6:
People with arthritis have the right to participate fully in society, including self-care, leisure and work pursuits:
People with arthritis should have accessible social and physical environments:
People with arthritis should be mobile within their homes and their communities, to the extent that this is possible. This may require assistive devices or modifications to their homes and/or vehicles.
People with arthritis should have access to social and recreational programs within their communities. These should include appropriate and safe community exercise programs to maintain health and fitness.
People with arthritis should have access to accommodations in their workplaces.
People with arthritis and their families should have access to social support groups to help them deal with the impact of arthritis on their lives.
To achieve this right, there is a need for :
Tax reforms to enable deductions for therapeutic modifications;
Education of the the public about arthritis and about the need for inclusiveness and accommodation;
The Arthritis Society to work with existing centers that provide exercise programs and support groups to ensure that they are inclusive and appropriate for the needs of people with arthritis.
7:
People with arthritis have the right to have research carried out:
To determine the cause(s) of arthritis;
To develop better treatments for arthritis.
To achieve this right, there is a need for :
People with arthritis and their families to be involved in planning and setting priorities for arthritis research;
Organizations such as The Arthritis Society to work closely with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), in particular, the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA), to ensure that arthritis receives appropriate funding and attention;
CIHR to promote the involvement of Canadians with arthritis in the planning and decision-making processes by all agencies that fund arthritis research.
8:
People with arthritis have the right to representation:
Patients have the right to have input into the development of health policies and programs that will affect them.
Patients should have access to a government official (such as an ombudsman) with experience in arthritis or other similar conditions, who will hear and act upon complaints by people with arthritis who believe that their rights are not being respected.
To achieve this right, there is a need for:
Governments to establish the ombudsman or similar position;
Input into the development of this position by the groups that work to develop the Arthritis Strategy for each province (including the territories).
