Pictured at the May 8 Board of Chosen Freeholders Meeting are (from left) Freeholder Deputy Director Peter S. Palmer, Robert Craig (Bridgewater), Ernie Cottrill (Warren), George Truxel (Warren), John ‘Jack’ McCullen (Green Brook), Ron Throndson (Bound Brook) and Robert Petroski (Somerville). Representing the county Office on Aging and Disability Services are Executive Director Joanne Fetzko (left, front row) and Eldercare Educator Laurie Rowe.
The Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders recently honored recipients of the county Office on Aging and Disability Services’ “Profiles of Positive Aging.”
“Each May, in celebration of Older Americans Month, we honor the diversity and vitality of our older residents,” said Freeholder Deputy Director Peter S. Palmer, human services liaison. “With their valuable insights and wisdom, they enrich lives and maintain the continuity of our communities. The 2012 Profiles of Positive Aging recipients are wonderful role models for their communities.”
Six residents of Somerset County were recognized on May 8 for their leadership skills and for volunteering their time to give back to residents of Somerset County. Their contributions have benefited young people, older adults, families in need, those with disabilities and the environment.
The Office on Aging and Disability Services recognized Ernie Cottrill, Warren; Robert Craig, Bridgewater; John “Jack” McCullen, Green Brook; Robert Petroski, Somerville; Ron Throndson, Bound Brook; and George Truxel, Warren.
For more information, contact Eldercare Educator Laurie Rowe, Somerset County Office on Aging, at 908-704-6346 or rowe@co.somerset.nj.us.
Many of my friends celebrate Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
Sure, these days often mean wonderful celebrations and offer us the chance to thank our parents. But for many parents, and particularly for those with children who have disabilities, it is a bittersweet recognition, and a reminder of a financial challenge that they yet have to overcome.
A relative of mine has a son who will never be able to earn a living, manage his finances or live independently.
Mohammed has a minor cognitive disability as a result of a medical mishap, and my relative now worries constantly about his financial future and security.
Yes, his siblings will help to take care of him, and the government will always provide him an allowance. However, this does not relieve my relative’sconcerns. As a mother, she will always worry, and she wants to be assured that Mohammed will always have more than he needs in case things go wrong.
Rather than waiting for a miracle to secure a good revenue-generating investment, she has established a small business, with all profits directed to her son’s bank account. Her constant worry has become the passion that drives her successful business.
This might have worked for my relative, but for many others, financial security and planning for a disabled child is still – and will always be – a constant concern. They might not be blessed with a wealth of financial knowledge and cannot afford the services of a financial expert.
Luckily, I have just come across a socially responsible financial organisation in Abu Dhabi that recognises the impact of this type of situation on parents. The organisation is providing financial advice to the families of children enrolled in one of Abu Dhabi’s disability centres, as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.
After hearing about this, I wondered, “what if every bank and financial organisation in the UAE offered some financial planning advice to families with disabled children free of charge, as one way to give back to the community?”
One thing is certain – parents of such children would not be worrying as much as they do.
Such social issues have long interested me, and inspired an expedition to find interesting examples of providers in this area.
My search led me to Mary Anne Ehlert, the founder of Protectedtomorrows.com, a website based in the United States but tailored to an international audience.
Ms Ehlert has dedicated her life to creating a system for families of disabled children. Passion and personal experience led her to create the website.
The need to deal with financial planning for her disabled sister encouraged her to design a simple manual containing important financial information.
Since then, the site has grown to become a broad planning programme to benefit disabled people. Through Protectedtomorrows.com, Ms Elhert has realised that many families are of humble means.
She has created a computer program that costs US$129 (Dh473.80) to get started, plus an annual fee of $29. The program helps parents or care providers to think through all the decisions and planning needed on behalf of disabled children, such as who will be the future trustees or care providers, and what happens when one of the parents dies.
Given the increasing numbers of disabled children, there is a growing need for this kind of financial planning.
Autism, for instance, is one of the fastest growing developmental disorders in the world – and one that has no recognised cure. It heavily affects a child’s future and could break the bank for some families that cannot afford the cost of therapy.
