tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53552552316476127842024-02-19T11:43:27.082-05:00Ability MaineAbility Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-75403932363727475912014-11-25T17:55:00.002-05:002014-11-25T17:59:46.609-05:00Why Maine's Human Rights Panel Ruled Correctly that Man with "Service Dog" Was Not Discriminated Againstby Sharon Wachsler<br />
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<a href="https://bangordailynews.com/2014/11/17/news/state/maine-rights-panel-rules-against-man-who-claimed-restaurant-discriminated-by-asking-for-proof-that-pit-bull-was-service-dog/">The Bangor Daily News reported last week that a Dennysville man's complaint of discrimination was not supported by the Maine Human Rights Commission panel that investigated the incident</a>. The issue arose when Kenneth Stanhope was asked by a manager at Helen's Restaurant in Machias for documents proving that his pit bull is a service dog.<br />
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BDN lays out the crux of the matter:<br />
<blockquote>
At question was whether Helen’s had asked questions of Stanhope that violated the Human Rights Act, which states that the only permissible questions to ask of a person who presents with a service animal are whether the animal is required because of a disability, and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Stanhope alleged that Helen’s manager had asked to see documentary proof that his pit bull, Sneg, was in fact a service animal, which an HRC investigator, Michele Dion, said was not allowed by the law. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
In its response, Helen’s Restaurant did not deny that documentation was requested, but said that Sneg had growled menacingly at one of the restaurant’s employees in the past, prompting the owner, who was not named in the investigator’s report, to question Stanhope. After Stanhope left the restaurant in frustration, the owner researched the state’s law and called Stanhope to apologize for asking for documentation.</blockquote>
As a member of the service dog community since 1998 and a service dog trainer, I applaud this ruling. The issue in the case of Steg, above, is not related to him being a pit bull. The issue is the dog's behavior.<br />
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A <a href="http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm">service dog is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)</a> as a dog that has been individually trained to mitigate the effects of the handler's disability by performing tasks or working. More and more disabled people are bringing dogs into the community and identifying them as service dogs. In many cases, these are service dogs. What their breed or perceived breed is, is irrelevant. It doesn't matter if they are pit bulls, German Shepherd Dogs, Labrador Retrievers, or Poodles. What is relevant is their temperament, comportment and level of training. There are many excellent, well-trained pit bull service dogs.<br />
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A serious problem is that some dogs that are being referred to or dressed as service dogs by their disabled owners are not actually service dogs. Some of these dogs may be well-behaved pets who have not been tasked trained to mitigate the effects of the handler's disability. Other dogs, whether they have been trained in assistance tasks or not, cannot be service dogs because the handler cannot keep them under control. A service dog cannot be a "reasonable accommodation" if its behavior is disruptive to the place of business.<br />
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Here's a section from the <a href="http://www.ada.gov/qasrvc.htm">Commonly Asked Questions page on service dogs from the Department of Justice</a>:<br />
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<b>10. Q: What if a service animal barks or growls at other people, or otherwise acts out of control?</b> </blockquote>
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<b></b>A: You may exclude any animal, including a service animal, from your facility when that animal's behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. For example, any service animal that displays vicious behavior towards other guests or customers may be excluded. You may not make assumptions, however, about how a particular animal is likely to behave based on your past experience with other animals. Each situation must be considered individually. </blockquote>
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Although a public accommodation may exclude any service animal that is out of control, it should give the individual with a disability who uses the service animal the option of continuing to enjoy its goods and services without having the service animal on the premises. </blockquote>
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<b>11. Q: Can I exclude an animal that doesn't really seem dangerous but is disruptive to my business?</b> </blockquote>
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<b></b>A: There may be a few circumstances when a public accommodation is not required to accommodate a service animal--that is, when doing so would result in a fundamental alteration to the nature of the business. Generally, this is not likely to occur in restaurants, hotels, retail stores, theaters, concert halls, and sports facilities. But when it does, for example, when a dog barks during a movie, the animal can be excluded.</blockquote>
<b>A dog that is aggressive or reactive or that otherwise interferes with the normal workings of the business with bad behavior is not a service dog and must be removed by their handler.</b> Further, unless this is an isolated episode -- such as the result of an acute medical problem that can be effectively treated and remediated -- this dog should not be asked to work in public again. Bringing a reactive or aggressive dog into public settings is not fair to the dog, the handler, or the public.<br />
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Unfortunately, many people don't know that aggression or other disruptive behavior (whining, howling, urinating, or defecating in a place of business) automatically strips the handler's right to access with that dog. The burden is on the handler, in these cases, to remove the dog, attempt to ameliorate any damage the dog may have done, and address the problem with the dog and/or the dog's veterinarian or trainer.<br />
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This is an area where perception of the law has not caught up with what the law actually requires. The case of "Steg" is all-too-exemplary; the handler filed a discrimination complaint even though he did not have access rights in this case, and some of the Human Rights Commission wanted to uphold his his so-called access rights to be accompanied by an aggressive dog.<br />
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For more information on this topic:<br />
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.nh.gov/disability/information/community/serviceanimals.htm">New Hampshire Governor's Commission on Disability "Service/Assistance Animals" page</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.iaadp.org/iaadp-minimum-training-standards-for-public-access.html">International Association of Assistance Dog Partner (IAADP)'s "Minimum Training Standards for Public Access</a>"</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm">ADA.gov revised (2011) definition of service animals under the ADA</a></li>
</ul>
