What’s your favorite DR Seuss quote?
May 28, 2012
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. - Helen Keller
May 26, 2012
I thought I would be short and sweet today with my blogging. I love the above quote. This quote has pulled me though when I needed faith the most in dealing with my disability. I hope you enjoy and take from it what you will.
Peace and light,
Kathy 
National Junior Disability Championships (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Girls Just Want to have Fun NOT
May 25, 2012
Childbirth (Photo credit: popularpatty)
Robin Lim has said: “Birthing is the most profound initiation to spirituality a woman can have.” Well nothing can be further from the truth. Let me explain. I was expecting my youngest child Danny, and I was suppose to have a planned C- section for reasons I will not go into at this time. Well as we all know nothing ever turns out the way it’s suppose to go. Danny scheduled to have been delivered on the eighth of March and two days before the C- section was to be performed I went into labor on the sixth of March. It all started when my husband came home with dinner in hand witch was a pizza. Well the minute Bill open up the front door the pun chit odor of that pizza slam me like a brick wall. The smell of that pizza sent my stomach in a full rage. I started to throw up none stop. I kept saying I do not know why my stomach is upset. My husband said to me Kathy you are in labor. I said, I do not have any contractions to speak of and again Bill said your in labor Call the doctor. I called the doctor and my doctor said to go into the hospital right away.
When in the hospital the doctor proceeded t examined me and said that indeed I was in early labor. Right there and then he said I want to do a emergency C- section. So with that said the nursing staff prepared me for surgery. My nausea begin to get worse. While the my doctor made the incision I started throwing up it seemed as though that when Bill was near me I could still smell his breath of pizza. And so I was throwing up the whole entire experience of my son Danny being born was interrupted my pangs of nausea It was definitely not my definition of my so called initiation of spirituality as one might think. It’s more like a bad hang over that will not go away. And to top it all off as the doctor was stitching me all up the radio in the operating room was playing “ Girls Just Want to have fun” How appropriate I said to the doctor and the nurses as my son Danny was being handed to me. This is a true story I kid you not
Diana Simmons (right) of Marion and Patti Loth of Cedar Rapids work on a repackaging project for a tool company at Options of Linn County on Williams Blvd. in southwest Cedar Rapids on Thursday, April 1, 2010. Employers worry that if Senator Tom Harkin changes the legislation on subminimum wage, many disabled workers will be out of employment. (Julie Koehn/The Gazette)
Faith Millburn earns about $1.25 an hour working for Goodwill. She knows that’s less than minimum wage, and she thinks it’s fair.
The 21-year-old with cerebral palsy, who on Thursday was typing labels at Goodwill of the Heartland in Iowa City, is at the center of a complex debate over what to pay people with disabilities for their work.
Part of the fallout from the mistreatment of workers in Atalissa is renewed scrutiny of a federal law that allows employers to pay disabled workers less than federal minimum wage. Even a distant threat to that legislation is troubling to organizations like Goodwill, who say they can’t afford to employ as many workers at higher wages, and to Millburn, who thinks she would have trouble finding a job working for minimum wage.
“I think it’s funny that they want to change it,” she said. “The way it is now is fair.”
Because of the Atalissa case, where mentally disabled workers were paid only $65 a month to work at West Liberty Foods and an Atalissa farm, Sen. Tom Harkin wants to review the law.
Here’s how the law works now: Instead of paying disabled employees minimum wage, organizations like Goodwill and Options of Linn County can get a certificate to allow them to pay disabled workers less than minimum wage. The organization measures how much work the average able-bodied worker can complete in an hour and then times its disabled employee and pays him or her according to productivity. Sometimes employees are paid according to the number of tasks performed, instead of hourly.
“All of that is documented,” said Dana Engelbert, spokeswoman for Goodwill of the Heartland in Iowa City.
In Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, hundreds of disabled people hold jobs like this with Goodwill, Options, Systems Unlimited and REM Developmental Services. Some 81 employers in Iowa are authorized to pay less than minimum wage.
