9 Hacks to Make Your Home More Accessible

December 1, 2022

PRO TIP

9 Hacks to Make Your House More Accessible

When we were putting together our latest Consumer Guide, we asked wheelchair users across the country for hacks to make their living spaces a little easier to manage. Here are our favorites — from installing a do-it-yourself lift to access a tall vehicle, to putting your dining table on oversized casters, to trading out rubber garden hoses for fabric ones, and more. Hopefully one of these inexpensive hacks will work for you, or even better, spark an idea for your own ingenious access solution.  

TRENDING

Stair-Climbing Wheelchair Gets a Real-World Test

We love Facebook videos of fantastical, completely impractical-looking stair-climbing wheelchairs as much as anyone. So, we were a bit shocked when one of them, the Scewo, turned into a product you can actually buy — at least if you’re in Europe. Check out this video of a real-world test by para Cambry Kaylor on the ultrapopular YouTube channel JerryRigEverything. Spoiler alert: Climbing and descending stairs looks surprisingly simple and downright terrifying.   

SPORTING SCENE

First U.S. Women Compete in Wheelchair Rugby World Championship

Sarah Adam and Liz Dunn made history at the 2022 Wheelchair Rugby World Championship in Denmark in October, becoming the first women to compete for USA Wheelchair Rugby at a major championship. They are part of a growing number of women competing at the highest levels of the sport.  

PRODUCTS

Outrider Coyote Off-Road Mobility Vehicle: Reviewed

Outrider’s new Coyote adaptive off-road vehicle was designed to accommodate a wide range of functional abilities. We got our product guy, C5-6 quad Mike Franz, to see how it performs. Even for someone with poor balance and worse hand-dexterity, he found it a highly capable vehicle on a variety of terrains. Read the full review here.

Click here to read more of this issue of  New Mobility!

Courtesy Resource Share: Residential Living, Day Program, and Work Center Community Living Conversation

 

Courtesy Resource Share

Are you currently living in a residential facility?

Do you participate in a day program?

Do you work at a work center or workshop?

We need to hear from YOU!

A residential facility could be any Home and Community-Based Services Setting, including Community Training Homes, Supervised Living Models (SLPs), Community Residential Care Facilities, group homes, or assisted living facilities. If you live in one of these places, go to a day program, or work at a work center, we need to hear from you!

You can provide your feedback in many ways:

• Fill out a survey to share your experience. Click here to fill out the short survey. Please fill out the survey no later than Friday, December 9, 2022.
• Send us an email at advocacy@able-sc.org to let us know of any problems in your home, day program, or work center.
• Contact Valarie Bishop with the SC DD Council if you would like to talk with someone. You can reach Valarie by emailing her at Valarie.Bishop@admin.sc.gov or calling 803.734.0215
• Join Able South Carolina on a call Thursday, December 15, 2022, at 2:00 pm. This call will be co-hosted by SC partners, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Administration for Community Living (ACL), as we all want to learn of any issues, you are experiencing so that we can help.  If you want to join the call, please click "register here" below.

All information will be kept private. Your name will not be shared unless you want it to be shared.

We invite anyone receiving Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services and their families/designee to join the call on December 15.

Register Here!

If you need help completing the survey or are worried about sharing your concerns, please call Able South Carolina at 800.681.6805 or email them at advocacy@able-sc.org. We can come to you directly if you want to discuss your concerns privately.

This is a collaborative effort with the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the Center for Medicaid Services (CMS), Able SC, Disability Rights SC, SC Developmental Disabilities Council, USC Center for Disability Resources, SC Department on Aging, AccessAbility, and Walton Options for Independent Living.

Pick Next Year's Consumer Training Topics!

 

Consumers,

We want to hear from you! 

Please let us know your choices for times of day and topics 

for in-person and online monthly independent living 

consumer training classes for 2023.

For questions, contact Dori at dtempio@able-sc.org. 

Take the Survey!

November Leadership in IDD

 

Perspectives

Commentary from the field 

Amanda L. Miller, PhD

College of Education, Wayne State University

I examine how youth with IDD are positioned – as knowledge holders and generators, passive recipients, good, smart – through how adults talk about, to, and with them, and how they are treated as learners and doers. For example, students with IDD are situated through how school districts provide (or do not) meaningful augmentative and accessible communication systems, supports, and tools to them and their families. Ideological underpinnings in schools are amplified through how such youth are thought about, talked about, and decisions are made for and about them by adults. 