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It behooves the disability community, including assistance dog activists and disability rights activists, to protect the rights of disabled handlers with trained service dogs. Part of this protection is to work against the culture of tolerance that allows disabled people to bring untrained or reactive dogs into public. I am hopeful that more rulings like the Maine Human Rights Panel's ruling will help clarify the legal access rights of disabled people accompanied by service dogs.Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-75527140743513003722014-11-25T16:50:00.000-05:002014-11-25T16:50:26.041-05:00Maine's Age Imbalance: Northern New England Has Nation's Oldest Population<a href="https://www.centralmaine.com/2014/11/18/maine-neighboring-states-confront-aging-challenges/">The Portland Press Herald recently reported, in "Maine, neighboring states confront aging challenges</a>," that Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont have the nation's oldest populations. Median age in Maine is the highest in the country at 44 years old. Vermont and New Hampshire are next at 42.5 and 42.3, respectively.<br />
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Economists say that if this imbalance is not corrected, it will result in higher labor costs, lower-quality education, and a poor-functioning state government. The article also addressed concerns around housing and long-term care:<br />
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Steve Norton, executive director of the New Hampshire Center of Public Policy Studies, noted that a dearth of two- and three-bedroom homes in his state is forcing young, first-time buyers to compete with empty-nesters who are downsizing.</blockquote>
Read the article: <a href="https://www.centralmaine.com/2014/11/18/maine-neighboring-states-confront-aging-challenges/">https://www.centralmaine.com/2014/11/18/maine-neighboring-states-confront-aging-challenges/</a>Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-69307437958877916482014-11-25T16:32:00.000-05:002014-11-25T16:32:57.647-05:00Charter Schools Preventing Education of Disabled StudentsFrom the MPBN (Maine's Public Broadcasting Network) site, "<a href="http://news.mpbn.net/post/are-nola-schools-failing-students-disabilities">Are NOLA Schools Failing Students with Disabilities?</a>"<br />
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Listen to or read the NPR story on the struggles of kids with disabilities and their families who are trying to get an education in New Orleans. The "all-charter landscape" in New Orleans is not serving kids with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities and health conditions:<br />
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"The needs of children with disabilities have been an afterthought in New Orleans' all-charter landscape," says parent and activist Karran Harper Royal. She once had high hopes that the charter revolution — with its focus on innovation and change — would mean good things for her two sons with disabilities. </blockquote>
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"I tell people I cannot believe I am longingly wishing for the old days of the Orleans Parish school system when it comes to children with special needs," she says. </blockquote>
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Four years ago, the Southern Poverty Law Center <a href="http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/news/splc-and-new-orleans-advocacy-groups-file-federal-lawsuit-against-the-louisiana-de">filed a lawsuit </a>on behalf of the city's special needs students citing the state's "systemic failures to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to educational services and are protected from discrimination." The case continues to drag on, to the point that the presiding federal judge recently ordered mediation and appointed another federal judge to help spur negotiations. </blockquote>
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"Right now we are seeing a lot of schools here that are simply unable to serve the most vulnerable and highest-need kids," says Joshua Perry, executive director of the <a href="http://www.laccr.org/">Louisiana Center for Children's Rights.</a> "Unfortunately it's too frequently that we find schools here for whom baseline compliance [with federal law] would be an improvement."
</blockquote>
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<a href="http://news.mpbn.net/post/are-nola-schools-failing-students-disabilities">Read the article or listen to the radio story here</a>.Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-51926904503416528902014-11-25T16:19:00.000-05:002014-11-25T16:19:35.919-05:00Links on Health and Exercise Topics for Disabled People<a href="http://www.ada.gov/medcare_ta.htm">Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Mobility Disabilities </a><br />
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<a href="https://www.disability.gov/resource/disability-govs-guide-health-information-resources/">Disability.gov’s Guide to Health Information and Resources</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.ehealthmedicare.com/about-medicare/disability/">Medicare Coverage if You're Disabled</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/smoking-in-adults.html">Cigarette Smoking Among Adults with Disabilities</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/obesity.html">Disability and Obesity</a><br />
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<a href="http://blog.intheswim.com/chronic-pain-relief-with-swimming-exercises/">Chronic Pain Relief with Swimming Exercises</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/chapter7.aspx">Physical Activity for People with Disabilities</a> -- Including cancer survivors, those with type 2 diabetes, and those with osteoarthritis<br />
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<a href="http://www.onlineloancalculator.org/resources/disabled-pedestrians.php">A Safety Guide for Disabled Pedestrians</a>Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-39128156459108959572014-11-25T15:51:00.004-05:002014-11-25T16:19:52.188-05:00Physical Activity/Exercise Resources for SeniorsSenior Health and Well-Being Resource Collection<br />
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According to the U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, inactive people are nearly twice as likely to develop heart disease as those who are more active. Despite the age-defying benefits of getting fit, seniors are the least physically active of all Americans—40 percent of women and 30 percent of men over 70 report that they never exercise. Explore the resources below to learn about the benefits of exercise, the dangers of inactivity, and helpful tips on getting started:<br />
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<a href="http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/exercise-physical-activity/introduction">Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging</a><br />
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<a href="http://blog.ehealthmedicare.com/2014/10/senior-fitness-exercise/">Senior Fitness: You’re Never Too Old to Exercise </a><br />
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<a href="http://www.helpguide.org/articles/exercise-fitness/exercise-and-fitness-as-you-age.htm">Exercise and Fitness as You Age</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/growingstronger/">Strength Training for Older Adults</a><br />
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<a href="http://blog.intheswim.com/health-aging-seniors-swimming/">Health & Aging: Seniors and Swimming </a><br />
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<a href="http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-disease-prevention-exercise">Heart Disease Prevention with Exercise </a><br />
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<a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20045206">Exercise: A Drug-Free Approach to Lowering High Blood Pressure </a><br />
