Living With MS
How Will Multiple Sclerosis Affect my Work and Employment?
We are not responsible for the content of external sites. Please read our legal disclaimer.
The threat of losing a career or paid employment, with all the financial and social implications that this entails, is one of the major worries for many people with MS. For many years, the traditional view of MS has been that it is a permanently disabling condition. So, the argument went, people with MS were unemployable.
But it’s high time that these attitudes were challenged. The development of treatments that can slow the development of disability and reduce relapses has helped people with MS gain more control over their symptoms (and lives). And for those people who do have some disability, newer, less-restrictive working practices can greatly improve their chances of gaining or keeping employment.
It is now increasingly clear that, as long as the employer is prepared to be flexible, people with MS can be successful in the workplace. And despite the prejudice and discrimination that still exists, many people with MS are proving this to be true. Such trailblazers include both the famous, like the founder of Jooly’s Joint, Julie Howell, and the not-so-famous.
For these reasons, the MS Society has started a training course to help people with MS either find new work or stay in jobs they already have. The course, is presently being tried out in the West Midlands, London and Sussex. More information is available here.
Disability
For those patients with MS (the majority) who have relapsing-remitting MS, drug treatments and a positive, healthy approach to life can reduce relapses and slow the progression of disability. For others, however, disability may be a current concern or something that will affect them in the future.
There are many sources of help and advice, covering subjects as diverse as mobility aids, respite care, welfare benefits, employment and housing, to name but a few.