“Phasing it out means that, for our agency alone, right around 500 clients would be without a job,” Engelbert said.
Options of Linn County employs 125 people at its southwest Cedar Rapids facility. Disabled workers sort paperwork, coil rope into buckets and screw bolts into nuts. Options gets contracts from private companies, and the work changes as contracts are completed and new ones come in.
Jim Nagel, director of Options of Linn County, said most of the workers simply wouldn’t be hired in the private sector.
“They would either have to go to some kind of day programming, or they’d have to stay home,” he said.
The Iowa Association for Persons in Supported Employment wants to work toward eliminating subminimum wage, president Lonnie Matthews said.
“The ideal system would be that there’s enough money in the system that everyone could make minimum wage or above,” Matthews said. “It has to be done very, very carefully.”
Harkin understands that groups like Goodwill are able to employ people with disabilities because of the subminimum wage legislation and acknowledges the importance of that ability, spokeswoman Bergen Kenny said. Still, he would like to give people with disabilities more choices.
“He remains concerned that some individuals employed in (such) programs are being paid far below the value of their work, as was so clearly demonstrated in Atalissa, and is looking at ways to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place,” Kenny said
Practicing Yoga from the Inside Out
May 6, 2013
What if you were more than your physical body- your muscles, your senses, your bones?
And, what if you were more than your actions, your accomplishments, your achievements?
How about your feelings, your connections to other people, your relationships? What if you were more than those?
Lastly, imagine that you were more than your thoughts, your perceptions, your judgments?
What if all of it went away?
I have posted about yoga for people with disabilities before. We need to have a program like this in every hospital around this country.
What if you were more than your physical body- your muscles, your senses, your bones?
And, what if you were more than your actions, your accomplishments, your achievements?
How about your feelings, your connections to other people, your relationships? What if you were more than those?
Lastly, imagine that you were more than your thoughts, your perceptions, your judgments?
What if all of it went away?
I have posted about yoga for people with disabilities before. We need to have a program like this in every hospital around this country.
The National Braille Challenge
May 4, 2013
This Saturday in Los Angeles, top blind students from the U.S. and Canada will meet to compete in the 12th Annual National Braille Challenge. These students, ages 6 to 19, must transcribe, type, and read braille at an amazingly fast speed, using a Perkins Brailler.
Sacbee.com reports:
The National Braille Challenge
“This competition is unique in that it tests a very specific skill. It gives us the opportunity to bring the issue of literacy for blind children to the attention of the public,” said Nancy Niebrugge, director of The Braille Challenge. “Most of the participants who make it to the national competition are the only blind students in their school. They go through their entire lives being the exception. The Braille Challenge® gives them the opportunity to build camaraderie among kids who have shared similar life experiences.”
This year’s competition will feature a diverse group of high achievers from across the country. Most were born blind, others lost their sight due to cancer or viral infections, but they all share a tenacity that drives them to succeed in spite of their challenges. They were chosen from among more than 900 blind students—representing 42 states and two Canadian provinces—during the preliminary round at Regional Braille Challenge events held across
Disability Etiquette.
May 3, 2013
A person in a wheelchair icon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Disability Etiquette
People with disabilities are entitled to the same courtesies you would extend to anyone, including personal privacy. If you find it inappropriate to ask people about their sex lives, or their complexions, or their incomes, extend the courtesy to people with disabilities.
- If you don’t make a habit of leaning or hanging on people, don’t lean or hang on someone’s wheelchair. Wheelchairs are an extension of personal space.
- When you offer to assist someone with a vision impairment, allow the person to take your arm. This will help you to guide, rather than propel or lead, the person.
- Treat adults as adults. Call a person by his or her first name only when you extend this familiarity to everyone present. Don’t patronize people who use wheelchairs by patting them on the head. Reserve this sign of affection for children.
In conversation…
- When talking with someone who has a disability, speak directly to him or her, rather than through a companion who may be along.