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<a href="https://www.acls.net/stroke-information-and-resources.htm">Exercise and Stroke Prevention</a><br />
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Article: "<a href="http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2007/10/30/senior-citizens-need-to-work-out-too">Senior Citizens Need to Work Out, Too</a>"<br />
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<a href="http://nihseniorhealth.gov/exerciseforolderadults/healthbenefits/01.html">NIH Senior Health: "The Benefits of Exercise"</a>Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-69981681614895999172014-11-04T11:31:00.002-05:002014-11-04T11:31:15.401-05:00Resources on Voting with a Disability (Maine & US)<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">by Sharon Wachsler</span></h4>
<h4>
Support Voting Rights of Disabled People!</h4>
<i>"In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." - Martin Luther King, Jr.</i><br />
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<i>In honor of Election Day, here are links of interest on disability and voting. I hope everyone will vote today, unless you have already voted by absentee ballot.</i><br />
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Disability Justice has a "<a href="http://disabilityjustice.tpt.org/right-to-vote/">right to vote</a>" page that is chock full of terrific information! I highly recommend this site. It has several youtubes explaining different voting- and disability-related issues, as well as short blocks of text on these topics, lots of resource links and citations for further reading. A lot of it was surprising and informative to me (and I thought I already knew a lot about this topic, but there is a lot I didn't know!)<br />
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Topics of interest include "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zux-sTOhA0">ADA to Today</a>," about segregation and how people with developmental disabilities are denied the right to vote, "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU3v1AtK2g0">Constitutional Law & Voting Rights</a>," "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH46kge3m_U">Complexities of Voting Law</a>" references the Maine constitution specifically, "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2lsuZ1GzWI">Voting is a Fundamental Liberty Right</a>," "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlA-qZZ2Pb4">Stereotypes & Voter's Rights</a>," and a section on "Recent Challenges to State Restrictions on the Voting Rights of People with Developmental Disabilities," including the Maine decision of Doe v. Rowe, and the Help America Vote Act of 2002 See <a href="http://disabilityjustice.tpt.org/right-to-vote/">http://disabilityjustice.tpt.org/right-to-vote/</a><br />
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PDF <a href="http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/aging/voting/pdfs/tokaji.authcheckdam.pdf">Absentee Voting by People with Disabilities: Promoting Access and Integrity</a> by the American Bar Association.<br />
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Nonprofit Vote: National and state-by-state resources for "<a href="http://www.nonprofitvote.org/voting-with-a-disability/">voting with a disability</a>"<br />
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Disability Rights Center of Maine's PDF guide, "<a href="http://www.drcme.org/uploads/Voting_Rights_Guide_10.1.14.pdf">People with Disabilities VOTE! How to Vote and Your Rights in the Voting Process</a>." (Here's the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/disability.rights.center.maine">DRC Facebook page</a>, too.)<br />
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<a href="http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/oads/disability/ds/comm-cm/CM_Manual/rights-citizens-id.html">The Rights of Maine Citizens with Intellectual Disabilities</a> (at the Maine Health and Human Services site)<br />
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<a href="http://www.bazelon.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=7Cp83GrRVY0%3D&tabid=315">A Guide to the Voting Rights of People with Mental Disabilities</a> ("Vote. It's Your Right," by Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law)<br />
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<a href="http://www.ada.gov/ada_voting/ada_voting_ta.htm">The Americans with Disabilities Act and Other Federal Laws Protecting the Rights of Voters with Disabilities</a> by the Department of JusticeAbility Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-2383432034267143502014-11-04T10:27:00.000-05:002014-11-04T10:27:07.580-05:00VA Home Loans for Disabled Veterans<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<i>This post was contributed by <a href="https://www.vahomeloancenters.org/va-hlc-home-loan-info/">VA Home Loan Centers</a>.</i></div>
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Of the 22 million veterans currently living in this country are 5.5 million living with some form of disability. 3.4 million of these veterans sustained their disability as a result of service. 2.9 million veterans receive service-related compensation yearly. As a result of 12 continuous years of war, qualitative advancements in medical technology and the influx of severe burns and amputations, the post-2002 number of veterans with a 70 percent or higher disability rating has exponentially increased. Nearly 590,000 veterans have been assigned a disability rating of greater than 70 percent by the Department of Veterans Affairs.<u></u><u></u></div>
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The VA provides numerous benefits to military members who have sustained a service-related disability; many of these entitlements pertain to homeownership. The VA home loan allows for qualified applicants to receive housing adaptation grants. The Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) and the Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) grants enable owner occupied homes to be modified to the specific needs of the individual. The SAH grant as stated by the VA is to be used to “create a barrier free environment.” This grant is designed to make a home more wheelchair accessible. The SHA grant was tailor-made to assist veteran homeowners who have suffered reduced vision or blindness create a safer more inhabitable living space. Redeemable for $67,555 (SAH) and $13,511 (SHA), these grants can be used to customize already owned homes or homes being purchased. Examples of allowable adaptations include but are not limited to:<u></u><u></u></div>
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• Added Ramps<u></u><u></u></div>
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• Added Stair Lifts<u></u><u></u></div>
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• Specialized bathroom fixtures, toilets and baths<u></u><u></u></div>
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• Increased storage space<u></u><u></u></div>
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• Added stair rails<u></u><u></u></div>
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• Added outdoor lighting<u></u><u></u></div>
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• Paving/adding wheelchair paths<u></u><u></u></div>
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Furthermore, these adaptations are applicable to the home of a family member if the loan applicant makes the home their primary residence. Eligibility for these grants is based on the severity of the individual’s disability. Representing an additional cost savings benefit is that the VA home loan funding fee is waived for disabled veterans. In qualifying for a VA home loan, an applicant can use their disability compensation to meet income standards.<u></u><u></u></div>