In a recent study, I focused on how six middle- and high school girls of color labeled with significant cognitive disabilities used talk and actions (e.g., eye gazes, facial expressions, gestures) to navigate classroom interactions. I was interested in how they were positioned – and how they navigated, resisted, and repositioned themselves with few visible supports in a setting that prioritized oral/aural communication. School districts and staff should consider how they position multiply marginalized youth with their interactions and how such positions result in learning opportunities being afforded and withheld. We need to learn about and honor the experiences these girls are having to truly transform educational policy, practice, and research. 

*****

Notables

Recent awards, accolades, appointments, and other honors

Elizabeth A. Perkins, PhD, RNLD, FAAIDD, FGSA has been awarded the 2022 George S. Jesien Distinguished Achievement Award at the 2022 AUCD Conference. 

Kathryn M. Burke, PhD has been awarded the 2022 Young Professional Award at the 2022 AUCD Conference. 

*****

Linkages 

Opportunities to participate in research, projects, policy development, and other collaborations

Call for Papers: Special Issue of Inclusion on DSPs

Inclusion co-Editors, Colleen Thoma, PhD, FAAIDD, and LaRon Scott, EdD, are seeking submissions for a special issue of Inclusion, to be published in September 2023, regarding Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). To be considered for the special issue, a brief abstract (no more than 250 words) should be submitted no later than December 15, 2022. Full manuscripts must be submitted by March 1, 2023. Tentative publication date is September 1, 2023. Please email questions and abstracts to Dr. Lauren Bruno. 

*****

AAIDD is looking to feature notables and perspective pieces from our members in the field! Send us your commentary to be featured in a future Leadership in IDD Newsletter.

Produced by AAIDD, this monthly digest features the recent (first made available within last 3 months) and emergent (will be available within the next 4-6 weeks) work of AAIDD members only. Journal articles, while important, are not featured in this publication. 

View the archive of the Leadership in IDD newsletter here.

Join AAIDD here!

FREE Webinar: Brain Injury Friendly Art Class with Allison Moir-Smith

BIASC is thrilled to announce that we are hosting a FREE webinar for Brain Injury Survivors! This webinar will be a guided art lesson by artist, Brain Injury Survivor, and Brain Injury Advocate Allison-Moir Smith.

Date: Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Time: 10 am - 11 am EST

Location: Zoom (register at the link below)

Cost: FREE

Supplies Needed:

Whatever you have available in your home. This art class uses supplies that you already have to provide a creative outlet in a way that caters to someone with a brain injury. You can use plain paper (no canvases required!) and any type of art medium you would like. Paints are most fun, but whatever you have on hand at home will work!

You will need:

• 2 pieces of paper
• Paints (acrylics, watercolors -- even a kids set will work)
• Brush
• Water
• Paper Plate to squeeze paint onto, if using tubed paint
• Rag/Paper Towel
• Crayons, Chalk, Pastels, and Markers work too -- it will just look a little different (and different is great!)

Click Here to Register for this FREE Webinar. 

You will receive an email with Zoom information after registering.

Native American Heritage Month

November is Native American Heritage Month 

The tradition was started in New York in May 1916; inspired by Red Fox James, a member of the Blackfeet Nation, who rode across the United States on horseback. His goal was to get states to agree to create a day to honor Native American peoples and cultures. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the first resolution designating November as Native American Heritage Month.  

Today, many people, groups, and organizations take this month to honor the many diverse contributions of Native Americans to cultural and economic practices in the United States. Native American Heritage Month is also a time when we highlight issues facing our Native communities.  

Today, we are sharing more about the issues that impact Native Americans with disabilities.  

Overview:  

• There are 574 federally recognized American Indian & Alaska Native Tribes throughout the United States (Sources 5, 10)  
• There are 324 federally recognized Native American reservations and land trusts in the U.S. as of 2022 (Sources 5, 11).  
• South Carolina has one federally recognized tribe, the Catawba Nation, centered in York County (Sources 8, 9).  Additionally, the state of South Carolina recognizes 9 local tribes and 4 tribal groups. (Source 8).  
• Native Americans are expected to live 5.5 years less than other race populations in the US. They also have disabilities at a higher rate than any other racial group in America:  
• 24% of American Indians and Alaska Natives have a disability compared 19% of the general population living with a disability. 