- Relax. Don’t be embarrassed if you happen to use common expressions, such as “See you later” or “I’ve got to run”, that seem to relate to the person’s disability.
- To get the attention of a person who has a hearing disability, tap the person on the shoulder or wave your hand. Look directly at the person and speak clearly, slowly and expressively to establish if the person can read your lips. Not everyone with hearing impairments can lip-read. Those who do will rely on facial expressions and other body language to help understand. Show consideration by facing a light source and keeping your hands and food away from your mouth when speaking. Keep mustaches well-trimmed. Shouting won’t help, but written notes will.
- When talking with a person in a wheelchair for more than a few minutes, place yourself at the wheelchair user‘s eye level to spare both of you a stiff neck.
- When greeting a person with a severe loss of vision, always identify yourself and others who may be with you. Say, for example, “On my right is Andy Clark“. When conversing in a group, remember to say the name of the person to whom you are speaking to give vocal cue. Speak in a normal tone of voice, indicate when you move from one place to another, and let it be known when the conversation is at an end.
- Give whole, unhurried attention when you’re talking to a person who has difficulty speaking. Keep your manner encouraging rather than correcting, and be patient rather than speak for the person. When necessary, ask questions that require short answers or a nod or shake of the head. Never pretend to understand if you are having difficulty doing so. Repeat what you understand. The person’s reaction will guide you to understanding.
Common courtesies…
- If you would like to help someone with a disability, ask if he or she needs it before you act, and listen to any instructions the person may want to give.
- When giving directions to a person in a wheelchair, consider distance, weather conditions and physical obstacles such as stairs, curbs and steep hills.
- When directing a person with a visual impairment, use specifics such as “left a hundred feet” or “right two yards”.
- Be considerate of the extra time it might take a person with a disability to get things done or said. Let the person set the pace in walking and talking.
- When planning events involving persons with disabilities, consider their needs ahead of time. If an insurmountable barrier exists, let them know about it prior to the event.
States Get Ranked On Disability Services
May 2, 2013
This is the internationally recognized symbol for accessibility (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
States Get Ranked On Disability Services
Arizona is the place to be when it comes to services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, according to a new national ranking.
The listing is part of a report set to be released Thursday by United Cerebral Palsy, which ranks disability services in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Specifically, the advocacy organization weighed each state’s track record in promoting independence and productivity, ensuring quality and safety, keeping families together and reaching people in need.
In addition to Arizona, the highest ranked states were New Hampshire, Oregon, Vermont and California.
Top performing states were largely clustered in the Northeast and on the West Coast. As in past years, the standouts represented both big and small states as well as those with high and low tax burdens. What’s more, the amount they spent to provide community supports for individuals with disabilities varied.
Mississippi was ranked last for the seventh straight year. Arkansas, Texas, Illinois and Virginia filled out the bottom five.
The report — which is produced annually — is largely based on data from 2011, the most recent available.
States are increasingly shifting to a focus on supports within the community, the analysis found. Currently, 38 states indicate that at least 80 percent of residents with developmental disabilities that they serve live in the community. These same states also devote at least 80 percent of their resources designated for this population toward community supports. That’s up from 14 states in 2007.
While some states outshined others the report authors caution that there’s work to do nationwide. Fewer than a third of those with developmental disabilities are employed competitively in the vast majority of states. And, waiting lists for residential services remain high, with 268,000 people in limbo compared to 138,000 in 2007, the report indicates.
gratitude (Photo credit: nathalie booth)
It’s amazing how one simple, easy, positive action can change so much in a person’s life.
One of the things that has had the biggest effect on my life is the realization of the power of gratitude. Simply giving thanks.
It has affected everything. It has made me a more positive person. A more productive person. A better achiever. A better husband and father and son and brother (at least, I like to think so). A happier person. I’m not perfect, but gratitude has made me better.
Can it change your life as well? I can guarantee it. You might not get the exact same benefits as I have, but there’s no doubt in my mind that the simple act of gratitude on a regular basis will change anyone’s life, positively and immediately. How many other changes can claim to be that quick, that easy, and that profound?
Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can incorporate gratitude into your life, and how it will change your life. These are just some examples, based on my experience and the experiences of others I’ve talked with, and not all will apply to your life. But pick and choose the ones you think will work for you.
1. Have a morning gratitude session. Take one minute in the morning (make it a daily ritual) to think of the people who have done something nice for you, to think of all the things in your life you’re grateful for. You won’t get to everything in one minute, but it’s enough. And it will instantly make your day better, and help you start your day off right. Can you think of a better use of one minute?
2. When you’re having a hard day … make a gratitude list. We all have those bad days sometimes. We are stressed out from work. We get yelled at by someone. We lose a loved one. We hurt a loved one. We lose a contract or do poorly on a project. One of the things that can make a bad day much better is making a list of all the things you’re thankful for. There are always things to be thankful for — loved ones, health, having a job, having a roof over your head and clothes on your back, life itself.
3. Instead of getting mad at someone, show gratitude. That’s a major switching of attitudes — actually a complete flip. And so this isn’t always easy to do. But I can promise you that it’s a great thing to do. If you get mad at your co-worker, for example, because of something he or she did … bite your tongue and don’t react in anger. Instead, take some deep breaths, calm down, and try to think of reasons you’re grateful for that person. Has that person done anything nice for you? Has that person ever done a good job? Find something, anything, even if it’s difficult. Focus on those things that make you grateful. It will slowly change your mood. And if you get in a good enough mood, show your gratitude to that person. It will improve your mood, your relationship, and help make things better. After showing gratitude, you can ask for a favor — can he please refrain from shredding your important documents in the future? And in the context of your gratitude, such a favor isn’t such a hard thing for the co-worker to grant.
4. Instead of criticising your significant other, show gratitude. This is basically the same as the above tactic, but I wanted to point out how gratitude can transform a marriage or relationship. If you constantly criticize your spouse, your marriage will slowly deteriorate — I promise you. It’s important to be able to talk out problems, but no one likes to be criticized all the time. Instead, when you find yourself feeling the urge to criticize, stop and take a deep breath. Calm down, and think about all the reasons you’re grateful for your spouse. Then share that gratitude, as soon as possible. Your relationship will become stronger. Your spouse will learn from your example — especially if you do this all the time. Your love will grow, and all will be right in the world.
5. Instead of complaining about your kids, be grateful for them. Many parents (myself included) get frustrated with their children. They are too slow to do things, they have a bad attitude, they can’t clean up after themselves, and they pick their nose too much. Unfortunately, sometimes parents will communicate that frustration to their children too often, and the kids will begin to feel bad about themselves. Many parents have done this, and while it’s not perfect, it’s a part of parenthood. But there’s a better way: follow the method above of calming down when you’re frustrated, and thinking of reasons you’re grateful to your child. Share these reasons with your child. And then take the opportunity to teach them, instead of criticizing them.
6. When you face a major challenge, be grateful for it. Many people will see something difficult as a bad thing. If something goes wrong, it’s a reason to complain, it’s a time of self-pity. That won’t get you anywhere. Instead, learn to be grateful for the challenge — it’s an opportunity to grow, to learn, to get better at something. This will transform you from a complainer into a positive person who only continues to improve. People will like you better and you’ll improve your career. Not too shabby.
7. When you suffer a tragedy, be grateful for the life you still have. I’ve recently lost an aunt, and my children recently lost a grandmother. These tragedies can be crippling if you let them overcome you. And while I’m not saying you shouldn’t grieve — of course you should — you can also take away something even greater from these tragedies: gratitude for the life you still have. Appreciation for the fleeting beauty of life itself. Love for the people who are still in your life. Take this opportunity to show appreciation to these people, and to enjoy life while you can.
