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By Scott Chesney
At least once, about every two weeks, I receive a phone call or an e-mail asking if I could reach out to an individual who has just become spinal cord injured or a family that has witnessed a loved one entering the world of paralysis.
While many people believe that I have immediate answers for these people, I am often lost for words because I get caught up in the grief and despair that they are feeling. No matter what I, or anyone else has to say, a loss has occurred and that needs to be understood and acknowledged. [...]
By Tom Scott
Adaptive sports gets a fuel injection.
What is the most heart-stomping, adrenaline-inducing adaptive sport in the world today? Some might say rugby, or maybe basketball or hockey, but times are changing fast. Strap yourself into a kart and rocket to speeds in excess of 60 mph with your backside about 2 inches from the asphalt and your fond memories of competing in those other sports will fade fast.
Karting has a rich history, deeply rooted in motorsports. It’s also considered a “relatively” low-cost and safe way to introduce people to motor racing. Many professional drivers began their careers on [...]
Have you been receiving a subsidy (extra money) to help pay for prescription drugs under Medicare? If you want to continue receiving this subsidy, you were supposed to have filed information with the Social Security Administration (SSA). If you did not do so, SSA should have recently sent you “SSA Medicare Prescription Drug Assistance Notice of Termination.” It means that as of April 1, 2008 you will no longer receive the subsidy for your prescription drug costs.
We received this via e-mail and want to bring it to the attention of the students among our readership. MIUSA is not affiliated with United Spinal Association, and this is presented for informational purposes only:
Mobility International USA (MIUSA) is currently recruiting for our Summer 2008 US/Costa Rica: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Disability Rights Leadership Exchange Program. We would like to offer an additional $100 scholarship to any youth selected to participate in the programs that says they found out about the program through you or your organization. The deadline to receive completed applications including the application fee is March 28, 2008.
Last week the House and Senate members introduced legislation that would allow parents or guardians of people with disabilities to establish a trust fund that would be exempt from Medicaid law so they can still use Medicaid and have access to other money. The legislation also makes contributions tax free up to a certain point.
Money in the trust may be used for things such as education, community based services, moving, assistive technology, employment training and support, housing, and transportation. The proposed legislation is more generous than existing law on how trust fund money can be spent.
Research is key to traveling with a disability.
By Rob Ingraham
Despite the explosive growth in travel options, traveling with a disability can still be a complicated and frustrating experience. Stephanie Acosta, corporate travel manager for United Spinal Association’s ABLE to Travel unit, specializes in booking business and leisure trips for people with disabilities and recently provided a short course in the fundamentals of traveling with a wheelchair or other assistive devices.
For many people with disabilities, accessible vans are the key to unlocking their independence on the road.
By Tom Scott
As more and more wheelchair-users take to the road in pursuit of adventure, many prefer the peace of mind that comes with being behind the controls of a vehicle modified to fit their needs and equipped for the long haul— wherever the destination may be. Let’s face it, the last thing most of us want to deal with on vacation is public transportation, especially if you’re planning your own itinerary and would like to visit attractions and tourist spots at [...]
A native of Sun Valley, Idaho, Muffy Davis (seen above balancing near the rim of the Fox River Gorge in Namibia) injured her spine while training at Olympic ski racing during high school.
Davis and husband Jeff ride
an elephant in Thailand.
After graduating valedictorian in her class and while continuing her studies at Stanford University, Davis discovered adaptive skiing, and she was off and racing again-and winning medals at Nagano and Salt Lake City and World Cup titles in Switzerland multiple years in a row.
Davis has also long been involved in community service. She won an award for [...]
People with disabilities will avoid some health care cuts if the House and Senate agree with what the House Budget Committee passed on March 6 for next year (FY 2009, beginning October 1, 2008). The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently passed some rules that cut off many people with disabilities from services in their own homes and communities.
Among other things, CMS seems determined to:
stop states from using Medicaid to provide rehabilitation services to people in their own community
stop reimbursements to public schools for overhead costs and the cost of transportation for students when schools provide rehabilitation and [...]