Some issues facing Native Americans with disabilities include:  

• High rates of poverty and unemployment  
• Homelessness or living in overcrowded conditions – particularly dangerous during the COVID-19 pandemic  
• Underfunded education systems which include a lack of accommodations for those with disabilities  
• Violence against women – 84% of Native women report having experienced violence within their lifetime.   
• Due to the history of exploiting Native lands, many Native Americans do not have good access to clean water and other natural resources.   
• Limited healthcare funding and resources, culturally competent care, and historical trauma create barriers to healthcare access for Native Americans.  

What resources are available?  

We are our most powerful when we work together with our peers! Local and national tribal and Native American groups are working among their peers to address many issues of inequity for Native Americans with and without disabilities.  

• The Catawba Nation’s website contains resources on tribal enrollment, scholarships for members, and other resources. The nation has also developed goals to increase access to housing, transportation, and supportive services for Native Seniors. More here: https://www.catawba.com/  
• The Pine Hill Indian Community Development Initiative is a nonprofit working to increase access to health and resources for Native Americans in South Carolina. Learn more: https://www.phhn.org/  
• Native American Disability Law Center : although this organization maintains a list of comprehensive resources on its website. You can find:  

1.  Services for Native people over 18 with developmental and intellectual disabilities  
2. Education rights for Native children with disabilities  
3. Legal services for Natives with mental illness  
4. Information on social security benefits for disabled adults and children  

• National Indian Education Association works to improve schools and education for Native populations  
• Native Women’s Wilderness advocates for Native women by assisting women and girls with finding their leadership skills. They also support the education and exploration of Native lands by Native women and girls.  

Able South Carolina also encourages you to listen to and support Native voices – research Native artisans and business owners in your area to support!  

Resources:  

1. Indian Health Services Factsheets: Disparities. https://www.ihs.gov/newsroom/factsheets/disparities/ Accessed November 2, 2022.   
2. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, AI AN and Disability  
3. Diversity Inc. The Biggest Issues Facing the Native American Community Right Now  
4. National Congress of American Indians, Disabilities  
5. United States Census Bureau Newsroom (2022), “Facts for Features: American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month, November 2022. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2022/aian-month.html#:~:text=National%20Population%20Projections-,324,-The%20number%20of  
6. United States Department of Health and Human Services and Office of Minority Health: Celebrate Native American Heritage Month. https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/NAHM/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Accessed November 2, 2022.  
7. Sciway.net: South Carolina Indian Tribes: Native Americans in South Carolina. https://www.sciway.net/hist/indians/ Accessed November 3, 2022  
8. South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs:South Carolina’s recognized American Indian Entities.   https://cma.sc.gov/minority-population-initiatives/Native-american-affairs/south-carolinas-recognized-Native-american-indian-entities Accessed November 3, 2022.  
9. Catawba Nation website. https://www.catawba.com/  
10. United States Bureau of Indian Affairs (2021), Indian Entities Recognized by and Eligible To Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs  https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/29/2021-01606/indian-entities-recognized-by-and-eligible-to-receive-services-from-the-united-states-bureau-of  
11. American Indian Reservations,Statistical Areas, and Alaska Native Village Statistical Areas: https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2022_Gazetteer/2022_Gaz_aiannhr_national.zip   

AAIDD 2023 Conference "Call for Proposals" Closes Tonight!

Reminder

The AAIDD 2023 Call for Proposals closes at the end of the day. The conference will be held June 5-8, 2023 in Pittsburgh, PA.

The AAIDD conference is the “must attend” conference of the year and features presentations in every area of research, practice, and policy in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The 147th AAIDD conference theme is Setting New Norms for Integrated & Competitive Employment: Challenges, Opportunities, Strategies. In addition to presentations and posters that address the theme, the AAIDD conference always showcases the emerging findings and promising practices across the field.

Submit your proposal now at https://www.aaidd.org/education/annual-conference/2023-call-for-papers!