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For veterans, disabled or able-bodied, no better option exists in aiding in the attainment of home buying than the VA Home Loan. For more information, visit vahomeloancenters.org or the <a href="https://www.vahomeloancenters.org/va-hlc-home-loan-info/">VA HLC Home Loan Information page</a>.</div>
Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-79317167342497706892014-10-28T14:59:00.001-04:002014-10-28T14:59:52.701-04:00Short Stories & Essays in Breath & Shadow Disability Literary Journal<div class="tr_bq">
The Fall 2014 edition of <a href="http://abilitymaine.org/breath/index.html">Breath & Shadow</a>, <a href="http://abilitymaine.org/">Ability Maine</a>'s journal of disability literature is out! It features short fiction by Stacye Cline-Robinson and Lela Marie De La Garza.</div>
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There's also a delicious three-part essay on experiences relating to being a low-vision musician and singer by <a href="http://areyouseeingthis.wordpress.com/">Emily K. Michael</a>. Here's an excerpt from the third section of "Sight and Singing":<br />
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<blockquote>
One year ago, I reclaimed my place on the risers next to 60 singing women. I had been absent from this chorus for six years, singing where I could - in college chorales, with friends, at karaoke nights on campus, and, once, with a talented jazz combo in St. Augustine. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Now that I'm back with my chorus, I have the chance to improve many aspects of my singing technique, and my favorite methods incorporate tactile elements. During rehearsal, one director asks us to turn to the left and place our hands on the belly of the singer in front of us. We should feel movement in the singer's abdomen if she is breathing correctly. One hand rests gently against the singer's ribcage while the other presses her belly - and, sure enough, her breathing pushes both hands forward. Our exercises include a plethora of breathing sounds, routines of sh sh, hee hee, ff ff, ts ts. Hands on each other’s bellies and ribs, we complete the routines with fierce concentration - until a singer murmurs, "Get ready, the baby's coming!"</blockquote>
Read the read of Emily K. Michael's essay, as well as the two short stories, at <a href="http://abilitymaine.org/breath/index.html">Breath & Shadow</a>.Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-61017911610764565512014-10-28T14:21:00.000-04:002014-10-28T14:21:07.127-04:00New Disability-Inspired Poetry at Breath & Shadow!<a href="http://abilitymaine.org/breath/index.html">Breath & Shadow, the disability literary journal</a> produced by <a href="http://abilitymaine.org/">Ability Maine</a>, has its Fall 2014 issue out now!<br />
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This edition features poetry by <a href="https://twitter.com/JayJayGenocide">Jenna-Nichole Conrad</a>, <a href="http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A29833?mainTabTemplate=agentWorksBy">Mark Cornell</a>, <a href="http://saore.blogspot.com/">Sergio Ortiz</a>, and <a href="http://gnawingthebone.wordpress.com/author/raudkennedy/">Raud Kennedy</a>.<br />
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Here's an excerpt from "Define Me," a poem by Jenna-Nichole Conrad to whet your appetite:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.1999998092651px;">...</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">And here is the poet, pen-stained</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; widows: 2;">And naked in her thoughts. She has planted</span><br style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; widows: 2;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; widows: 2;">A garden in her armchair;</span><br style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; widows: 2;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; widows: 2;">It is time to harvest</span><br />
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To read her other poem, and the other poems published this month, please visit <a href="http://abilitymaine.org/breath/index.html">Breath & Shadow</a>!Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-86462422607235844442014-10-28T13:44:00.000-04:002014-10-28T13:44:10.145-04:00Autoimmune Disease LinksNote: Information in Ability Maine blog posts, website articles, Facebook or Twitter posts should not be construed as an endorsement or recommendation about organizations, agencies, companies, products, and services. We share these resources for informational purposes only. Always do your own research on any product, company, organization, or service!<br />
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Here are a bunch of links to websites relating to autoimmune disease.<br />
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<a href="http://www.lifescript.com/doctor-directory/condition/a-autoimmune-disease-me.aspx">Doctors in Maine who diagnose or treat autoimmune diseases</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.cmrg.com/display_company.cgi?company_id=116857&final_cat1=&final_cat2=&final_cat3=&final_cat4=&from_index=Y">Autoimmune disease management at Maine Medical Center</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/autoimmune-diseases.html">Women's Health.gov Autoimmune Diseases Fact Sheet</a><br />
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<a href="http://blog.delimmune.com/2014/07/autoimmune-disease-guide/">The Comprehensive Guide to Autoimmune Disorders and Autoimmunity</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.aarda.org/">AARDA -- American Autoimmune and Related Diseases Association</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.aarda.org/autoimmune-information/autoimmune-disease-in-women/">AARDA on Autoimmune Disease in Women</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.ifautoimmunearthritis.org/">International Foundation for Autoimmune Arthritis</a><br />
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<a href="http://blog.intheswim.com/arthritis-swimming/">Arthritis and the Benefits of Swimming</a><br />
<br />Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-89003129023452111522014-10-27T18:00:00.002-04:002014-10-27T18:00:12.194-04:00Maine Agrability Supports Farmer with Physical and Emotional Disabilitiesby Sharon Wachsler<br />
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Having experienced the physical and mental healing benefits of working with animals and being outdoors, I'm particularly eager to share the story that WABI TV ran on Winterport goat and chicken farmer, Che Sweetland. Sweetland owns <a href="http://gentlemeadowgoatfarm.com/">Gentle Meadow Goat Farm</a>.<br />
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"<a href="http://wabi.tv/2014/08/18/umaine-program-helps-farmers-disabilities/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=umaine-program-helps-farmers-disabilities">UMaine Program Helps Farmers with Disabilities</a>" tells Sweetland's story:<br />
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<blockquote>
“In 2010, I started having problems with PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety, where I found that I was not choosing to leave my house as much as I should.”
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<blockquote>
Che Sweetland acquired some chickens as a therapeutic tool. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
“To make it so I had to leave my house once a day to take care of the chickens,” she explains. “And when I realized that my body and my emotions really liked the farming lifestyle, I ended up getting some goats.”