Delay is the deadliest form of denial. Many people with severe disabilities apply for Social Security disability benefits, but they have to wait 2 to 3 years for a decision. During that time, without these benefits, people often lose their homes, go without needed medical care, and even die. About 750,000 people are on the waiting list. For the past several years, the Social Security Administration has been given more work to do (for example, on the Medicare prescription drug program) but less money and fewer people to do the work. Thanks to many of you who contacted your Senators and Representatives [...]
By Ed Lash
A short time ago I read an article about two major medical associations encouraging doctors to prescribe normal medication for a disease, plus the medicine that aids more ills than any other: exercise.
In my book Multiple Sclerosis…A Patient’s View, I said pretty much the same about multiple sclerosis (MS): “I do feel, as most professionals do, that a healthy lifestyle is a significant factor in order to manage any chronic disease, whether a person is on medication or not.” As I also mentioned in my book, a healthy lifestyle includes good nutrition, proper rest, and regular moderate [...]
By Richard L. Bruno
The weather outside if frightful, and your toes are too frostbiteful. But, since you’ve no place to go…
Wait. Who says you’ve no place to go? It may warm your cold polio feet on this blustery March day to know about a Norwegian study of 88 subjects diagnosed with “post polio syndrome” (PPS). Twenty-nine were said to be “control” subjects, even though most were getting “one or two physiotherapy and/or swimming sessions” a week.
Fifty-nine subjects received therapy for PPS for four weeks, although the details of the treatment were not described. Therapy was said to be [...]
By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD
The most recent survey of the National Gardening Association, conducted in 2005 finds that gardening is more popular than ever. The report shows that 91 million American households (83%) participated in some kind of do-it-yourself indoor and outdoor lawn and garden activities. This sets a new record, and an increase of 11% over 2004, according to Bruce Butterfield, NGA’s Research Director.
There are various levels of participation and expertise in gardening. Some people spend all their free time tending to their lawns, flowers, trees and vegetables. Many have a passion for plants while others have a casual interest. [...]
By Tamar Asedo Sherman
Fatigue and lack of transportation are the biggest barriers to employment for many people with disabilities. If that is the case for you, then working at home might seem like the perfect solution. You won’t need to get dressed up; you can go to work in your jammies, no need to apply makeup or do your hair. And you don’t have to commute, go out in bad weather, spend a small fortune on gasoline or be dependent on the vagaries of paratransit. Plus, you can take a break when you need it. It’s sounding better and better.
But [...]
By Scott Chesney
How have you been doing with your New Year’s resolutions so far? Hopefully, you are staying focused and committed to your plans for 2008. If you are not and have fallen back into your old pattern of procrastinating, here is a sure way to revitalize your resolutions: associate pain with the situation you want to change.
What do I mean by that? The most direct way to effect change your life, whether to fulfill a commitment to yourself or to others, is to get in touch with the pain you might cause yourself or others staying exactly where you [...]
Compiled by Tom Scott
United Spinal Association has received a generous donation from Pontiac and General Motors Corporation of Motorati Island in the Second Life (SL), a Web-based virtual reality community. You can learn more about the newly-named Motorability Island at www.unitedspinal.org/motorability/.
Motorability Island in SL is a vast, complex with seven separate simulated environments (or sims), designed specifically to promote United Spinal Association in SL via the Education Center and other builds dotted around the Island. Visitors to the Island will find two full oval circuits, a full inter-sim road system, car-themed nightclub with live DJs, go-kart racing, car dealerships, scooter [...]
United Spinal Association, in partnership with Joe Hurley and the Bart J. Ruggiere Adaptive Sports Center of Peru, Vermont, took to the slopes of Bromley Mountain, Vermont on Saturday, February 23rd and Sunday, February 24th to host a skiing clinic for United Spinal members. Participants received two full days of lessons including extensive one-on-one instruction from the Bart Center coaches and volunteers. All attendees were individuals with spinal cord injuries. Some of United Spinal’s athletes used “mono-skis,” in which the user sits in a molded seat mounted to a frame above a single ski. A shock absorber links the frame to [...]
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