Disability | Assisted Disability

Gadgets That Help Disabled People

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Disabilities have come to be known as physical challenges because of the willpower many disabled people show. Technology has come a long way in terms of helping disabled persons live life with fewer obstacles. Nowadays, the playing field is a whole lot more level because of the vast potential of new applications and the hardware those apps run on.

For instance, the Android Zio is a blessing to people who would otherwise be unable to conduct many forms of business. While it can’t make braille on its screen, it will allow a blind person to hear website content read to them through an app. It will also allow a deaf person to text in real time to people all over the world, conducting business as if there were no special circumstances at all. When one can do almost anything, they face physical challenges instead of disabilities. Physical challenges can be overcome.

Of course, a physical challenge can be nothing more than the inability to use one hand or to walk. In that type of case, a gadget such as a smart phone can remove lots of obstacles by allowing one to do business over the phone. With this kind of modern convenience, the notion of being disabled isn’t even a part of the modern world anymore. While one may have a physical challenge, they can do just about any of the important things that anyone else can do, aided by technology.

Filed Under: Disabilities, Technology Tagged With: Business, Disability, Disabled

Working With a Disability

The idea that all disabled persons can not work is false. Many can continue to work due to their collaboration with their employer. Adjustments can be acquired to benefit people with disabilities keep jobs.

Many times an employer is willing to assist in keeping a valuable employee. The descriptions below are common ailments and what work alterations can help in performing occupational duties.

Neck and Upper Body

Those with medical conditions that have neck pain or shoulder and arm problems as an accompanying ailment have accommodation options. Persons that perform office work can use a telephone headset to reduce strain on neck muscles. Other work aids include copy holders and forearm supports that relieve tension for those who have reduced upper body strength.

Fine Motor Skills

Many ailments such as Fibromyalgia and Arthritis affect the fine motor skills in the hand. Workers that have typing or data entry duties can use speech to text programs or on-screen keyboards to accommodate for a disability. Service jobs and industrial employees can use ergonomic scissors, tools and knives that are engineered to reduce muscle strain.

Mobility Issues

The person that has impairments, with associated mobility issues, has options to help them maintain employment. Firstly, workers can have motorized scooters to help with jobs that includes a lot of walking. An additional help would be providing an employee with a closer parking spot and installing doors with power controls.

Fatigue

Fatigue is a disorder that comes with many chronic illnesses. Alternatives are available to help people suffering from this condition. Employees can take frequent breaks and discuss having a flexible schedule, to employer, that allows them to come in later.

Filed Under: Disabilities, Office Tagged With: Arthritis, Disability, Employment

The Importance of a Job Coach

Having a disability does not mean that a person’s work life is over. Sometimes the help of a professional job coach is needed to perform work duties. Professionals can assist those with disabilities in how to work safely. Continue reading to find out about the importance of job coaching for the disabled.

A job coach is a professional that trains or advises the safe and efficient way to learn or perform a new job skill. People that perform job coaching duties may be occupational therapists or others from the rehabilitation field. Additional persons with a background in psychology or engineering may become part of the job coaching field.

Trained job coaches must undergo education and certification standards. States vary in requirements but most require a type of post secondary education with documentation.

A large advantage of having a job coach is the personalized attention that considers your abilities and limitations. They can adjust a work environment to function within a worker’s capabilities. Coaches will explore the use of ergonomic tools and gadgets to prevent muscle strain.

Some coaches choose a specific type of disability to study extensively and practice in. A higher diagnosis of people with Autism has compelled many therapists to focus on this segment. Others focus on rehabilitation coaching to teach disabled persons a new job skill.

Using the expertise of a job coach can benefit disabled persons in various ways. These trained professionals provide services to assist people work within their limits. An added advantage is the resources available to persons in the rehabilitation industry.

Filed Under: Disabilities, Office Tagged With: coach, Disability, Employment

More Work Accomodations

There are many changes that employers can make to keep the services of a disabled employee. A large number of people think that a disabled distinction equates to the end of gainful employment. Employers can alter work environments with a few small adjustments. Continue reading to discover the ease of making a work location disability-friendly.

People that have problems communicating with others have options that can help with work or school. In a work environment, workers can be given topics ahead of time to allow the employee to fully participate in discussions. An additional option is to have employees write instead of verbally conveying a response.

Some illnesses provide cognitive difficulties that make it hard for employees to manage time and start lengthy tasks. Wall calendars and checklists can be used to assist with time keeping and multi-step assignments. Personal calendars or to-do lists can help employees stay focused.

