and services for them but there are also incompetent services such as supporting their life style, recreation and their cultural belief.

References:

Administration for Commnity Living. Older Americans Act. Retrieved from

http://www.aoa.gov/AoA_programs/OAA/

Age UK. The Equality Act- What It Means for You. Retrieved from

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/work-and-learning/discrimination-and-rights/the-equality-act/

Equality and Human Rights. What is the Equality Act? Retrieved from

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/legal-and-policy/key-legislatures/equality-act-2010/what-is-the-equality-act

Ministry of Social Development. The New Zealand Positive Aging Strategy. Retrieved from

https://www.msd.govt.nz/what-we-can-do/seniorcitizens/positive-ageing/strategy/

Office of the Disability Issues. New Zealand Disability Strategy Objectives. Retrieved from

http://www.odi.govt.nz/nzds/progress-reports/july01-sept01/new-zealand-disability-strategy-objectives.html

Americans with Disability Act of 1990. Retrieved from http://www.ada.gov/pubs/ada.htm

Division of Aging Services. History of Older Americans Act. Retrieved from https://aging.dhs.georgia.gov/history-older-americans-act