Helping families to secure a financial future for disabled children does not necessarily entail that much. Any aid from financial organisations, whether it is assistance in creating a lifetime financial plan or offering free public financial advice seminars, can prove a boon.
After all, this is not only the parents’ responsibility, but also the community’s.
Manar Al Hinai is an Emirati fashion designer and writer. She can be followed on Twitter @manar_alhinai
A group of musicians with physical disabilities from Quezon City called “Rondalla on Wheels” will perform in Dumaguete City from May 25 to June 2, a press release from organizers said.
Rolando Villamero Jr., coordinator of the Great Physician Rehabilitation, said the week-long concert will showcase the talents of persons with disabilities.
Analou Suan, GPRehab executive director, said “We take pride in inviting ROW to Dumaguete City to raise the awareness of the community about the capabilities of PWDs, and to generate funds for GPRehab’s project CHILD or Caring Hands to Inspire and Link with Differently-Abled Children”.
A mini-concert will be held on May 27, 6 p.m., at Quezon Park. There will also be a presentation on May 30 in Bayawan City. On May 31 at 7 p.m., a major concert will be held at the Bethel Guest House, while a farewell performance is scheduled on June 1, 4:30 p.m., at the main atrium of Robinsons Place Dumaguete, the press release said.
Aside from the concerts, ROW will also be doing television and radio exposures, courtesy calls to local government officials, a field trip, and an interaction activity with PWDs in Dumaguete.
“We hope that our group will inspire Dumaguete City to be more accepting of PWDs, and will change the community’s negative perception towards disability, Richard Cepeda, a ROW member, said.
The ROW is a small orchestra with instruments like bandurias, octavinas, laud, guitars and contra-bass, as well as drums for rhythm. The music serves as therapy for the spiritual and creative formation of the ROW members outside their schooling during elementary and high school, the press release said.
The group has performed in various occasions in Metro Manila as well as northern and southern Philippines. It has also played in Europe, Japan and Hong Kong, the press release said.*
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Geneseo, N.Y. – While many young adults living with autism don’t have a college education, 23-year-old Dustin Fredericy is working towards just that.
“As I’ve gotten older, I have overcome my Autism, so I’ve become more sociable and confident,” Fredericy said.
Confidence he gained from the L.I.V.E.S. program, a program at SUNY Geneseo that helps those with mild to severe intellectual disabilities further their education and land a job.
“They have different needs than others,” said Kelly Keegan with the L.I.V.E.S. program. “We have to work with and we have found the need to be more specialized to better serve them so we can find them employment.”
Fredericy is a cashier at CVS and a volunteer firefighter.
“If you got a dream, go for it and don’t be scared to try it and do your best, don’t give up,” Fredericy said.
That’s something Bernadette Bhane lives by.
Bhane has Cerebral Palsy.
She was given a chance by Scott Miller Salon 14 years ago, where she still works today.
“I’ve been loved, and as a friend and as an employer, everyone I meet here is unbelievable, they really treat me like family,” Bhane said.
“What she brings to this place is so unusual and unique and at such a high level and it touches so many people, it’s worth the time,” Helen Miller, Co-Owner of Scott Miller Salon said.
Miller says Bhane’s energy can be felt right away when you walk in the room.
“She’s smiling and greeting everybody, where do you measure intelligence with that?” Miller asked.
Bhane has overcome so much, she recently became a mom, which she never thought was possible, proving there’s no limit to what you can do.
“You should always believe in yourself,” Bhane said.
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For a long time, whenever someone would ask me how I was managing to raise Andrew, our special needs child, and his younger brother Ian, who doesn’t have special needs, I would shrug my shoulders and respond that I’d gotten pretty good at living somewhere “in between their two worlds.”
Anytime I had to explain what it was like having a non-verbal child diagnosed with autism, epilepsy and cystic fibrosis, and a child diagnosed with, well, nothing, I painted a picture of two very distinct realities; realities I struggled to juggle simultaneously and attend to fairly.
It’s no surprise then that I was constantly exhausted.