Field Notes November 2022

Parent Perspectives  

Experiences of Korean Fathers of Children With Autism in the United States 

An article published in the September Issue of Inclusion by the authors affiliated with the University of Maryland College Park and University of Illinois Chicago discusses a study that explored the essence of shared experiences of Korean fathers of children with ASD in the United States. (Free for AAIDD members. For non-members, the abstract is free of cost, full text access available with a fee) 

How Mothers of Adults With Profound Intellectual Disabilities Experience Their Everyday Life? A Qualitative Retrospective Study From Poland

An article published in the November Issue of the Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities by authors affiliated with the Maria Grzegorzewska University and the University of Kansas discusses a study aimed to explore the experiences of mothers who care for adult children with profound ID. (Abstract is free of cost, full text access available with a fee)

Examining the Effectiveness of a Legislative Advocacy Program for Parents of Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

An article published in the September issue of the Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities by authors affiliated with the University of Illinois and Boston University discusses a study evaluating the effectiveness of a legislative advocacy program for parents of individuals with IDD. (Abstract is free of cost, full text access available with a fee)

Research and Community Engagement 

It's Never Too Late: Debunking Myths About Communication and Adults With Severe Disabilities

An article published in the October Issue of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities by authors affiliated with Georgia State University, Florida State University, Boston College, United States Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Western Carolina University, and the American Speech Language Hearing Association discusses several myths about age, ability, and the experiences limiting opportunities for persons with severe disabilities. (Free for AAIDD members. For non-members, the abstract is free of cost, full text access available with a fee) 

Examining Differences in Community Participation in Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder

An article published in the September Issue of Inclusion by authors affiliated with Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Temple University, and Portland State University suggest that young adults participated in fewer areas and less frequently than peers without ASD.  (Free for AAIDD members. For non-members, the abstract is free of cost, full text access available with a fee)

Lessons Learned From Research Collaboration Among People With and Without Developmental Disabilities

An article published in the October issue of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities by authors affiliated with the University of Maryland, Boston University, and the University of Illinois discusses the lessons learned from a collaborative research study among researchers with and without DD using both qualitative and quantitative methods to develop and examine the effectiveness of a civic engagement intervention for transition-aged youth with disabilities. (Free for AAIDD members. For non-members, the abstract is free of cost, full text access available with a fee) 

COVID-19

Public Stigmatization of People With Intellectual Disability During the COVID-19 Pandemic

An article published in the November issue of the American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities by authors affiliated with Tilburg University and Radboud University discusses a study aimed to examine the level of discrimination against people with ID during COVID-19, and assessed stereotypes, levels of familiarity with the condition and personal experiences with COVID-19 as potential correlates. (Free for AAIDD members. For non-members, the abstract is free of cost, full text access available with a fee) 

Digital inclusion and participation of people with intellectual disabilities during COVID-19: A rapid review and international bricolage

An article published in the November Issue of the Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities by authors affiliated with the University of Wolverhampton, Linköping University, Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Alicante, University of New South Wales, TU Dortmund University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, and the Université du Québec en Outaouais discusses how information and communication technologies have become more embedded than ever in people's lives and investigates how this change has affected the lives of people with ID. (Free for AAIDD members. For non-members, the abstract is free of cost, full text access available with a fee)

FREE Webinar: Brain Injury Friendly Art Class

 

BIASC is thrilled to announce that we are hosting a FREE webinar for Brain Injury Survivors! This webinar will be a guided art lesson by artist, Brain Injury Survivor, and Brain Injury Advocate Allison-Moir Smith.

Date: Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Time: 10 am - 11 am EST

Location: Zoom (register at the link below)

Cost: FREE

Supplies Needed: 

Whatever you have available in your home. This art class uses supplies that you already have to provide a creative outlet in a way that caters to someone with a brain injury. You can use plain paper (no canvases required!) and any type of art medium you would like.  

Paints are most fun, but whatever you have on hand at home will work!

You will need:

• 2 pieces of paper
• Paints (acrylics, watercolors -- even a kids set will work)
• Brush
• Water
• Paper Plate to squeeze paint onto, if using tubed paint
• Rag/Paper Towel
• Crayons, Chalk, Pastels, and Markers work too -- it will just look a little different (and different is great!)

Click Here to Register for this FREE Webinar. 

You will receive an email with Zoom information after registering.

Thinking Outside the Box- Creative Independent Living Goals!

Let's get creative! 

Register for this free online training on 

Monday, December 5 from 3:00-4:00 PM 

for tips to become mindful of creative ways

to problem-solving to achieve independent living goals. 

Registration will close on Sunday, December 4 

For questions, contact Dori at dtempio@able-sc.org. 

Register Here!