8. Instead of looking at what you don’t have, look at what you do have. Have you ever looked around you and bemoaned how little you have? How the place you live isn’t your dream house, or the car you drive isn’t as nice as you’d like, or your peers have cooler gadgets or better jobs? If so, that’s an opportunity to be grateful for what you already have. It’s easy to forget that there are billions of people worse off than you — who don’t have much in the way of shelter or clothes, who don’t own a car and never will, who don’t own a gadget or even know what one is, who don’t have a job at all or only have very menial, miserable jobs in sweatshop conditions. Compare your life to these people’s lives, and be grateful for the life you have. And realize that it’s already more than enough, that happiness is not a destination — it’s already here.
“Everyday, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.” – Dalai Lama
God we need a lot of these kind of mapping accessibility projects.
January 31, 2013
ect, UWS looks to become more disability friendly
A resident of the Upper West Side is working to lobby for more accessible buildings in her neighborhood.
Douglas Kessel / Senior Staff Photographer
With a new accessibility mapping initiative underway, Upper West Siders are taking first steps toward making the neighborhood more disability-friendly.
Ronnie Raymond, a 93rd Street resident and member of Citizens for an Accessible West Side, introduced a project to map restaurant and business accessibility on the Upper West Side at the Community Board 7 Health and Human Services Committee meeting this Tuesday.
Businesses and restaurants may be classified as being fully, partially, or not accessible based on their entrances, interiors, and restrooms.
The Community Accessibility Project has partnered with the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York, which has mapped the accessibility of about 1,000 locations citywide and 200 on the Upper West Side, Raymond said.
Raymond, who uses a wheelchair, said she has encountered difficulties at Upper West Side businesses and in her own apartment building—experiences that demonstrated the challenge of advocating for concrete accessibility improvements.
Even restaurants with bathrooms that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 have doors that Raymond said her wheelchair can’t pass through.
She also noted that her apartment building failed to act on its promise to make a three-inch front doorstep accessible until she contacted a representative from the New York City Commission on Human Rights.
“It was the 11th hour until they finally did something,” Raymond said. “Nobody’s dogging them.”
According to Raymond, determining how to map disabilities consistently is a difficulty for CAP, in addition to finding more support for its initiative.
Raymond said that fewer than 25 percent of buildings on the Upper West Side are ADA-compliant and less than half are accessible, adding that enforcement of ADA regulations in newly renovated buildings is often spotty.
Committee members at the meeting agreed that even stopgap measures such as portable ramps are better than nothing, although they are still not an ADA-compliant solution.
Rebecca Godlewicz, liaison to Community Board 7 from the Manhattan borough president’s office, said that the office is currently “trying to see what the realities are” to move forward with the project.
“We’re just starting to talk about it,” Godlewicz said, adding that contention over modifying landmarks and historic districts was another concern.
Kevin Cremin, an adjunct professor at Columbia Law School who focuses on disability litigation, said that ADA regulations are tighter on new renovations, focusing more on barrier removal in older construction. He explained that in many cases, removing barriers is not incredibly burdensome.
Cremin, who taught a seminar class that required students to map accessibility on the Upper West Side, said that most Upper West Side businesses—like many of New York City’s buildings—are inaccessible.
“Some significant accessibility improvements can be made with a small amount of cost and effort. Moreover, there are tax incentives and grant programs available” that offset costs, Cremin said. “If their businesses are more accessible for people with disabilities, then they’d be potentially increasing the pool of customers that they’d have.”
CB7 Chair Mark Diller said after the meeting that CB7 was in the “early stages” of pursuing this issue and that he could work with constituents to “make strides to make more things accessible.”
Still, Diller said that targeting less-than-accessible buildings would lead to issues with settlement lawsuits from “an opportunistic band of folks” who target non-compliant companies, requiring them to leave and pay money without actually fixing the inaccessibility problem.
Diller suggested at the meeting that focusing on accessible buildings as role models would be smarter than targeting noncompliant businesses.
In response, Raymond said that she would speak to her coworkers about modifying the CAP map so that it highlights only accessible buildings.
While Cremin agreed that these lawsuits have recently attracted negative attention, he stressed that most litigation focuses on improving situations.