</blockquote>
<a href="http://wabi.tv/2014/08/18/umaine-program-helps-farmers-disabilities/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=umaine-program-helps-farmers-disabilities">Both the text of the story a video of the news clip are online</a>. (It is not an autoplay; you click on the video player to view or listen to the story.) There are lots of fun sounds and sights of happy chickens and goats, as well as Sweetland's story of creativity and ingenuity in creating a rich life following years of trauma.<br />
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The WABI story also shows how the UMaine Cooperative Extension School can help disabled Maine farmers continue farming. Because Sweetland has back and neck issues that were interfering with farmwork, she contacted them and got help setting up an ergonomic milking station and other assistance:<br />
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“Maine Agrability is a state-wide program that helps farmers with disabilities or chronic illnesses keeping farming,” explains Richard Brzozowski, an agriculture extension educator. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It started four years ago through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The idea is to provide those in agriculture as well as future farmers with informational tools. The program is also available to veterans and will soon be reaching out to those in the aquaculture and logging industries.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“You don’t look at the disability part,” explains Brzozowski, “you think of what they can do, the ability part.” </blockquote>
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<a href="http://wabi.tv/2014/08/18/umaine-program-helps-farmers-disabilities/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=umaine-program-helps-farmers-disabilities">To view or read the complete story, click here</a>. More information on the Maine Agrability program at <a href="http://umaine.edu/agrability/">umaine.edu/agrability</a> or at 800-287-1471. To order goat milk soap, visit <a href="http://www.gentlemeadowgoatfarm.com/">Gentle Meadow Goat Farm</a>.<br />
<br />Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-5287147933496932042014-10-24T09:20:00.000-04:002014-10-24T09:20:36.367-04:00BDN Profiles Brewer Couple on How Benefit Systems Keep Disabled ImpoverishedThe Bangor Daily News recently ran an excellent article profiling a Brewer couple who explain how state and federal policies affected disabled people and how many policies keep people impoverished. The article -- <a href="https://bangordailynews.com/2014/08/29/opinion/contributors/social-security-is-not-the-way-to-live-maine-couple-talks-growing-older-living-with-disability/?ref=comments">'Social Security is not the way to live': Maine couple talks growing older, living with disability</a> -- is part of an interesting new BDN article series:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In this monthly series, the authors will introduce you to people who are apt to be your neighbors, are struggling to make ends meet and have been affected by specific state policies.</blockquote>
In the August edition of this series, Sandy Butler interviews an Claire El-Hajj and Lonnie El-Hajj. Claire has MS. Lonnie is a stroke survivor. Both went on SSDI in the 40s. The article details how lots of seemingly small things -- medication co-pays, wheelchair repair, a malfunctioning freezer -- add up to keep them in a constant state of financial stress and unpredictability. And how getting married severely adversely affected their livelihood:<br />
<blockquote>
Claire and Lonnie’s marriage has led to some loss of services for Lonnie. His Social Security Disability Insurance check is just over $800 per month....<br />
Prior to his marriage to Claire, he was eligible for Medicaid (MaineCare), Section 8 housing and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps. He also received some personal care assistance and help with transportation.<br />
Lonnie and Claire’s combined annual income puts them just over the income limit to receive any means-tested benefits or services. They live together in the Brewer apartment Claire has lived in since she left her house.</blockquote>
The article ends with a reminder to readers to consider what effect privatizing Social Security would have on people such as the El-Hajjs. <a href="https://bangordailynews.com/2014/08/29/opinion/contributors/social-security-is-not-the-way-to-live-maine-couple-talks-growing-older-living-with-disability/?ref=comments">Read the complete article</a>.Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-50262623803970915672014-10-24T08:45:00.000-04:002014-10-24T08:45:31.232-04:00Maine Independent Living Commission Formed by Maine LawmakersMaine Public Broadcasting Network <a href="http://news.mpbn.net/post/maine-panel-helping-disabled-live-independently-starts-work">reports on a new state Commission on Independent Living and Disability</a> formed earlier this month:<br />
<blockquote>
Rep. Matt Peterson, a Rumford Democrat, sponsored the legislation creating the state Commission ... and he co-chairs the group.<br />
"Technology, architecture, personal assistants - these are the major barriers and the ones we hope to tackle with some really specific initiatives," Peterson says.</blockquote>
For more information on this "Blue Ribbon" commission, see the short <a href="http://news.mpbn.net/post/maine-panel-helping-disabled-live-independently-starts-work">MPBN article</a>, <a href="http://www.mainehousing.org/about/legislative-actions">MaineHousing.org's legislative action page</a>, or read the <a href="http://www.mainelegislature.org/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280051288">bill summary at MaineLegislature.org</a>.Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-74777479866029114562014-10-21T12:48:00.000-04:002014-10-21T12:48:20.721-04:00Talkitt Speech App for People with Speech DisabilitiesBy Sharon Wachsler<br />
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According to the <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/talkitt-this-is-my-voice">Talkitt Indigogo site</a>, one-and-a-half of the world's population has a speech disability, including people with ALS (amytrophic lateral sclerosis), Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, stroke and other brain injuries, autism, and more. I had a speech disability for several years due to chronic Lyme disease, and I would have loved something like Talkitt!<br />
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Talkitt is a unique speech recognition app. It learns the patterns of the user's voice, and then re-speaks what they said in standard language so that others can understand. The Indigogo page says it can be used with any language ("French, Chinese, Klingon")! More from the site:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In the immediate future, Talkitt will run on any smartphone or tablet. Later, Talkitt will run on PCs, laptops and wearable devices allowing the person to speak freely with anyone, anywhere and anytime. </blockquote>
For more information, check out the <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/talkitt-this-is-my-voice">Talkitt This Is My Voice page on Indiegogo</a>.Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-6087165387017829682014-10-21T12:34:00.000-04:002014-10-21T12:34:23.565-04:00Sensory-Friendly and Fun Costumes for Kids with DisabilitiesHalloween is coming up, and Partners for Youth with Disabilities has a terrific post on <a href="http://www.pyd.org/blog/halloween-costumes-disabilities-accessible-inclusive/">Spooktacular Costumes for Kids with Disabilities</a>! There are tips for buying costumes, but many more for DIY and costumes on a budget.<br />
