Definitions
Impairment
is a loss of function compared with a defined norm.
Disability
arises when an impairment makes any task difficult or impossible to perform.
Handicap
is evident when the individual wishes to perform that task.
Disability
is also used as a general term covering all three of these defined meanings; it is used as such on this website.
A significant proportion of the population has impairments which reduce their ability to effectively use standard consumer products, such as the telephone. The impairment groups described in this booklet have been defined in terms of their functional ability, or lack of it, and how this relates to the use of telephones.
It is not uncommon for an individual to have more than one impairment; this is particularly common among older people.
The proportion of the population with impairments increases with age. The number of people over retirement age in Europe is likely to increase by over 1% per year for the next two decades, and as a result the number of impaired people will also increase.
Estimated population of European Union (population 385 million) aged 65 and over
| Year | Estimate |
| 1990 | 82 million |
| 2000 | 90 million |
| 2010 | 105 million |
| 2020 | 120 million |
| 2030 | 138 million |
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