Types of disability
There are many different types of disability. Disabilities may be:
- physical (affecting the body)
- psychiatric (affecting the mind)
- sensory (affecting seeing or hearing)
- cognitive/developmental (affecting learning and understanding).
People also experience different degrees of disability. They can go from very mild to very severe. Some people have more than one type of disability. What all disabilities have in common is that they can affect the health and well-being of the people who have them.
Organizations that can help
There are many different disability organizations in Canada. Some provide services particularly important to people with certain types of disabilities, while others provide more general assistance.
Many of these organizations have provincial or even local branches. Some are
"consumer-based". That means people with disabilities run them.
Others are family organizations. Some may involve health and social service workers or other community members.
They can help you answer a range of questions, including:
- Do I have a disability?
- How will it affect my health and the way I live?
- Where can I find support and services?
- What barriers keep people with disabilities from taking part in the community?
- What research has been done on disabilities?
Where you can get more information
To find a disability organization in Canada that can help you, please visit the Canadian Abilities
Foundation’s Directory of Disability Organizations in Canada.
To learn more about a specific type of disability, or find out how to contact an organization, you can also visit:
| 
