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Warrant issued for alleged wheelchair thief
 LOUISIANA - Scott City Police obtained an arrest warrant for Joseph Romero Sr. in reference to a specialized wheelchair being stolen from a local campground. The chair belongs to 20-year-old Lacey Ray, who cannot walk, sit or stand on her own due to a severe form of cerebral palsy. The chair was stolen sometime between late Friday night and early Saturday morning and was then returned Sunday after the story garnered media attention. The motorized wheelchair, which is worth nearly $9,500, had been stored outside the Ray family's camper when it was stolen. Christine Ray, Lacey's mother, said her only hope is that police find the suspect and that justice is done. "We used to feel safe," she said. "How are we going to feel safe now? It's not the campground's fault, but how are going to feel safe camping again?" Read More!
The least able next to get Cuomo help
 NEW YORK – Overhauling the disability safety net for the state's most vulnerable people will be a top priority until the Legislative session ends June 21, Gov. Andrew Cuomo says. The goal is to ensure that the approximately 1 million disabled and vulnerable people under state care aren't abused or neglected, the governor said. That can be accomplished by toughening up and streamlining state laws, regulations and procedures, he said. The group includes developmentally delayed people as well as those who are mentally ill or otherwise incapacitated.The reforms are designed to end agency cover-ups of cases where clients were allegedly targets of verbal or physical abuse."This is going to be a major undertaking for the entire administration," Cuomo said Wednesday While the state has 273,000 beds for the disabled, another 700,000 people receive day services from state agencies and a wide array of not-for-profit groups that are funded and licensed by the state. Cuomo's call for change came two days after he sought the creation of a new agency to handle allegations of abuse against the vulnerable people. Read More!
Spectrum Club's Toni Brown fights ALS as it weakens her body but not her resolve
 CALIFORNIA - For 30 years Toni Brown's life was about keeping people active and healthy. As a fitness instructor for Spectrum Athletic Clubs she instructed Spin classes at locations across the Greater Los Angeles area.
Once a picture of health, Brown, 59, is now confined to a wheelchair as she battles amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - better known as Lou Gehrig's disease - which is threatening to completely take away her ability to move. ALS is a motor neuron disease in which the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord waste away or die, causing loss of control of muscles, including those of the respiratory system.Though there is currently no cure for the disease, Brown is hoping to change that."I want to help," says Brown during an emotional interview in her Los Angeles home. "I just want to help find a cure."And she's not alone.On Saturday, Spectrum Athletic Clubs is holding a fundraiser, "Gettin' Down with Toni Brown," at all nine of its locations in the Los Angeles area to raise funds for Augie's Quest, the Muscular Dystrophy Association's ALS research initiative aimed at finding treatments and a cure for the disease. Read More!
Frail girl meets trainer before Ky. Derby win
 KENTUCKY - For a frail little girl and a soon-to-be-famous trainer, it was a love of horses that brought them together. They wound up sharing the ride of a lifetime, basking together in a Kentucky Derby victory that defied history. Next up is a reunion at the Preakness.Doug O'Neill and Hope Hudson met on the backside at Churchill Downs during the hectic days leading up to the Derby.O'Neill was prepping the colt I'll Have Another for the race. Hope, a 12-year-old from Missouri who is battling a rare disease, was getting her first up-close look at the sleek thoroughbreds she loves, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.Three days later, Hope and her family were part of the victory celebration when I'll Have Another became the first winner from the No. 19 post position in 138 runnings of the Derby. The bond between O'Neill and the spunky girl formed quickly as they chatted about horses. He shared his Derby triumph with Hope. He called the family to the stage at the post-Derby press conference and exclaimed to the girl, ''We're going to the Preakness, baby.''Later, Hope and her family joined the trainer at a victory party. Read More!
University of Oregon design class assists disabled athletes with help of Nike instructors
 OREGON - As a wheelchair rugby athlete, Will Groulx has grown accustomed to making do with a hodgepodge of equipment. He fashioned his own gripping gloves from a pair designed for gardening. He keeps cool by spritzing himself with a water bottle during breaks in games. Other aspects of his chair have been modified by hand. Groulx, paralyzed from the chest down in a 2001 motorcycle accident, plays for the Portland Pounders. The team won four matches to qualify for the championship last weekend at the United States Quad Rugby Association
View full sizeAllan Brettman / The OregonianAfter designing products for four disabled athletes, the 16 students in the UO design class, "€œEnabling Athletes with Disabilities," invited product designers from throughout Portland to inspect their work. Read More!
