People who are mentally and physically challenged are also known as being handicapped. People seem to think that they don't have feeling that they don't belong. I am here to tell you differently.
I have worked several years with people who have many different types of disabilities of which most of them who can not speak for themselves who rely on people to speak on their behalf. If one can't verbalize what they want, don't want, or what they need or in fact even how they are feeling, how is it your are supposed to be able to speak for them?
Many people who have severe disabilities are also unable to do many things on their own such as bathe, dress them self, go to the bathroom on their own or feed them self. Therefore even though they are used to depending on someone to help them out all the time they still feel violated. They don't enjoy being seen naked or being washed in the shower or the bathtub. They don't get the choice as to who they get bathed by and they don't get to choose when or how long they get to sit in the tub.
They have just as much feelings that anyone else just like the rest of us. Do you enjoyed being stared at when you go out in public because of either what you are wearing or what you look like? Well neither do any of the people who are disabled. They don't want to be treated like they are scary or as if they are contagious with something. You can't catch what they have unless you can catch the compassion that they have just to be able to make it through one more day.
Just remember that even though they can't communicate well they still can and they are probably feeling the way you would if it was you and that it could have happened to you.
