Articles (Disabilities) « Disabilities – Other Issues
Articles and Publications
related to Disabilities Issues
"I am neither an optimist nor pessimist, but a possibilist." ≈ Max Lerner
Articles:
- 62 Years in a Wheelchair Just Part of Judy's Life (NW Disability Connections – 2/28/11)
Judy was offered a job because "someone in Iowa City wanted a secretary with a visible disability.” Judy had been in a wheelchair since polio struck at age 4. “I didn’t want a job just because somebody was interested in somebody with a disability,” she says. - A Lesson in Illustrating Wheelchairs From Someone Who Uses One (The Mary Sue.com)
It’s certainly not meant as a dig, but through the years, it’s become obvious to me that a lot of people are oblivious to the every day lives of people with disabilities (PWD). And that’s why awareness and education are important. It’s not that people don’t care (although some might not), it’s that they truly don’t know what’s appropriate in certain situations. Read on for a few examples of different types of wheelchairs, as well as those who use them, plus some commentary by a creator and an actor who are close to the topic at hand. - Chronic Disease and the Internet (Pew Internet)
Recent survey data from the Pew Internet Project and the California HealthCare Foundation show that adults living with chronic disease are significantly less likely than healthy adults to have access to the internet. - Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) (U.S. International Council on Disabilities)
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is an international disability treaty that was inspired by U.S. leadership in recognizing the rights of people with disabilities. In fact, several members of USICD’s Board of Directors worked on the draft treaty. - Disability, History, and Remembrance (Planet of the Blind – 9/3/12)
Two historic events: The culmination of state sponsored eugenics programs with initiation of Germany’s T4 Program (9/1/1939) and the passage of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the United States' first step in guaranteeing civil rights for the disabled (9/26/1973). Summaries and resources surrounding these two events are included. - Disability, Human Rights, and Information Technology (video) (Harvard Law Today)
Despite the ready availability and minimal cost of technology to enable people with disabilities to access information and communications technology (ICT) on an equal footing as consumers without disabilities, prevailing practice around the globe continues to result in unequal access. - Disabled Athletes vs. Able-bodied (CandGNews – 2/24/12)
Marc Henretta loves the thrill of high-speed sports. So much so, that when he was paralyzed from the hip down in a motocross accident in October of 1989, he didn’t slow down. “I do exactly the same stuff I did before, which is more than many of my able-bodied friends do,” Henretta said. - Facing disabilities: How one story leads to another (Chicago Tribune – 6/12/12)
The story (and related online video) about veteran broadcast producer Thea Flaum's multimedia-rich website, FacingDisability.com, actually came about as a result of a recent story John Owens wrote about one of Flaum's colleagues, Tom Weinberg. - Failing the Disabled – How Minnesota and marginalizes thousands of adults with disabilities (Star Tribune)
A Matter of Dignity – A 5 part series on the negative affects that the Minnesotan laws and policies have on its disabled citizens. - Get to Know the Person Behind the Disability
Picture yourself in a wheelchair. Add this fact: It is permanent. There are no miracles left. Forget about the cause; this is the life you have now. There is no choice but to accept your fate and make the best of it. Got the picture? Now, go out into society and see what you run into. Most people don’t see the person behind the disability. You are treated not as a person with a disability, but as a disabled person. People look at the things you can’t do rather than the things you can do. - How to Cope with Sudden Illness or Disability (Disabled World)
Illness and disability might come in many forms. Some illnesses and disabilities have to be faced from birth; others are developed during people's lifetime. Coming to terms with any illness is not easy and might take a long time especially when your illness surprises you all of a sudden. - Human Factor: A goal is a direction, not an end (CNN blogs – 11/8/11)
In the Human Factor, we profile survivors who have overcome the odds. Confronting a life obstacle – injury, illness or other hardship – they tapped their inner strength and found resilience they didn't know they possessed. This week meet Kyle Maynard. Despite being born without arms or legs, Maynard has played football, wrestled, and he's hoping to hike Mount Kilimanjaro. - How to Stay Physically Active – Aging Well with a Physical Disability (RRTC)
Regular exercise is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and is recommended for everyone, including older adults with a disability. - Instead: An Awakening Moment with my Disabled Child, Wesley (2/7/18)
Instead of feeling sorry for you, I will respect you. - New Federal Agency Gives Boost to Disability Issues (Medicaid Waiver News – 4/24/12)
A major organizational change this week at the federal level could give significantly more voice to those working on developmental disability issues. The shift announced Monday creates a new Administration for Community Living within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The new entity will join together three existing bodies – the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, the Office on Disability and the Administration on Aging – under one umbrella to serve seniors and those with disabilities. Obama administration officials and disability advocates say the bureaucratic change could pay big dividends long-term for people with special needs by pushing disability issues up the food chain at the cabinet-level agency. - New Study Reveals Lack of Characters with Disabilities on Television (9/28/2011)