Forever a Warrior
 MISSIPPI - When the smoke cleared and the concussion from the improvised explosive device had subsided, Army Lt. Col. Daniel “Danny” Dudek lay on the bottom of his Stryker vehicle. He was concerned and sad – sad because one of his soldiers had been killed in the blast, and concerned because at the time he did not know if it had been an IED or if the blast had come from an artillery round he had called in as a fires support officer. Dudek suffered a spinal cord injury, which left him with limited mobility in his legs, requiring him to use his arms to get around most of the time. After months of rehabilitation, he was released and allowed to continue his service through the Army’s Continuation On Active Duty program. Read More!
Mequon company may be on the verge of CURING MS
 RHODE ISLAND - Approximately 400,000 people in the United States are living with MS. Worldwide, more than 2.1 million people are afflicted with the disease, many with different symptoms and levels of severity. The disease is unpredictable. While treatments and medication currently on the market can help slow down the attacks, there is no cure. Yet. But the cure for MS just might be sitting right in southeastern Wisconsin's backyard. Endece LLC, a Mequon-based drug discovery company, recently formed Endece Neural, a subsidiary company focused on neurological drug development. More specifically, Endece Neural is pursing the development of a drug that could help repair and even reverse the damage caused by MS. Read More!
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Cary elementary schoolers learn empathy through wheelchair basketball
NORTH CAROLINA - Fifth-graders at Briarcliff Elementary School raced to claim a wheelchair Wednesday morning in the school gymnasium before the basketball games began. Their classmate, Nolan Turner, had brought his wheelchair basketball team in for the day so students could feel what it’s like to play a sport with a disability.
The event almost didn’t happen. In late March, Nolan, 12, was selling water bottles at $1 a piece to raise the $1,000 he needed to bring the team to his school when someone stole his cash jar, with $250 inside. It turned out to be a temporary setback. When word of the theft got out, people from across the country sent donations, totaling nearly $50,000. That was more than enough for his team’s sponsor, Bridge II Sports, a nonprofit based in Durham that provides sports opportunities to people with disabilities, to bring the wheelchairs and pay for the insurance for Wednesday’s event. “I can’t believe this is finally happening,” Nolan said. Nolan was born with spina bifida, a congenital disorder caused when a baby’s spine fails to close before birth. He’s been at Briarcliff six years, so all of his teachers and classmates are used to his being in a wheelchair or using crutches during recess, said Barbara Bozon, an administrative assistant who calls Nolan her buddy. Read More!
Paralyzed woman makes marathon history
 U.K. - Sixteen days after the Virgin London Marathon began, Claire Lomas made history by becoming the first person to complete the 26.2 miles in a bionic suit. When Lomas crossed the line she cried, but was “over the moon” at her accomplishment.The suit, called ReWalk, mimics the response of the body’s joints had they not been paralyzed.Hundreds of fans cheered Lomas on as she crossed the line and members of England’s famous Household Cavalry gave her a special welcome at the end.Lomas is a former chiropractor and was left paralyzed from the chest down after a horseback riding accident five years ago..”Lomas completed the marathon distance. Read More!
HEAD COACH NAMED WHEELCHAIR TENNIS COACH OF THE YEAR
 CALIFORNIA - The United States Tennis Association (USTA) today announced that Dan James, USTA Manager of Wheelchair Tennis and the U.S. Wheelchair Tennis Coach, has been named the 2011 Wheelchair Tennis Coach of the Year by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). James will be presented with a trophy during the 2012 BNP Paribas World Team Cup in Seoul, Korea.This will be James’ second ITF Wheelchair Tennis Coach of the Year Award, with the first coming in 2007, where he served as the head coach at the Parapan American Games. “I am truly honored to be recognized with this award once again by the ITF,” said James. “Without the USTA staff, coaches, and especially our exceptional players, this would not be possible.” Read More!
Wheelchair Dance Sport - Continents Cup 2011- AMAZING! VIEW NOW! Click Here.
Wheelchair Sports , Bungee Jumping in a Wheelchair Click Here!
Nitro Circus Live World Record Aaron "TNT Wheelz" Fotheringham Click Here!
HUMOR - Quadriplegic Can't Stand Up Comic - Chuck Bittner - A fun and humourous perspectives to being a quadriplegic....VIEW NOW! Click Here.
Independence -
A day in the life of a paraplegic-Techniques for daily living! VIEW NOW! Click here
Paraplegic Woman Bungee Jumps in Her Wheelchair~ Bungee jumping is extreme as it is. Imagine doing it while strapped to a chair. Watch this!
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Air Carrier Access Act Regulations Updated
In May, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued updated regulations for The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA).
