Disabled veterans face daily challenges that many of us cannot imagine. What many of us take for granted, such as our independence and our ability to come and go as we please, are continuing problems for our disabled veterans.
The Importance of Staying Active
The need to stay active is very important for veterans with disabilities and helps veterans to maintain a sense of purpose. Part of the process in reclaiming your life in society is physical activity which promotes a healthy mind set. This need has been recognized by VA clinics across the nation. Disabled veterans in all age groups are able to enjoy better health, and a better quality of life when they participate in some form of physical activity designed with their special needs in mind.
The Veterans Administration has conducted a study on the issue of adaptive sports and veterans’ health. The results showed a significant difference in the health and overall wellbeing and quality of life for the veterans who participated. You can learn more about the adaptive sports program online.
Clinical studies aside, it is extremely important for disabled veterans to engage in some form of physical activity, and adaptive sports are a good start.
What Are Adaptive Sports?
Adaptive sports are basically organized sports for persons with disabilities. It is also sometimes known as parasports or disabled sports. These sports activities are designed to include physical as well as mental health problems. Adaptive sports modify existing sports such as skiing, basketball, swimming, etc., to fit the needs of persons with disabilities, and provide a “can do” spirit amongst those who may have lost hope.
Adaptive sports are normally divided into three categories: sports activities for (1) the deaf; (2) people with physical disabilities, including amputees; and (3) people with intellectual disabilities, including birth defects or brain injuries.
The Role of Sports
After WWII, there was a need to rehabilitate large numbers of injured service members and civilians. Sports activities became the obvious key in helping many service members adjust to their disabilities. It was Sir Ludwig Guttmann of the Stoke Mandeville Hospital in England who, in 1948, organized a sport competition for wheelchair athletes in the Stoke Mandeville Hospital. Paralympic Sports grew out of Sir Guttmann’s efforts, and today we have an International Paralympic Committee that evolved from those programs. See the website of the International Paralympic Committee for more information.
In the late 1960s, adaptive sports for persons with physical disabilities were organized through the Disabled Sports USA, established by disabled veterans, for disabled veterans. They provided much needed help to veterans rehabilitating from injuries received in the Vietnam War. The Disabled Sports USA was originally named the National Amputee Skiers Association. See Disabled Sports USA for more information about their programs. Programs such as these gave hope to people with disabilities that life was not over because of their disability. On the contrary, they could still do many of the things they felt were closed to them.
How an Attorney Can Help
If you are a disabled veteran or servicemember needing assistance in understanding what disability benefits you are entitled to, contact J. Robert Surface Attorney at Law. Mr. Surface is an experienced veterans’ disability attorney in Greenville who will advocate on your behalf to help you recover the veterans’ benefits you deserve.