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The site includes lots of fun pictures of kids in great costumes, including a Dr. Who with TARDIS wheelchair and a giraffe whose front legs are her crutches! Check it out: <a href="http://www.pyd.org/blog/halloween-costumes-disabilities-accessible-inclusive/">http://www.pyd.org/blog/halloween-costumes-disabilities-accessible-inclusive/</a>Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-85294959011111089422014-10-21T11:59:00.002-04:002014-10-21T12:16:41.493-04:00College Resources for Students with DisabilitiesBestcolleges.com has a new page devoted to <a href="http://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/disabled-students/">College Resources for Students with Disabilities</a>. It's a good basic guide to legal rights, campus life, and many resource links on disability and college life. <br />
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Its legal focus is Section 504 of the Rehab Act, but it also covers the ADA, IDEA, and the Assistive Technology Act. It gives general tips on finding a college and getting set up as a student.<br />
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There are sets of links to websites, apps, and software for Deaf/hard of hearing, visual impairments, physical impairments, autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, and dyslexia. More info: <a href="http://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/disabled-students/">http://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/disabled-students/</a><br />
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For a list of colleges in Maine (not relating to disability), see <a href="http://www.onlinecollegesdatabase.org/online-colleges-in-maine/">Online Colleges in Maine: Universities & Community Colleges</a>.Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-84497609112772657302014-10-13T18:08:00.002-04:002014-10-13T18:08:35.888-04:00Richmond man did not receive reasonable accommodate in eldercare housingCentralMaine.com reports in "<a href="http://www.centralmaine.com/2014/08/12/richmond-eldercare-home-faulted-by-human-rights-panel/">Richmond Eldercare home faulted by human rights panel</a>" that the Maine Human Rights Commission voted in August that James Nichols of Biddeford was discriminated against when he was discharged from Richmond Eldercare Coalition housing instead of provided an accommodation to his disability.<br />
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According to the newspaper report, Nichols, who has PTSD and other disabilities and is a recovering alcoholic<br />
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was moved involuntarily to a different room at the home after living there a month, and the change triggered his post-traumatic stress disorder since the new roommate could drink alcohol and kept open containers of urine in the room. </blockquote>
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The report says Nichols told Gibbs the new living situation was “going badly” and he later told others he felt unsafe.</blockquote>
After a hospitalization, Nichols needed to be in a different room or with a different roommate. Other residents were not asked if they were willing to room with him. Instead, Nichols returned to the hospital for several weeks.<br />
<br />Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-52119906995334579332014-10-13T17:45:00.000-04:002014-10-13T17:45:27.802-04:00Smithfield, Oct 24, Therapeutic Horsemanship Exhibit for Veteransby Sharon Wachsler<br />
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Today I came across a story in CentralMaine.com that I think is an exciting opportunity for veterans or anyone with a disability or chronic health condition in the Farmington area who enjoys animals, especially horses. The article is entitled, <a href="http://www.centralmaine.com/2014/10/07/maine-agrability-to-sponsor-therapeutic-horsemanship-demonstration-for-veterans-oct-24/">Maine AgrAbility to sponsor therapeutic-horsemanship demonstration for veterans Oct. 24</a>. Having benefited from horse-assisted therapy, myself, I am excited to pass along this posting and hope those who read it will share it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.agrability.org/">The AgrAbility Project</a> is a national organization sponsored by the USDA that, according to its website, seeks to<br />
<blockquote>
enhance quality of life for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities. While the term "disability" often brings to mind conditions such as spinal cord injuries and amputations, AgrAbility addresses not only these but also many other conditions, such as arthritis, back impairments, and behavioral health issues.</blockquote>
<b>The demonstration will take place at <a href="http://www.thistle-ridge.com/">Thistle Ridge Equestrian Centre</a>, 1289 Village Road, Smithfield from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24.</b> The presenter for the demo is Charmaine Bouford, certified rehabilitation counselor for SpiritHorse Therapeutic Center and a registered therapeutic riding instructor.<br />
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<b>The presentation is free to veterans.</b> Non-veterans are asked to donate $20 in support of Thistle Ridge programs. For more information on the therapeutic horsemanship exhibition or to request a disability accommodation, contact Lani Carlson at UMaine Cooperative Extension at 207.944.1533 or 800.287.1471.<br />
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<a href="http://umaine.edu/agrability/category/news/">UMaine Cooperative Extension partners with Maine AgrAbility</a> to work with farmers, farm workers and farm family members with a chronic health condition or disability.<br />
<br />Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-32335114919032159532014-10-13T16:41:00.000-04:002014-10-13T16:41:14.643-04:00Disability Rights Center facing criticism for not protecting abused Riverview patientRiverview Psychiatric Center is in the news again. This time the woman assaulted there was a patient, not a staffer.<br />
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An October 8, <a href="http://www.pressherald.com/2014/10/08/patient-advocacy-group-kept-abuse-case-at-riverview-secret-for-months/">Portland Press Herald story blames Maine's Disability Rights Center for not taking faster and more decisive action when a Riverview patient was abused by staff</a>:<br />
<blockquote>
The Disability Rights Center’s failure to immediately notify Adult Protective Services let down the abuse victim, critics said. </blockquote>
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“To just not report it because they could not urge others to do so is unacceptable,” said Rep. Richard Farnsworth, D-Portland, chair of the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee. “This report should have been made within 48 hours.” </blockquote>
<blockquote>
On Dec. 2, a corrections officer pepper-sprayed a nude patient who was in her room and not threatening employees, and then restrained her for hours afterward. The incident was kept secret until a former Riverview nurse reported the abuse to Adult Protective Services in late February. The state immediately investigated and concluded that abuse had occurred. One Riverview employee was fired as a result of the incident, and a contract worker was no longer allowed on Riverview grounds.</blockquote>
The article quotes Helen Bailey, a lawyer at DRC, saying they were working to try to get the hospital to take action on the patient's behalf so that hospital administrators would learn better how to handle such issues.