Many chronic conditions make it hard to manage stress due to longer hours or poor human relations skills. Simple actions can include positive reinforcement, sensitivity training or sessions with an industrial organization psychologist.

Persons with conditions similar to Asperger Syndrome are easily diverted or overwhelmed by excess stimuli. Sound disturbances can be diminished by using a head set or installing panels to limit noise. Moving of office space and installing partitions can lower the amount of visual stimulus.

The suggestions above are a small percentage of solutions to help those with disabilities with accompanying illnesses. For some difficulties, clarifications or small steps can be used to perform work tasks.

Filed Under: Disabilities, Office Tagged With: Asperger syndrome, Disability, Employment

Transportaion Accomodations for the Disabled

An overlooked segment of daily life for people with disabilities is transportation. Persons with ability conditions use cars, vans and other vehicles in daily life. Products made for people with disabilities to drive or ride in vehicles makes trips easier and safer. The items below are engineered to assist people who have a disability to drive or as a passenger.

Windshield Glare Screen

Windshield glare screens are made for people with sight impairments, however remain able to drive. The screens are adaptable for use in cars, trucks and other passenger vehicles. Using a windshield glare apparatus is beneficial when driving in rainy and foggy weather. Those in sunny climates profit from the anti-glare visor that reduces shine and preventing eye strain.

Wheelchair and Scooter Restraint Systems

A restrain system is a safety device used to secure a wheelchair or scooter while in a moving automobile. The different types of restraints provide support to passengers and drivers with mobility disabilities. Many systems include hardware for mounting to the floor, on walls and seats.

Pedal Extender

Pedal extenders assist drivers that can not reach accelerator or brake pedals due to a height disadvantage or other condition. This accommodation helps disabled persons to keep their independence by driving themselves. Extenders can reduce length from two to twelve inches.

Steering System

A steering control system gives individuals with arm and extremity weaknesses the opportunity to drive. The steering apparatus lessens the amount of effort needed to maneuver a car or van. Most control systems can be easily installed in American made vehicles.

Ending Notes

The gadgets above are just a few of the products available for disabled persons in the area of transportation. People with mobility or sight disabilities can enjoy riding or driving with dignity. Every day activities, like shopping, are easily achieved with transportation accommodations.

Filed Under: Disabilities, Office Tagged With: Disability, Disabled, United States

Assisted Technology for Disabilities

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Assisted technology is something that sort of evens out the playing field for people with disabilities. There are many aids which fall into the category of assisted technology. These can be as simple as a walking cane or as complex as a bionic arm or leg. A person’s handicap may make him immobile and the wheelchair, either manual or motorized, is what assists him with walking. People sometimes need assisted technology to do their jobs. One such instance of this would be providing a magnified screen for a copywriter that is sight-impaired.

Another assisted technology for supporting people with disabilities is the telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD). Until the invention of this technology is was not possible for deaf persons to use the telephone to communicate the way that it was originally intended to be used. A deaf person can type what he wants to say. It is then relayed to an operator who reads it to the person on the receiving end. Hearing aids are considered assisted technology, too.

Assisted technology comes into play in the education arena to help those with learning disabilities. Software that generates graphic organizers assist those students that are visual learners and who benefit from that particular learning style. One may be able to get assisted technology by using a file sharing program like FileZilla. Some file transfer software is free, like File Zilla, and allows you to download and transfer information like graphic organizers for educational or personal purposes. The assisted technology that is used in the classroom can either be low tech or high tech. Low tech basically encompasses anything that doesn’t require a battery or electricity, like a dry erase board. High tech uses items like computers, video camcorders and anything that would typically require more training and support to use.

Durable medical equipment also falls under the assisted technology category. This includes things that help people to walk, like crutches and walkers. Items that help to increase a person’s independence with daily activities, such as showering and bathing can also be considered as assisted technology. This would include a shower seat and rails in the bathtub.

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: Assistive technology, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Health, Hearing impairment, Shopping, Technology

Making Disability Care Cost Efficient

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Having a loved one with a disability is a difficult thing. It can take a toll on you mentally, physically, and emotionally. It’s not an easy thing being the caregiver for someone with a disability but what might be the bigger issue is supporting someone with a disability from a financial standpoint. It’s expensive to care for someone who can’t care for themselves and unlike a pregnancy, there usually isn’t much time to plan for the event. If it’s a later in life disability it can be crippling to the family. For that reason alone there are things you can do to safeguard against going broke paying for the care of someone you love.

The first thing to do is get yourself a good disability attorney. A good attorney should be able to get the state to give your loved one their money rather quickly and will do it for a set fee. If you are having trouble securing the funds then you should hire an attorney. The fee might be a little more than you hoped to pay but it will be worth it to get a steady income in the long run.

