Category: Blog
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How Technology Makes Greater Independence Possible
Technology Boosts Independence for People with Disabilities The last 150 years have been the most exciting, in terms of technological inventions, in the history of the human race (the discovery of fire and controlling it notwithstanding). The most important and far-reaching inventions have been those that make electricity available to everyone. One group of people […]
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The Power of Expectations
How to Set Expectations for Individuals with Disabilities Expectations can be tricky. A balancing act is always in play. Set expectations too high or set unrealistic expectations, and the expectee can get discouraged and stop working toward the goal. Set expectations too low, and the result may be the same – the person quits trying […]
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Sympathy, Empathy, Compassion, and Pity – How Are They the Same and How Are They Different?
Sympathy, compassion, empathy, pity “all denote the tendency, practice, or capacity to share in the feelings of others, especially their distress, sorrow, or unfulfilled desires,” according to Dictionary.com. Four similar words, four similar meanings. The mindsets of the first three words are usually welcome additions to the actions that help a person with a disability. […]
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A Proactive Approach to Mental Health
Mental Health for Everyone The social stigma surrounding mental health, as with physical disabilities, is slowly diminishing. Over time, it has become more and more evident that the mind and body are connected, and that an individual’s mental state can both positively and negatively affect a person’s overall well-being. Because of this, there are many […]
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Asking for Help – Part II
Asking for Help – Part II This is a multi-part article about asking for – and getting – needed assistance. To recap Part I, asking for help is: Realizing in the first place that help is needed. Usually, having difficulty navigating solo through one or more aspects of everyday life is the catalyst for learning […]
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The Ripple Effect of Helping
Helping is more than providing assistance to an individual with a disability. There is an element of kindness involved, too. A number of research studies have shown that performing an act of kindness (helping someone) benefits the person giving the helping hand, the person (or people when it’s a group activity) receiving the help, and […]
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Asking for Help – Part I
Where to begin when asking for help Help can mean different things to different people. To some, it can be a means to improve the quality of their loved one’s life situation. To others, it is giving a person the tools they need to be more independent. Help can be as simple as visiting someone […]
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Invisible Disabilities as They Relate to Employment
Invisible Disabilities in the Workplace For the purposes of this article, let’s use the Invisible Disabilities Association’s (IDA) definition of invisible disabilities. They are defined as “…a physical, mental or neurological condition that limits a person’s movements, senses, or activities that is invisible to the onlooker.” Examples of Invisible Disabilities Invisible disabilities involve an aspect […]
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What it Means to Have a Developmental Disability
What is a developmental disability? According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), developmental disabilities “…are a group of [chronic] conditions due to impairment in physical, learning, language, [and/] or behavior areas.” Amazingly and soberingly, one in six children in the United States, about 15%, has some kind of developmental disability. In some […]
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Find Out What Services You Qualify for with a Disability Needs Assessment
How to Use a Disability Needs Assessment to Find Out Which Services are Best for You When people with disabilities want to get help, they need to first get a disability needs assessment. Assessments are important because they paint an accurate picture of what’s really going on with someone. This matters because then the most […]