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Bailey said it is counterproductive for her group to report abuse when it is the hospital’s legal duty to do so. </blockquote>
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“If we do it for (Riverview), then they don’t learn how to do it themselves,” Bailey said. “They don’t get the point that these events are abuse if we do it for them.”</blockquote>
Read the complete article:
<a href="http://www.pressherald.com/2014/10/08/patient-advocacy-group-kept-abuse-case-at-riverview-secret-for-months/">Patient advocacy group slow to report abuse case at Maine’s Riverview Hospital</a>
Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-64961889752296612732014-10-13T16:19:00.000-04:002014-10-13T16:19:05.303-04:00Texas Governor's Race Pits One Wheelchair Image Against Another<div class="tr_bq">
Wendy Davis is the Democrat running for governor of Texas. She's a nondisabled woman running against Attorney General Greg Abbott, a Republican man who uses a wheelchair. This race has been chock full of politics-as-usual and politics-as-unusual where both candidates are trying to figure out how best to use or ignore Abbott's physical disability.</div>
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Bloomberg Politics posted an article today entitled, "<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2014-10-13/everybody-hates-the-new-wendy-davis-ad-that-doesnt-mean-its-a-failure">Everybody Hates the New Wendy Davis Ad. That doesn't mean it's a failure.</a>" It includes the ad as well as ads from the Abbott camp that focus on his disability.<br />
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Abbott has put his disability front and center in several of his ads during this race.<br />
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Davis at first tried to avoid mention of Abbott's disability, especially when lambasted for using the campaign slogan, "Stand with Wendy." Now Davis is making use Abbott's disability to point out that just because he understands what it's like to be victimized due to disability and circumstance does not necessarily mean he supports others in this situation.<br />
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There are a slew of articles on this topic! If you just can't enough of it, here are a few links:<br />
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<a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/13/wendy-davis-defends-greg-abbott-wheelchair-ad/">Washington Times: Wendy Davis Defends Greg Abbott 'Wheelchair Ad</a>'<br />
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<a href="http://time.com/3491498/wendy-davis-greg-abbott-wheelchair/">Time Magazine: Wendy Davis Wins the Prize for Most Ill-Advised Political Ad of 2014</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/10/13/blowback-continues-after-texas-candidate-wendy-davis-ad-uses-wheelchair-to/">Fox News: Wendy Davis defends 'wheelchair' ad criticizing paralyzed opponent</a><br />
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The Fox article includes information about what Davis said in the face of this criticism:<br />
<blockquote>
The Democratic nominee, who was flanked by disability rights activists -- including two people in wheelchairs -- at a Fort Worth news conference, claimed the ad was designed to portray Abbott as someone who worked against the disabled. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Asked by a reporter if the ad exploits Abbott’s disability, Davis said, “This ad is about one thing. And one thing only. It’s about Greg Abbott’s hypocrisy.”</blockquote>
View Davis's ad, as well as Abbott's ads that feature his disability, in <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2014-10-13/everybody-hates-the-new-wendy-davis-ad-that-doesnt-mean-its-a-failure">the Bloomberg article</a>.Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-47853905313153507842014-10-13T15:41:00.000-04:002014-10-13T15:41:15.783-04:00High Rates of Disability Among Recent VeteransAn article entitled, "<a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/10/government-disability-payments-skyrocketing-despit/">Government disability payments skyrocketing despite fewer veterans" appeared in the Washington Times</a> in August.<br />
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Representative Michael Michaud, a Maine Democrat candidate for governor and ranking member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committed, was mentioned in the article. The article indicated Michaud "requested the CBO report to examine how to minimize the skyrocketing costs of disability payments, according to a committee staffer."<br />
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Veterans from recent wars have higher rates of disabilities than previous wars' disabled veterans. Reasons for high rates of disabilities among veterans include multiple deployments, high rates of mental illness, the older age of reservists called to active duty, and injuries from environmental dangers, such as burn pits.Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-54180603303133314692014-10-13T15:10:00.000-04:002014-10-13T15:13:52.646-04:00Back in the Maine Stream: Taking Disabled Vets FishingAre you a disabled veteran in Maine who likes fishing? You have company!<br />
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In July, the <a href="http://www.pressherald.com/2014/07/27/in-from-the-outdoors-fishing-support-group-helps-maine-disabled-veterans-cope/">Portland Press Herald ran an interview with Marc Bilodeau and Bob Pelletier</a>, the leaders of <a href="http://www.fairpoint.net/~hamma/Pics/BITMS.htm">Back in the Maine Stream</a>, an outdoor support group for disabled veterans. Bilodeau and Pelletier are themselves disabled veterans who like to fish. The group provides peer support to veterans who have returned home to Maine:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Both men love to fish. This year alone, they have organized 12 donated fishing trips to their group of Maine veterans, which now numbers 50. The group’s mission statement promises they will “improve the participant’s physical, social and emotional well being through fishing activities and outings. We believe veterans helping veterans improves all of our abilities, physical and emotional.”