This Act now applies to both U.S. and foreign carriers. There are new requirements for airport and aircraft accessibility and changes in airport services including reservations, facilities, in-flight and aircraft acquisitions. To learn more about the old rules and the changes, visit the ADA publication by clicking here!
Action Alert! Pressure the New Administration for Jobs for People with Disabilities
 WASHINGTON D.C. - A group of national consumer-controlled disability organizations sent a letter to key players in the Obama administration to pressure them into living up to their promises to our community. It is time to turn on the HEAT! We want JOBS for people with disabilities in the new administration! We want a domestic policy adviser IN THE WHITE HOUSE who is knowledgeable about and experienced in disability issues! We want our voices heard and our opinions valued as appointments and decisions are made that will affect our lives! Read More!
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Botox can end catheter leakage and other issues!
This is one of the biggest breakthroughs in bladder care for SCI and MS patients in a long time. People who use catheters and experience leakage in spite of taking bladder medications need to know about the affects of injected Botox!
Urologists inject Botox in the bladder, relaxing the bladder muscle which relieves leakage and replaces the need for oral medications that lead to dry mouth and other reactions. Those who have used it say the results are unbelievable! Allergan, the developer of Botox, is setting up study sites to prove to the insurance companies how well it works. Any spinal cord injured patient or MS patient who uses a catheter and passes their screening test can get the Botox FREE along with all the tests paid for as well and money for their time. Call this toll free number( 1-888-617-8839) and check out this site: www.dignitytoostudy.com to see if you can take part in the study! Read about two kinds of Botox treatments and how they worked for these cath users. Article 1 and Article 2 |
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DANGER: Serious brain and spinal cord damage is occuring to children in rear-end collisions because of faulty front driver and passenger seats
USA - A rear-end collision can cause a collapse of front seat passengers into the head/neck region of children in car seats, attached behind front seat driver or passengers. This happens in cars manufactured with seatbelts attached to the seats (ABTS of "all belts to seats) instead of the roof or post between front and back windows. Watch this video and make sure your seats are strong and seatbelts are properly attached to the car at the post or ceiling. |
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Nursing Home's political contributions keep elderly and disabled in nursing homes against their will
According to disability advocate, Steve Gold, the nursing home industry has been buying congressional votes against the Community Choice Act, with their campaign contributions. The Community Choice Act (CCA) would allow the elderly and disabled to stay in their homes and receive Medicaid benefits instead of more expensive mandated nursing home care. These folks often want to stay in their homes. The plan would save taxpayer money, but the CCA is continually blocked by what critics say are the "vote buying practices" of the American Health Care Association--the nursing home's trade association.
Says Gold, "ask for a meeting with officials who have taken these donations. Use the information linked below to initiate a dialogue with your Senators and Representatives. When they say they are in favor of the Community Choice Act, ask them to return the nursing home industry contributions as a sign of good faith. If they say they oppose eliminating the institutional bias, discuss the contributions.
Many newspapers and other media might also be interested." To find out which Congressmen received donations from the nursing home industry and how much they received, Click Here!
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NEWS FLASH! New increased VA grants for specially adapted housing
WASHINGTON – A change in the law that allows certain seriously injured veterans and service members to receive multiple grants for constructing or modifying homes has resulted in many new grants, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today. Before the change, eligible veterans and service members could receive special adaptive housing grants of $10,000 or $50,000 from VA only once. Now they may use the benefit up to three times, so long as the total grants stay within specified limits outlined in the law. Read More! |
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New product line of Wheelchair Seat Covers, now available
From Kramer Enterprises comes hand-crafted seat covers now come in dozens of fabrics and prints including Hannah Montana, High School Musical, SpongeBob Squarepants, florals, denim, college and pro logos and much more. All wheelchair seat covers are hand-crafted one by one and can be machine washed and dried. Might make a great gift! Read More! |
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An Overview of Pain Management
There are several different pain theories, but all focus on the central nervous system as the main message center. The spinal cord is the relay center where pain signals can be blocked, enhanced, or modified before signals reach the brain. Pain perception is a neurological experience — an interpretation and response to the pain message. Factors that can influence a person's pain reaction include physiological, psychological, biochemical, emotional, social, Read More! |
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Karianna
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Being tetraplegic isn't a lifestyle choice
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Federal Disability $
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Tony Jackson
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Laylan Connolly
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Wheelchair Accessible Gardening and Adaptive Gardening with Raised Beds
Wheelchair Accessible Vegetable Plot Vs Supermarket Vegetables: The domestic vegetable garden is not new, in fact during World War Two, most families grew their own vegetables due to rationing. The art of growing vegetables though has been somewhat forgotten in the post-war years due to mass agriculture techniques, and the availability of fresh, cheap vegetables in supermarkets. Think for a minute, where would you get your vegetables from if the supermarkets closed for a week?, it soon becomes apparent how dependent we all are on supermarkets for our food. One great way to balance out this dependency on supermarkets, and save money in the process, is to grow your own vegetables. Not only will you save money, but the vegetables will taste far better, and will be far fresher than anything you will find in your local supermarket.