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month and a new report released today on minority representation on broadcast television shows that scripted characters with disabilities will represent only one percent of all scripted series regular characters — six characters out of 587 — on the five broadcast networks: ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox, and NBC. Not only is this invisibility in the media misrepresentative of people with disabilities, it also means few opportunities for actors with disabilities to be cast. - New ‘universal design’ guide wants to make public spaces pleasant for all (Curbed – 8/23/19)
The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) decided to create a new guide for “universal design,” a fancy way of saying design created with truly everyone in mind. - No two people live their disability in the same way (10/3/16)
A bloggers response to a writer's question regarding an independent disabled friend's choice to not hang out with other disabled individuals. - OCD: Symptoms, Signs & Risk Factors
Social signs of obsessive compulsive disorder: what to look for. - Safety Planning: A Guide for Individuals with Physical Disabilities
Published by the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life. - Social Networks a Lifeline for the Chronically Ill (New York Times – 3/24/10)
For many people, social networks are a place for idle chatter about what they made for dinner or sharing cute pictures of their pets. But for people living with chronic diseases or disabilities, they play a more vital role. - Special Needs Seniors – Planning for the Future of this Vulnerable Population (3/15/17)
Some senior adults need a bit of help and care, but when a senior has a special need, the level of care increases significantly. With the right resources, you can create a plan of care that will ensure your loved one’s needs – from healthcare through financial – are well met throughout their retirement years. - Spotlight on Disabled Horse Riders in US (Horsetalk – Oct. 2007)
The American Horse Council (AHC) has submitted comments to the nation's Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board supporting broader outdoor recreational and trail access for America's disabled riders. - Top Tips for Getting Fit if You’re Disabled (Disabilities Horizon – 3/11/14)
Want to get fit but assume using a personal trainer would be out because of a disability? This is an interview with a personal trainer specializing in helping people with all kinds of disabilities get fit. - Victims with Disabilities: Collaborative, Multidisciplinary First Response (U.S. Dept. of Justice)
Techniques for first responders called to help crime victims who have disabilities.
Publications:
- Complete Disability Resource Guide (Medicare Solutions)
Disability often brings to mind wheelchairs and amputees on crutches. The scope of disability has changed throughout the years and so has the mindset on what constitutes a disabled person. Federal disability discrimination law states that disability is defined as a mental or physical affliction that to a large extent hinders at least one or even more of an individual’s important life actions. Impacted life activities can include self-care, learning, moving, and the basic activities of daily life, which include cooking to keeping your home clean. The terms that once defined disability have changed as well. - Disability: Facts and Resources (Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement)
Most Americans know someone with a disability, but few are aware that disability could affect them at any point in their lives. Though some disabilities exist from birth, others, such as work-related injuries and serious illnesses, can be incurred later on, even by people in good health. All disabilities and illnesses have the potential to bring incredible financial strain. People with disabilities are at a greater risk for poverty throughout their life course and especially in old age. For this reason, an understanding of government benefits, as well as other financial opportunities available is crucial for the financial security of anyone with a disability and his or her dependents. - Divorce and Disability (Michigan Bar Journal – July 2017)
A paper that talks about identifying and resolving the unique issues of a spouse with disabilities. - List of Disabilities (Buzzle.com)
Comprehensive guide to various physical, mental and developmental disabilities and rehabilitation. Throughout the world, there are millions of people who have some form of emotional, mental, or physical handicap that can limit their activities to varying degrees. The terms disabled and differently abled are both preferable terms to the outdated term handicapped. Disabilities can be the result of accidents, resulting in paralysis, brain damage, etc., while some people are born with such afflictions as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, blindness, etc. This guide offers disability facts, statistics, information and resources on a list of disabilities covering several mental, physical, and emotional handicaps and the necessary assessment, treatment for people with disabilities, and advocacy of it in both public and private arenas. Disability facts and information for parents of children with physical disabilities and medical issues. Disability resources to learn about accessibility, disabled assistance, developmental and learning disabilities in physically handicapped children, disabilities rights and parenting kids with disabilities. - Medical Model vs. Social Model of Disability
What is the medical model vs. social model of disability? This model was created by Carol Gill at the
Chicago Institute of Disability Research to explain how people with disabilities are seen by society
and how the Disability community sees ourselves. Disability studies scholars believe that an
overemphasis on the medical model has detracted from full citizenship for people with disabilities.
Patti’s Comments: We should move past this debate already —it should be the social model of supports! - World Report on Disability – 2011 (World Health Organization)
More than one billion people in the world live with some form of disability, of whom nearly 200 million experience considerable difficulties in functioning. In the years ahead, disability will be an even greater concern because its prevalence is on the rise. This is due to ageing populations and the higher risk of disability in older people as well as the global increase in chronic health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and mental health disorders.