“I think that first of all, businesses have had a long time to comply with the law,” he said. “And most efforts by municipalities, organizations, or individuals to push businesses to comply with the law is motivated by the desire to increase accessibility for people with disabilities.”
Committee members also discussed ways to develop the mapping project, including developing a smartphone app, creating a directory, or posting signage in restaurant windows.
Although Raymond said that Zagat was reluctant to include disability information in its rating and that keeping a current and accurate record would be difficult, however there is a citywide initiative to make accessibility part of the health inspection record.
Cremin said that the government could enforce accessibility standards more stringently, and that community members could make a difference, too.
In Brooklyn, the Center for Independence for the Disabled has started a “Barrier Busters” program in which volunteer members work with local businesses.
He added that he would like to see more of an emphasis on “thinking about disabilities in a very broad sense.”
“I think that it’s always important for efforts like this to focus not only on people who use wheelchairs, but also to consider the barriers facing people who are blind, the deaf community,” and those with mental disabilities, Cremin said.
Raymond said that efforts such as letter writing were fairly straightforward, but more aggressive measures could bolster support.
“It’s the follow-up that is the difficulty,” Raymond said.
“Going to Work” – a new video series – by youth for youth
January 30, 2013
This is the internationally recognized symbol for accessibility (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“Going to Work” – a new video series – by youth for youth
by MARY MAZZONI on DECEMBER 22, 2012
What if your teen could learn about the world of work from young adults with disabilities who love their jobs?
These young people have learned about networking, disability disclosure, interviewing, and job accommodations through first hand experience. They tell it like it is in the brand new “Going to Work” video series by Wisconsin Youth First.
Sharing their stories
You and your teen will meet six young people with diverse interests, perspectives, talents, and disabilities. You’ll gain valuable insights as they share their personal journeys from school to jobs they truly enjoy.
Each brief video focuses on a different employment topic.
You can download the videos for free here:
Video #1 – Meet the characters
Video #2 – Understanding your disability/ self advocacy
Video #3 – Disclosing your disability
Video #4 – Job interview skills
Video #5 – Asking for accommodations on the job
More great resources
Wisconsin Youth First hosts a “by youth for youth” website with many great resources.
Their “Going to Work” page has links to many helpful sites and free tools. Check it outhere.
Your turn
Do you have experiences to share? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Do you know young people who would like to share their stories? We’d love to feature them in a Life After IEPs post! They can email me using the white envelope in the sidebar.
Let’s learn from one another!
If you know someone who might benefit from this post – please pass it on! Thanks!
Related posts
Here are some other posts you may find helpful on the journey to employment:
Explore careers with ‘My Next Move’
Talking to kids about disabilities
Video Games May Benefit Kids With Cerebral Palsy
Often reviled for encouraging kids to spend too much time in front of screens, new research suggests that some video games may actually benefit those with cerebral palsy.
The finding comes from a new study in which researchers observed 17 children with cerebral palsy as they played four “active games” on the Nintendo Wii — Bowling, Tennis, Boxing and Dance Dance Revolution.
They found that the games encouraged repetitive movements, while providing positive feedback in a fun environment, according to the study published online this week in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Significantly, the researchers said children with cerebral palsy who typically utilized one, dominant side of their body were engaging their full body when playing the games, suggesting that the activity could be a low-impact way of achieving therapeutic goals.
“While our results did not show that (active video) game play can be regarded as a replacement for more vigorous physical activity or muscle strengthening, we found that some games may provide targeted therapy focused on specific joints or movements,” said Elaine Biddiss of the University of Toronto who led the study.
“Future development and optimization of AVG technologies may usher in a new age in physical rehabilitation where virtual environments provide an arena for neuroplastic change in the comfort of one’s home,” she said.
![Eigerøy lighthouse III [Explored #4]](http://static.flickr.com/2879/8805431526_732f27a085_t.jpg "Eigerøy lighthouse III [Explored #4]")
