The winner of Britain’s Got Talent this year is…
The Lost Voice Guy!
He is very funny, but his message is serious (which makes for brilliant comedy.). As he says, “I was disabled before I was popular.” Furthermore, “People were laughing at me even before I became a comedian.”
One fan on YouTube has compiled this vignette of his journey:
We’ll let him tell of the rest of his journey!
Assistive technology is about accessibility. Recently, this idea was taken a step further. AirBnB announced a set of 24 filters enabling travelers with a physical disability to more easily find lodging accessible for their needs (e.g., if they use a wheelchair to get around). This feature saves these travelers the burden of having to call multiple places to inquire whether they are accessible to their needs, according to an informative blog piece that goes into detail about how to use the many features now available on the AirBnB app.
The user can obtain detailed information on the residence, as well as outdoor and common areas and whether an accessible (“handicapped”) parking spot is nearby. The accessibility filters can be set to one’s own specific disability.
With more and more people with physical disabilities enjoying travel, this new feature will be welcome news, especially to those using the AirBnB platform.
Children and adults with developmental disabilities have a higher risk of choking compared to the general population. Risk Factors Include: Some medical conditions that increase a person’s risk of choking are: Cerebral Palsy Seizure disorders Neurological and muscular disorders Down Syndrome Brain Injury Muscular Dystrophy Inability to swallow certain food textures and liquids Medication side […]
via Choking Prevention for People with Developmental Disabilities — Special Needs Resource Blog
In Addition
For New Jersey caregivers, this leaflet is a very good resource:
International Women’s Day 2017: #BeBoldForChange https://www.internationalwomensday.com/
International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month: In the US and most countries around the world, women with disabilities have faced multiple hardships in the form of reduced access and sometimes outright discrimination in education, housing, and employment – both as women and as people with a disability. In addition, women of color often face a third challenge. A blog writer took a look back on 14 remarkable women of color of the past who have made powerful differences for the present and the future.
As February was Black History Month and March is Women’s History Month, we’ll examine the intersection of the two through the lens of disability. Many notable African American women made lasting contributions despite their disabilities. It is important, however, to “see the person, not the disability.” The late Australian comedienne and disability advocate coined the term inspiration porn in protest that people with disabilities should be objects of inspiration to make non-disabled people feel good.
Social worker and disability advocate Vilissa Thompson in her excellent blog “Ramp Your Voice” has compiled a list of important works and other resources of these individuals.
Harriet Tubman (1822–1913)
Harriet Tubman (1822–1913), abolitionist known for her work on the Underground Railroad, suffered epileptic seizures. Because of her short stature, she was seen among slave owners as disabled, a low risk of escape.
Fannie Lou Hamer (1917–1977), Civil Rights Activist
Fannie Lou Hamer (1917–1977), was a civil rights activist who suffered physical disabilities from childhood polio.
Maya Angelou (1928–2014), was laureate poet and wrote a series of memoirs.
Maya Angelou (1928–2014), laureate poet, found a voice in her memoirs and poetry. As a child, she developed selective mutism after a sexual assault.
Wilma Rudolph (1940–1994), track and field Olympian
Wilma Rudolph (1940–1994) overcame childhood paralysis from the polio virus to become a track and field Olympian, the fastest woman in the world.
Honorable mention goes to Johnnie Lacy (1937-2010), an African American woman who from her wheelchair tirelessly advocated for the disability community. She has been recognized by the United African-Asian Abilities Club and the Temple University Disability Studies newspaper. (No copyright free photo of Ms. Lacy is available.)
February is Black History Month, and March is Women’s History Month. Many notable African American women made lasting contributions despite their disabilities. It is important, however, to “see the person, not the disability.” The late Australian comedienne and disability advocate coined the term inspiration porn in protest that people with disabilities should be objects of inspiration to make non-disabled people feel good. Four examples, from top to bottom and left to right, are Harriet Tubman (1822–1913), abolitionist known for her work on the Underground Railroad, Fannie Lou Hamer (1917–1977), civil rights activist, and Maya Angelou (1928–2014), laureate poet, and Wilma Rudolph (1940–1994), track and field Olympian.
Mount Rushmore honors presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Source: Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
We, at Advancing Opportunities, would like to take the time to reflect on the deeds of George Washington and other great presidential leaders.
Leadership takes many forms. Most important, it starts with a vision of what should be and can be. In other words, leadership involves advocacy, standing up for what is right and what will benefit people, especially those who need a voice or assistance expressing it. Fundamental to leadership, what presidents such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln possessed, is a vision, a compass to guide them – and the people they represent – to righteousness.
The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities, part of the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, has published a valuable resource for families of a child or other relative with a disability has published a helpful reference, Providing Respite: Supporting People and Families across the Lifespan, available as a fee PDF download. One of the co-sponsors of the booklet, the Family Resource Network, which includes Caregivers of New Jersey, a Service Coordinator. As a leader in providing a wide range of services for people with disabilities in the state, Advancing Opportunities is ready to assist!
For those of us who are direct-support professionals, in residential and respite care, at the end of the day, it is important to reflect on our work by asking ourselves the following:
In addition to asking these questions of ourselves to serve others, it is important to document the answers on reports on the progress toward their ISP goals! This last consideration can be critical for an agency to continue to receive funds… to keep on serving their consumers with disabilities.
All of us at Advancing Opportunities wish you, our consumers, families, and supporters (including those of you who have generously followed this blog!) peace and happiness for the holidays:
And just in time for the holidays, here’s a special treat. Overcoming her autistic social fears, this lovely ten-year-old girl gives a stunning rendition of Hallelujah that would have made Leonard Cohen proud.
Things, er, people to be thankful for. After all, in the disability community, it is really the people in our lives who make all the difference.
Yes, there are things when we think about assistive technology, for example. There are custom-designed wheelchairs, handy smartphone apps, braille keyboards, communication devices…. However, it is the people behind these wonderful products who matter most – the people who design and build them, the assistive technology specialists who work with people of all disabilities to find the right device and counsel how to use it.
So, yes, it’s mostly about people. And, on Thanksgiving, most of us spend time with family. So, that is where we will start. In most cases, it is family members who are the primary caregivers. Caring for a son or daughter, mother or father, brother or sister, or grandparent with a disability is a round-the-clock responsibility family members undertake with the strongest sense of love. We, at Advancing Opportunities, give thanks to all our wonderful families.
Families, however, occasionally need a well-deserved break. Many are thankful for family support services personnel – respite workers and the like. In, addition, the individuals themselves receive the gift of socializing with their peers, often in community settings.
And there are individuals with all disabilities in community residential homes. The residential support professionals provide care with uncompromising dedication round the clock. Some are working right now, as you are reading this.
There are so many other people who make life better for individuals with disabilities. Teachers and other educational professionals and assistants, for example. Many people work behind the scenes, performing managerial and clerical work to make it all happen. Let us not forget the generosity of the many benefactors, individual and corporate, who make it all happen.
For all these people – you – we are thankful!
Celebrating Individual Abilities 