12 Home Products Recommended by Wheelchair Users

November 16, 2022

TRAVEL RESOURCE

Airbnb's New Adapted Category Offers Beautiful Design and Verified Access

Airbnb has debuted a new Adapted homes category that lets you browse a variety of unique homes across the world that have verified step-free access and dedicated accessibility features. Many of the homes are beautiful and fun: There’s a castle in Spain, treehouses in Brazil and Alabama, and a dome house in North Carolina. The listings include floor plans and measurements so you can make sure the property works for you.   

PRODUCTS

12 Products to Make Every Room in Your House More Accessible

Here’s a collection of the products our Consumer Guide contributors recommend for making your home a little easier to manage. There’s a voice-controlled thermostat, a variety of helpful door-openers, an easy-access bathtub, a side-opening oven and more.   

PRO TIPS

A Chef Reinvents Thanksgiving as a Wheelchair User

Take a peek inside the kitchen of Chuck Sansone, a wheelchair user and former corporate chef, as he cooks a mouthwatering and complex array of Thanksgiving dishes for 30 friends and family members. Sansone says you can make delicious meals with less labor by doctoring pre-prepped foods — like frozen vegetables, store-bought sauces and leftovers — and he shares one of his favorite holiday recipes. 

Click here to read more of this issue of New Mobility! 

 

Mobility Programs at Able SC!

 Mobility and Transportation Programs 

Able SC in partnership with The COMET offers a number of Mobility Programs! Keep reading for details on our programs. 

Questions? 

Call 803-779-121 

or email transportation@able-sc.org. 

Read More

PUP (Pick Up Program):

• The PUP Mobility program is for anyone 65 and older or who has a disability. This is for people who live outside the COMET/DART service area, live in Richland or Lexington counties, and live inside the Columbia Urbanized area.  
• Anyone who is eligible will receive a monthly allowance of $100 to use Lyft, Uber, or a taxi. 

VTrip (Volunteer Transportation Reimbursement Program):  

• The VTrip Mobility program is for anyone 65 and older or who has a disability. This is for people who live outside the COMET/DART service area, live in Richland or Lexington counties, and live inside the Columbia Urbanized area.  
• Allows eligible riders to pay back the people who give them rides.   
• The driver cannot be a family member. They can be a neighbor, friend, coworker etc.    
• The reimbursement rate is 150 miles a month at 0.58¢ per mile or $58 a month. 

Travel Training 

The objective of travel training is to make using transit comfortable and familiar for new riders so they can travel independently within the community and participate in various leisure and/or professional activities. This is a free service that meets the specific transportation needs of passengers by offering a hands-on learning experience with a qualified transit professional. 

To sign up for Travel Training, contact Able South Carolina at 803-779-5121 or email transportation@able-sc.org

SCATP Fall Events

SC Assistive Technology Program 

Fall Events

Adapted Toy Workshop  

Live Workshop this week!

It’s not too late to sign up for a time slot! 

Date:  November 17 & 18, 2022

Time Slots available:  1:00, 2:00, or 3:00

Cost:   Free. (Registration is required.)

 REGISTER NOW!

About the Workshop: Children learn through play; many children with disabilities do not have access to toys operate independently.  

• Bring a battery-operated toy to adapt.  If you do not have an appropriate battery-operated toy, one will be provided for you.  
• Learn how to adapt toys and assemble a 3D printed switch.
• Everyone will leave with a switch adapted toy and 3D printed switch to operate it!

*****

Dispelling AAC Myths.  

How do we know someone is appropriate for AAC?  

Live Webinar

Date:  December 1, 2022

Cost:   Free. (Registration is required.)

REGISTER NOW!

About the Webinar

Integrating the use of AAC into everyday activities and the Gen Ed curriculum in an free, easy to follow step by step evidence based plan. This program is for AAC team (SLP’s, Parents, educators, and anyone else working with a child who would benefit from an AAC device).

Participants will learn:

• Dispelling AAC myths. How do we know when a device is right for the child/client? 
• How do I get a device for my child/client?
• Your child/client has a device. Now what?

About the Speaker

Michelle Lassiter MA CCC/SLP is the Tobii Dynavox Solutions Consultant for the state of South Carolina.  She has been a bilingual (Eng/Span) Speech Language Pathologist for over 25 years in hospital, early intervention, outpatient, and school settings.

Accommodations

CART captioning is provided for all SCATP webinars. If you need an additional accommodation to participate, please contact us at least one week prior to the webinar via e-mail or by phone at 803-935-5263. 

Webinars are recorded and archived on our training page.