There’s a huge learning curve in parenting, and there’s no exception when it comes to raising a child with special needs. While I thought I was respecting the uniqueness of each of my children by dividing my experiences as their mother into two very distinct journeys, by drawing that line and making those constant comparisons I was doing the very thing I wanted to prevent others from engaging in: segregating my sons. And not just in the outside world, but in my heart.
The great thing though about being willing to face your mistakes head on is the ability to learn from them. Eventually I realized I was doing myself and my boys a huge disservice by trying so hard to live in two separate realities.
First of all, trying to maintain that kind of way of life is not only impossible, it dilutes the experience of being fully present for each child and focuses constantly on all the ways that they’re different from one another – now, they are very different from one another, and that’s a beautiful thing when it doesn’t primarily come from a place of “Oh, Andrew can’t do this but Ian can.”
Which is where things were headed when I did an about-face.
Once I came to terms with what I was doing, I knew that if Ian had continued to witness his mom so blatantly categorizing her experiences with him and his brother, he would be destined to grow up to do the same.
So instead, I made a conscious decision to no longer reside in between two very different worlds, but exist right smack inside our own alternate universe, where my children’s strengths and weaknesses collide and create an environment filled with a kaleidoscope of parenting opportunities, a supernova of love and lasting memories.
See, once I put to rest the belief that I had to be these two very different moms – one version with Andrew and a completely different version with Ian – the day-to-day challenges of raising my children began to subside.
Now before you think I don’t know what the heck I’m talking about, let me be specific here; I’m not saying each child doesn’t need or deserve their own unique parenting style. Clearly what works for Ian won’t necessarily work for Andrew and vice versa. I make adjustments where necessary and my expectations for each child are also obviously different.
But my life with my children today is no longer defined by a fixed belief that I can’t coexist with them in one place where all of us make sense, a place where everyone brings something special to the table, a place that seats us all comfortably.
* * *
This Modified Life is a column by Jo Ashline for and about the families in Orange County living with special needs. Jo is a freelance writer and married mother of two. If you have a question for Jo or a suggestion for a topic, email her at ashline02@sbcglobal.net.
Read more from Jo Ashline:
ALBANY, N.Y., May 18, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –
Saturday, May 19th, 2012, 11:00 AM at Washington Park, Albany, NY
Local residents, companies, organizations and politicians are slated to come together for Easter Seals New York’s 4th Annual Walk With Me Albany event at Washington Park. The 2.5 mile family fun walk/run will raise funds for the Easter Seals New York programs for those with disabilities and other special needs at Camp Colonie in Cohoes, New York. Camp Colonie is a seven week-long summer camp that integrates special needs children with typically developing children to provide a positive learning and social experience for all involved.
CVS Caremark is the national premier sponsor, Amway is the national presenting sponsor, Century 21 is the national founding sponsor, and MassMutual is the regional sponsor for Easter Seals New York’s Walk With Me Albany event. Additional regional support comes from sponsors such as Wilson Elser, A.C.Moore Arts and Crafts, and Starbucks. In-kind donations of food, water, and other beverages will be provided by Chobani Yogurt, Kohl’s, New York State Fraternal Order of Police, Starbucks, Papa John’s, and Pepsi.
Each walker will have an opportunity to meet and walk with Easter Seals New York Honorary Ambassadors who are campers at Camp Colonie, as well as Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings who will also be in attendance. Camp Colonie has two program options that work together to help campers reach their highest potential and meet individual goals: a full day recreational camp program and a “School Without Walls” program. “School Without Walls” is the only State Department of Education certified program of its kind in New York, allowing Easter Seals New York to work with area school districts to serve students with disabilities in a camp setting along with their typically developing peers.
“Easter Seals New York is so grateful to all of our wonderful sponsors, board members, and supporters who have made Camp Colonie possible,” commented Richard Lauricella, Chairman of the Capital District Regional Board. “Their generosity has made it possible for children with disabilities or special needs to have a warm, fun, dynamic summer environment to play and learn in!”
