People of Determination

"People of Determination" (POD)

is a term used in the field of clinical diagnosis and functional development to describe people who need assistance because of a disability that limits their intellectual and/or physical abilities. Disability may be due to genetic causes, or it may occur during the birth process, or later in a person's life as a result of disease or accident. These suffer from a complete or partial permanent deficiency or imbalance in their mental or physical abilities, or both, with varying degrees of severity. It may be accompanied by physical or communicative diseases, which affect the educational abilities and sometimes psychological effects to the extent that limits the possibility of meeting the normal requirements.

Disability:

The degree of impact of a disability on an individual's life varies from mild to severe. Sometimes the disability is not as visible as some cognitive disabilities, but in other times the disability is visible, as is the case in some physical disabilities. It is important to consider, the presence of more than one disability in the individual. A person's disability is not necessarily a clear indication of his or her needs, as two people with the same disability may have different requirements. Therefore, it is best to check with the concerned persons and their families about their requirements in order to find workable solutions tailored to them. Temporary disability, such as a broken leg, foot or toe, or a concussion should be considered. Long-term disabilities may include progressive disability caused by arthritis, multiple sclerosis, or visual impairment.