Category: Disability

Transportation for Seniors : Improving Quality of Life for Your Loved Ones

Aging may affect a persons ability to move freely and travel from one place to another because of muscle loss, joint stiffness, and balance issues. Mobility problems can also occur in people who have developed certain diseases, such as Alzheimers, Parkinsons, and other similar conditions.

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K9 Companions for the Disabled: Learn About Service and Therapy Dogs

golden retriever helper dog

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Traditionally, dogs are pets that are appreciated for their companionship and affection. They are fully dependent on their human owners. Owners might be lonelier if the dogs weren’t around, but it wouldn’t affect their daily tasks. However, not all dogs are pets. Such is the case with assistance and therapy dogs, that is, those animals that undergo extensive training to be able to perform specific tasks. There are several types, but the two major categories are service dogs and therapy dogs.

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Physical Disability & Mental Health

How physical disability and mental health are connected

Greers Ferry National Fish Hatchery_ Kid's Fishing Derby _ Flickr_files
Source: USFWS/Southeast via Flickr Creative Commons

Americans living with physical disabilities face a number of significant challenges that can impact their quality of life. For many, physical disability and mental health go hand-in-hand. As you take care of your physical needs, it can be all too easy to neglect your mental health.

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Americans With Disabilities Face Too Many Bumps in the Road

people in wheelchairs Our survey of Americans with disabilities revealed that:

  • 28% encounter a barrier to a building, transportation or service once a week
  • 20% encounter a barrier at least once a day
  • 36% live in a home that is not wheelchair accessible; of this group:
  • 70% have steps leading into the home
  • 51% cannot afford to make their homes wheelchair accessible
  • 25% say they find ways to “deal with” the challenges and inconveniences
  • 16% say that landlord/homeowner/condo board won’t allow modifications

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What is Disability Discrimination in New York?

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What Laws Apply to Disability Discrimination in New York?

If you work in New York, you are protected from disability discrimination at the workplace by both federal and state law – the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL).  If you work in New York City, you have an added layer of protection under the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL).

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10 Technologies that Are Redefining Disability Right Now

Advances in technology affect all kinds of people, but this sort of progress can truly transform the lives of those with physical and mental disabilities. From mind-controlled exoskeletons to driverless cars, the past couple of years have been a windfall for accessible tech and we’ve compiled a list of 10 exciting innovations that are already redefining disability.

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Redefining Disability: Experts Tackle Tired Cliches

It’s no secret that the general public is ill-informed when it comes to understanding disability. Outside of those who’ve been close to someone with a disability or have had a disability themselves, people don’t necessarily think about what it means to have a physical or mental handicap. That’s partly because the issue has been stigmatized, mischaracterized, and at times, outright ignored.

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Wheelchair Resources – The Disabled in the Community

Disabled individuals face a multitude of challenges on a daily basis. Individuals have to deal with a number of disabilities such as being vision impaired, hearing impaired, wheelchair bound and a number of other disabilities. These disabilities create difficulties for disabled individuals to live regular lives because of transportation, employment, housing and other problems.

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From Wheelchair To Hydrotherapy: A Resource Guide To Natural Healing Properties

A lot of effort, time and money is spent on finding medical cures for various diseases. Yet, some of the best cures from natural sources, including herbs and hot springs. The water from hot springs is actually underground water, which comes up to the surface. Until modern medicine was invented in the middle of the twentieth century, natural hot springs used to be considered by many as a great healing agent. Today, there are many people who believe in the healing powers of natural spring waters.

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Beyond The Wheelchair – A Disability Resource Guide

Disabilities come in many different forms. They range from physical disabilities such as loss of sight, loss of a limb to mental disabilities. Each type of disability presents different challenges for individuals such as mobility issues, physical issues and psychological issues.

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Wisdom From A Wheelchair: An FDR Resource Guide

Despite his numerous health issues, including being paralyzed from the waist down, Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) is considered, by a large majority, one of the greatest Presidents in American history. Believing that his health issues would make him appear weak to outsiders and worry the American public, FDR rarely allowed himself to be photographed in his wheelchair, and went to great lengths to hid his other ailments. Even in his poorest condition, President Roosevelt changed the social policies of America, and helped conceive of the single largest peace keeping organization in the world – the United Nations. The following links will provide biographical information, lesson plans, study guides and information on FDR’s legacy, as well as suggested readings.

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People First Language: I Am Not My Wheelchair

Consider the sentence:

“Christopher Reeve was a wheelchair-bound actor.”

To those familiar with his career before he suffered the accident which lead to his paralysis, this would be a gross misrepresentation of a popular and beloved figure. Why then, is it acceptable to characterize others in similar ways – even if they have lived with a disability from birth?

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