One of the many reasons that working a full-time job doesn’t always work out for people with chronic illnesses is that it’s difficult to have privacy at work. Privacy is especially important for people who need to manage their chronic diseases during work hours. Some examples:
- Diabetics who need to give themselves insulin injections
- IBS sufferers who need the option of using a private bathroom
- People who must catheterize themselves due to bladder issues or spinal cord injuries
- People who must maintain or change medical equipment and supplies such as bandages, colostomy bags, and braces
I used to live in New York City, where I worked for two small businesses. Luckily, one of the companies had its own bathroom, but in an office of eight people, there was bound to be someone in there right when you needed to use it. The other company shared a bathroom with the building next door; you had to grab a roll of toilet paper, go next door, and run up a flight of stairs to get to the bathroom. I can only imagine how that would work out for someone with an overactive bladder or someone who suddenly felt sick and needed to get to the restroom right away.
Starting your own business can help you eliminate these privacy issues from your workday. Instead of worrying if someone is listening outside the bathroom stall, you can manage your chronic illness right from the comfort of your own home. There would be no need to pack medical supplies in your bag each day or worry about having something fall out of your purse that you don’t want anyone to see. Working from home means your supplies are accessible and that you have all the privacy you need to take care of yourself.
Have you ever encountered privacy issues in the workplace (specifically related to managing your chronic illness)? Did they improve or get worse? How did you deal with them?
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: chronic diseases, chronic illness, chronic illness privacy, privacy issues