Planning a Wheelchair Accessible Adaptive Garden: When planning a home vegetable garden we usually think of an area of ground, turned over, enriched with compost, and fertilized, where we plant our seeds or seedlings. This is still true, except for when we plan a wheelchair accessible garden. The normal garden can be anywhere from a 3 meter square plot, to a full allotment scale garden. It just depends on how much you want to grow. A wheelchair accessible garden can be just as large, but it needs to conform to the following guidelines. Read More!
Watch this training video on wheelchair use of sidewalks!
D.C. - A series of videos on sidewalk accessibility previously available on DVD can now be viewed through our site. Accessible Sidewalks is a four-part video developed to illustrate issues and considerations in the design of sidewalks. The series covers access for pedestrians with mobility impairments, including those who use wheelchairs, and pedestrians who are blind or have low vision. The videos are open captioned and incorporate running descriptive audio. See More!
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Free Service Available to Find and List Affordable and Accessible Housing
NEW YORK — The New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) today announced a free on-line housing listing and locator service for affordable, special needs, and accessible housing throughout New York State. The new service will assist renters, property providers, housing professionals and social service providers with accessing real-time rental housing information throughout New York State. DHCR created NYHousingSearch.gov in collaboration with the New York State Department of Health (DOH) and the New York Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD). Read More!
Building an Accessible Home
I built my house in 2001. The process was arduous but I had an overall positive experience with building my own home. The reason I chose to build was because I needed accessible housing. For the past several years I lived in a two bedroom apartment spending way too much. I tried to find an accessible apartment with the amenities that I required such as a roll-in shower, but couldn't find any. There is a definite shortage of accessible housing in this country, which will only get worse in coming years with the aging of the baby boom generation. Likewise, there is an emerging interest in remaining in one's home and receiving at-home care rather than automaticatically going to a nursing home at the onset of any degree of physical disability. Two major reasons for being placed in a nursing facility is due to a lack of accessible physical accommodation in the home and an inability to receive at home nursing careFinding a house that is handicap accessible or that could be easily modified is a crapshoot. I've received several e-mails from readers from around the country confirming the same thing. Often the few accessible houses become available upon the death of an elderly person who ended up needing their home modified later in life. These houses are usually adapted the easiest and cheapest way possible for the person to be able to remain living at home. These houses are at a premium and don’t stay on the market long. Read More!
The story of Marie-France
In 1995, Marie-France, a mathematics lecturer at Paris VII University, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. She is now almost entirely paralysed, unable to speak, and has had a tracheotomy, in order to breathe.
Despite these overwhelming difficulties, Marie-France does the shopping, writes to family and friends, helps her husband with his research and maintains a web site. This is possible thanks to her Macintosh computer and special assistive technology. Marie-France describes her daily routine, in her own words: “As I am almost completely paralyzed and my hands do not move at all, it is impossible for me to type on a keyboard or use a mouse. Therefore, I use a scanning program called SwitchXS. This allows me, through the aid of a switch, to control the scanning of one or more keyboards designed by myself.
The switch is a little device that is taped to my cheek; all I need to do is make small jaw movements to activate the scanning. As I do not speak, I use the speech synthesis of Proloquo which also helps me when I write. It allows me to verify that what I write is in accordance with what I want to write. I developed a rapid writing method based on a pretty complicated writing keyboard. Read More!
Liberty and Death: A manifesto concerning an individual's
right to choose to die
In a spirit of compassion for all, this manifesto proclaims that every competent adult has the incontestable right to humankind’s ultimate civil and personal liberty -- the right to die in a manner and at a time of their own choosing. Whereas modern medicine has brought great benefits to humanity, it cannot entirely solve the pain and distress of the dying process. Each person deals with death in their individual way. Which way is determined by their health, their ethics, and personal living conditions. The degree to which physical pain and psychological distress can be tolerated is different in all humans. Quality of life judgments are private and personal, thus only the sufferer can make relevant decisions. Persuasion or provocation to the act of self-killing are deplorable and should be punished according to relevant laws. ‘Suicide’ no longer being a crime, it is unacceptable to prosecute well-meaning people for ‘assisted suicide’. Medically hastened death by request should be made lawful as it is now in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the American states of Oregon and Washington (each has different rules). Read More!
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