The second thing you want to do is get a durable power of attorney. This just says that you have the capacity to make decisions on behalf of your loved one and you can handle the money they have coming in our there behalf. This means that all that disability money can be appropriated by you for their own care.

The next thing to do is to check out local services that you might be able to get assistance with. Sometimes there are vans to take patients to appointments or there might even be people around the neighborhood that can help take care of your loved one. The answers are out there to make the process easier on you.

Filed Under: Disabilities Tagged With: Disability, Disabled, Law

Getting Disability Benefits

When you are put in the position, or you choose the position, to take on the care and support one of loved ones with a disability then you know that it takes a lot more than your time. If they are newly disabled you are facing the cost of the taking care of that person and it’s not looking easy. You are starting to wonder if you can do it on your own. Now, when this happens you are going to look to the government to help you out of this jam. So when you are looking for the help of the government there are a few things you should know ahead of time that will help you.

The first thing to know is that the entire process is on you to keep moving. There are literally millions of disability cases that happen every single day. You will get lost in the shuffle unless you make yourself known to the office. The best advice, go in person to the office and talk to a representative. Make sure you are kind to them because they are the best resource you will have to get anything done for your newly disabled.

You also must be ready to face rejection. They will bombard you with paperwork and when you stay on top of it and you will be almost assured to be rejected. There are a million and one reasons that you can be rejected. Don’t start thinking that you won’t get paid. You will just have to apply again and perhaps fix your paperwork.

If you are still having trouble or it doesn’t appear you are going to be approved you should get yourself an attorney and that attorney should know the system well enough to get you what you need. It’s important to get those benefits.

Filed Under: Disabilities Tagged With: Business, Disability, Disabled, Employment and Support Allowance, Government agency, Health, Law, Welfare

Affording Loved Ones With Disabilities

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If you have a loved one who has a disability then you are aware that the challenges for them can be great. You know that it isn’t easy to live your life with a handicap. You know that taking care of them will require great patience and great love. You are ready for the battle and you are willing to do it but you might not be ready for the money it will cost to give them adequate care. So here are a few things that you can do to keep your head above water while you pay for the care of a loved one.

Many people with disabilities have government support to help them but if they don’t have government support than caring for them can become a lot harder. When this happens you have to get a little creative in how you budget for them. Your best bet is to get yourself on line and try and find used medical equipment. This will be a big money saver. So much of medical equipment is stuff that is used in a rather short duration.

If you are looking for a little help at home taking care of them you know that getting in home nursing care can be quite expensive. Don’t hesitate to evaluate the help they need and possibly hire a family friend. This might seem like a bad move but if all they need to do is cook some meals for them and spend some time with then then there is no reason why you couldn’t have someone come in a couple of days a week just to do those sorts of things. This could save you money against round the clock nursing care and it could save you the stress of having a helping hand during a difficult process.

Filed Under: Disabilities Tagged With: Business, Dealers-Retailers, Disability, Health, Healthcare, Home care, Home Health, Medical equipment

Assistive Technology for Disabilities

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Assistive technology is something that sort of evens out the playing field for people with disabilities. There are many aids which fall into the category of assistive technology. These can be something as simple as a walking cane or as complex as a bionic arm or leg. A person’s handicap may make him immobile and the wheelchair, either manual or motorized, is what assists him with walking. People sometimes need assistive technology to do their jobs. One such instance of this would be providing a magnified screen for a copywriter that is sight-impaired.

Another assistive technology for supporting people with disabilities is the telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD). Until the invention of this technology is was not possible for deaf persons to use the telephone to communicate the way that it was originally intended to be used. A deaf person can type what he wants to say. It is then relayed to an operator who reads it to the person on the receiving end. Hearing aids are considered assistive technology, too.

Assistive technology comes into play in the education arena to help those with learning disabilities. Software that generates graphic organizers assist those students that are visual learners and who benefit from that particular learning style. The assistive technology that is used in the classroom can either be low tech or high tech. Low tech basically encompasses anything that doesn’t require a battery or electricity, like a dry erase board. High tech uses items like computers, video camcorders and anything that would typically require more training and support to use.

Durable medical equipment also falls under the assistive technology category. This includes things that help people to walk, like crutches and walkers. Items that help to increase a person’s independence with daily activities, such as showering and bathing can also be considered as assistive technology. This would include a shower seat and rails in the bathtub.

Filed Under: Disabilities, Technology Tagged With: Assistive technology, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Health, Hearing impairment, Shopping, Technology