Easter Seals New York’s mission is to provide exceptional services to ensure that all people with disabilities or special needs and their families have equal opportunity to live, learn, work and play in their communities. “Camp Colonie promotes recreation and learning in a nurturing and supportive environment that allows the campers to grow. It is an exceptional summer experience,” says John W. McGrath, MPA, Executive Director, Development, Easter Seals New York.
Easter Seals is the leading non-profit provider of services for individuals with autism, developmental disabilities, physical and mental disabilities, and other special needs. For over 90 years, we have been offering help and hope to children and adults living with disabilities, and to the families who love them. Last year, Easter Seals New York positively impacted the lives of 18,000 individuals throughout New York State.
For more information about Easter Seals New York or Walk With Me Albany, call (518) 456-0828 or visit
www.eastersealsny.org .
Contact:Kevin Mullen(518) 456-0828kmullen@eastersealsny.org
SOURCE Easter Seals New York
Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
Parents with children with disabilities have been urged not to hide them but take them to school. Speaking at the Kibarani Primary School in Kilifi yesterday after donating uniforms, Basiva Foundation goodwill ambassador Petro Schatz called on the parents not to stigmatise disabled children by denying them education. Schatz, who sponsors deaf pupils at the school, said: “Deaf children should be given priority in education so that they can get a way to interact with other children.”
She further urged the society to change their attitude towards the deaf and stop regarding them as unproductive people. She also called on the government to make plans so that deaf children could have their national exams set in a language they can easily understand. She argued that giving them the same exam with normal students would be challenging to them because they are mostly acquitted with the sign language.
According to the Kibarani for the deaf head teacher, Eric Salim Mramba is that the school has been performing poorly due to the language barrier. Mramba also called on the society to treat deaf people like any other so that they could create room for interaction. “People tend to think that deaf people get angry easily but it is because they always feel neglected” He said.
He called on all stake holders to support the school and called on the parents to make sure that they bring their kids to the learning institution. He however expressed concern that most parents regard their kids as bad omen. He complained that most parents do not care about the welfare of their kids once they bring them to the school. The school has a total number of 188 students where 96 are boys.
It’s a balmy spring evening and Deas Slough is dotted with rowers gliding along the water as rush hour traffic rumbles over a bridge nearby through the George Massey Tunnel.
In her single-person shell, novice rower Kiran Aujlay concentrates on her body position and rowing technique. With every stroke, she propels her boat further and further away from the dock where she’s left her wheelchair for the evening.
Aujlay is a paraplegic athlete who participates in Delta Deas Rowing Club’s new adaptive rowing program which gives people with physical and intellectual disabilities the opportunity to get out on the water.
With a few equipment modifications and some assistance transitioning from chair to boat, Aujlay is ready to row.
“I love it,” says the 30-year-old North Delta resident with a grin. “As you’re rowing out there, it’s very serene, very beautiful. And once you get going it’s a pretty fast sport.”
Rowing has also proven a great way to get cardiovascular exercise, which can be a challenge for those with mobility restrictions, Aujlay says.
“For people with physical disabilities, that’s a big thing, trying to figure out a way to get a workout and get the heart pumping.”
Opening new doors
An adaptive rowing program has been in the works for some time at Delta Deas Rowing Club, which already has successful junior and adult programs.
“It’s something that I’ve been wanting to do for years,” says Julie Stevens, club manager and adaptive rowing coach.
“Our infrastructure is so easy, it was just a natural fit,” she says, noting the club features an easily accessible, low dock with no stairs. “We’re a rowing club that can do this, so I thought why aren’t we?”
Last October, Aujlay and two other athletes came out for a trial run but, with winter approaching, the club shelved the idea until this spring.
So far, eight people have completed the club’s adaptive rowing course and two, including Aujlay, have signed up to be full club members.
Stevens says those interested in adaptive rowing should have some range of motion and a bit of core stability.
“We’ve got amputees that row, we’ve got paras (paraplegics) that row, we do have an autistic young man that’s just started,” she says.
