At work with MS Introduction
Work occupies a large part of our lives, it means different things to us at different times, but some of its meanings can be summed up as follows.
"Remember that you were a valuable asset to the workforce before diagnosis and that hasn't changed."
Work can:
- help us be financially independent
- give a structure and routine to our days and weeks
- encourage us to be active
- give us goals to aim for
- provide social contact outside our immediate family, and put us in touch with society at large
- improve our skills
- form part of our identity, and provide personal status, self esteem and confidence.
Research by the Work Foundation1 has found that people with MS in the UK lose an average of 18 working years and that 75% of people felt the condition had impacted on their employment or career opportunities.
People may leave work for many reasons:
- lack of information and support regarding work at diagnosis
- give a structure and routine to our days and weeks
- neither the individual nor their employers know what can be done to help them stay in work
- other priorities – to spend more time with family, or doing other things
- the same problems as the general population – companies can close down or reduce their workforce
- Government support schemes don't always match the needs of people with variable or progressive conditions like MS.
Not everyone has the same experience of MS, nor the same experience of work. However for a successful working life individuals need to think proactively about their careers and the adjustments they may need to make to continue.
In this book we have tried to include different viewpoints, many from the people with MS who took part in our research project that examined employment and MS2. Where views may seem to conflict, we hope this shows there is more than one way of looking at things.
We hope that some of the information will be useful and relevant to you, and that you can dip into it at different times.Reference
1. Bevan S, et al. Ready for Work: Meeting the employment and career aspirations of people with multiple sclerosis. Work Foundation: London; 2011.
2. Townsend G. Supporting people with multiple sclerosis in employment: a United Kingdom survey of current practice and experience. Br J Occup Ther 2008:71(3):103-11.