EMPLOYERS
Contact: Gary Griffin
Phone: 860.676.2300 x131
gary.griffin@adamsknight.com
New Website Illustrates Growing Number of Disabling Illnesses and Injuries
PORTLAND, Maine – May 17, 2011 – Do you know how many working-age Americans become disabled every year? Every month? Or even every day?
The Disability Divide, a new consumer research study conducted by the Council for Disability Awareness (CDA), reveals severe disconnects between what consumers believe about disability and income protection planning and the actual facts about those two issues.
As of today, there’s an easy way to keep track by visiting: www.DisabilityCounter.org. Created by the Council for Disability Awareness (CDA), this new tool graphically illustrates the growing number of working-age Americans who experience a disabling illness or injury lasting for 30 days or longer.
And why is this so important? The Social Security Administration reports that just over one in four of today’s 20-year-olds will become disabled before reaching age 67. Yet, in a serious disconnect from reality, workers severely underestimate their chances.
The CDA’s 2010 Consumer Disability Awareness Study – The Disability Divide, revealed that although an overwhelming number of employees believe a disability could happen to anyone at any time, they are in denial that it could happen to them.
CDA President Barry Lundquist says Americans need to be better educated about the likelihood that illness or injury could prevent them from working for a prolonged period of time and about the importance of protecting income from that risk.
“There is agreement among working Americans that their ability to earn an income is more important than any other resource in maintaining financial security,” said Lundquist. “However, despite that importance, protecting income is not top of mind for most working Americans.” As evidence, the Social Security Administration reports that 67 percent of employees are not covered by any type of private long-term disability insurance.
From the Disability Counter’s innovative homepage, visitors can access tools to improve their “disability IQ.” They can 1) take the Disability Awareness Quiz, 2) get health tips on how to reduce the chances of suffering a disability, and 3) complete their Personal Disability Quotient (PDQ) to estimate their own individual risk of becoming disabled and to determine the value of their future income.
The CDA suggests that visitors to the site help protect friends, family members and co-workers by spreading awareness about the risk and impact of disability. Visitors to www.DisabilityCounter.org can easily share the site on their Facebook and Twitter pages.
The Disability Counter can be used in a number of ways. Financial advisors can use it to raise their clients’ awareness of just how often disability strikes. Employers can use it to educate employees about the disability risk and ways to guard against it. And individuals can use it to get more educated about disability and take responsibility for their own financial security.
About the Council for Disability Awareness (CDA)
The Council for Disability Awareness (CDA) is a non-profit group that is dedicated to helping the American workforce become aware of the growing likelihood of disability and its financial consequences. The CDA engages in communications, research and educational activities that provide information and helpful resources to wage earners, their families, employers and others who are concerned about disability and the impact it can have on wage earners and their families. For more information visit www.disabilitycanhappen.org.