Stevens adds the provincial sport organization Rowing B.C. is encouraging clubs to establish adaptive rowing programs and a few others are taking root across the Lower Mainland. The new program at Deas Island was made possible, in part, by grant money and a loaner boat courtesy of Rowing B.C. and Rowing Canada.
Shifting gears
Aujlay lost the use of her legs when she was injured in a car accident the day before her sixth birthday. She dabbled in wheelchair basketball as a teen, but there wasn’t much in the way of organized wheelchair sports in the southern Manitoba farming community where she grew up.
When her family moved to the West Coast near the end of high school, it opened up a whole new world of opportunity. Aujlay took up tennis, and later turned her attention to wheelchair racing—a sport which took her to international-level competition.
But a recent surgery—Aujlay had rods put in her back to correct scoliosis—slowed her down for a while.
“It was a really extensive surgery and unfortunately there were complications, so I ended up spending six weeks in ICU, and then six months in hospital,” she says. “I’m not the type of person who sits still for very long, so to be forced to do that was absolutely horrible.”
After the surgery, she could no longer participate in racing. At first she thought she would be OK, that perhaps athletics was just a phase in her life.
“But the more I gravitated away from sport, the more I realized that it was actually a part of who I was,” she says.
And so began the search for a new athletic endeavor.
“I’ve tried other sports since recovering from my surgery and nothing has really clicked with me as much as rowing has, so I’m pretty excited about it,” she says.
When it comes to equipment modifications, Aujlay uses a fixed seat, as opposed to a sliding seat. Her oars are shortened slightly, to lighten the load, and her shell has pontoons affixed to either side for added stability. Other than that, her equipment is essentially the same as that used by able-bodied rowers.
“It’s actually, I think, quite liberating for someone who has mobility restrictions to get out on the water and be able to do what everyone else is doing,” Aujlay says.
Athletes with vision impairment or an intellectual impairment will usually row in conventional boats that do not need modifications.
Worldwide exposure
Former Canadian Olympic rower Joy Fera, who was one of the founders of Delta Deas Rowing Club, says she is thrilled with the addition of the adaptive rowing program.
“Sports can be enjoyed to a great extent by those with disabilities,” says the Tsawwassen resident, adding that one of the legacies of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games held in Vancouver is an increased awareness of and respect for physically disabled athletes.
Adaptive events were added to the World Rowing Championships in 2002 and an intellectually disabled category was added in 2009. This summer, adaptive rowing will make its second Paralympic appearance at the London Olympics after debuting at the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games in Beijing, China.
Fera hopes the televised exposure will draw more attention to the sport.
“Hopefully they will show that coverage in Canada,” she says. “That should also inspire those that might be reluctant,” she adds, explaining some would-be adaptive rowers might be apprehensive about the water, depending on their ability to swim.
Fera gets out to the Delta Deas Rowing Club regularly and says she has enjoyed meeting some of the adaptive program participants.
“It’s just delightful to watch the progress being made by those learning,” she says.
Aujlay has only been out on the water a handful of times this season, but she’s quickly picking up the rowing lexicon, feeling her core muscles strengthen and becoming more comfortable putting her complete trust in the coaches—who keep her safety paramount.
“Every time that we go out, I personally feel more and more confident,” Aujlay says.
As the weather warms up, she plans to start rowing more frequently and looks forward to getting better—and faster.
“I would like to actually pursue this competitively,” she says. “But I’m still learning the ropes.”
HARRISBURG, Pa. –
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) A program that provides about $200 a month for disabled adults who can’t work is on Pennsylvania’s chopping block even as state lawmakers are using improving tax collections to reverse some of Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed budget cuts.
Corbett eliminated the $150 million General Assistance cash benefit in his $27.1 billion budget plan released in February. The rising cost of pensions and health care were partly to blame for cuts elsewhere.
Senators voted 39-8 last week for an alternative, $27.7 billion budget plan that also would eliminate the cash benefit while erasing some of Corbett’s proposed cuts for education, social services, health care, retailers and the race horse industry.
House Majority Leader Mike Turzai says the Senate’s headed in the right direction, but wouldn’t predict how the House will respond.