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<a href="http://www.uofmhealth.org/news/archive/201409/walking-depression-and-beating-stress-outdoors-nature-group">Studies show that any time outdoors improves mental health</a>. The comments of the vets leading this initiative seem to show that this is the case with their fishing expeditions, too:<strong><br /></strong>
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<blockquote>
<strong>What’s most striking about the work you do with other disabled veterans?</strong></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<strong>MARC:</strong> It’s interesting the difference you see on these fishing trips. People come in and you see their attitude change. They will come in grumpy and leave happy. Something happens. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<strong>BOB:</strong> You’ve got guys with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, with brain injuries, guys who are visually impaired. We get them fishing and none of that pertains.<br />
We had one gal join us, I won’t use her name. She is one tough cookie. No one goes near her. She came up to me after one trip and said, ‘Get your camera ready.’ Then she came up and gave me a hug.</blockquote>
<a href="http://www.fairpoint.net/~hamma/Pics/BITMS.htm">Back in the Maine Stream has a website</a> with pictures of trips, upcoming activities, and other resources of interest to disabled veterans in Maine.Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-57609416849644033742014-05-26T11:10:00.000-04:002014-05-26T11:10:13.333-04:00MaineShare Celebrates 25th AnniversaryTwenty-five years ago, <a href="http://resourcesforsocialchange.org/">ROSC (Resources for Organizing and Social Change</a>), Ability Maine's parent organization, helped start <a href="http://www.maineshare.org/">MaineShare</a>. Actually, at the time, ROSC was called INVERT -- Institute for Nonviolence, Education, Research, and Training.<br />
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But never mind the alphabet soup! The scoop is that, in 1988, the people who now help bring you this blog and other Ability Maine content helped bring about a "<a href="http://www.maineshare.org/">social action fund" in Maine that came to be called MaineShare</a>. (<a href="http://www.maineshare.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28&Itemid=35">Read more about MaineShare's history</a>.)<br />
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According to their website, MaineShare's mission is<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
To provide significant support to organizations doing progressive social justice and root cause work in Maine and to raise public awareness of their work</blockquote>
<a href="http://www.maineshare.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=53&Itemid=60">MaineShare provides financial support for over 40 Maine organizations in five categories</a>: economic opportunity and human development, human services and health education, cultural diversity and the arts, the environment, and social justice and peace. ROSC is one of these organizations.<br />
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On June 17 at 5:30 P.M., MaineShare is having a celebration of its 25 years in existence. To find out more about the event, <a href="http://www.maineshare.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=30">visit the 25th Anniversary page on the MaineShare site</a>.<br />
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Larry Dansinger, one of the founders of ROSC (and therefore of MaineShare), urges ROSC members to attend the anniversary celebration, whatever your income or financial resources:<br />
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I have also been assured that the cost is sliding scale, not a firm $25 for everyone, meaning that you can pay less than or more than $25 also. So, please come if you can, whatever you can pay. </blockquote>
Hope to see you there!<br />
<br />Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-78628863240253733202014-05-26T10:31:00.001-04:002014-05-26T10:31:22.202-04:00Tick-Borne Disease on Rise in Maineby Sharon Wachsler<br />
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On May 1, 2014, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services issued a report, [PDF] <a href="http://statedocs.maine.gov/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1051&context=mecdc_docs">Maine Public Health Alert: 2014 Lyme Disease Information</a>, which provides information and resources on tick-borne disease in Maine. The document provides good information and links in some respects, and in other respects falls short of what Mainers -- and, more importantly, the health care providers of Maine, need to know about tick-borne disease.<br />
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The report starts by announcing that May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Maine and states that Lyme disease cases have been on the rise in Maine, and that the state expects that increase to continue. In fact, new cases of Lyme have already been reported in 2014, and the state expects that number to increase as the weather warms up. Last year, a record high of over 1,375 cases were reported, with incidence in every county. The state expects the number to be even higher this year.<br />
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The report gives information about how to properly remove ticks and urges people who remove ticks from themselves to save and send the ticks to the <a href="http://extension.umaine.edu/ipm/tickid/submit/">University of Maine Cooperative Extension Tick Identification Lab</a>. The <a href="http://extension.umaine.edu/ipm/tickid/submit/">Tick ID Lab</a> will let the person know what kind of tick it was, if it was engorged (had been feeding long enough to transmit disease), and if it carried the bacteria for Lyme disease. The cost for submitting a tick is ten dollars.<br />
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The report also warns that the tick-borne diseases, babesiosis and anaplasmosis, are on the rise in Maine, as well, and that testing or treating for Lyme disease is not sufficient if other infections are present.<br />
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The document urges citizens to report cases of Lyme to the state:<br />
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Lyme disease is a reportable condition in the state of Maine. Report all diagnosed erythema migrans rashes and all positive lab diagnoses. Cases can be reported by fax at 1-800-293-7534 or by phone at 1-800-821-5821.</blockquote>
All the above information is useful, and I urge Mainers to make note of it. Some additional information that the guide does not cover is below.<br />
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The guide refers several times to other tick-borne diseases reported in the state, but specifies only <a href="http://www.lymedisease.org/lyme101/coinfections/babesia.html">babesiosis</a>, <a href="http://www.aldf.com/Anaplasmosis.shtml">anaplasmosis</a>, and <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/powassan/faqs.html">powassan</a>, possibly because these diseases were all reported to the state last year -- with multiple cases of babesia and anaplasma infections. Passing reference is made to <a href="http://www.aldf.com/RMSF.shtml">Rocky Mountain spotted fever</a> and ehrlichia, but no mention is made of <a href="http://www.lymedisease.org/lyme101/coinfections/bartonella.html">bartonellosis, another common tick-borne infection</a>. Mainers should be aware that the microbes that carry babesia, anaplasma, bartonella, and <a href="http://www.aldf.com/Ehrlichiosis.shtml">ehrlichia</a> are present in both deer ticks and dog ticks, and that if tick-borne disease is suspected, it is important to consider the possibility of <a href="http://www.aldf.com/majorTick.shtml">multiple infections, sometimes referred to as "coinfections</a>."<br />
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The guide also refers exclusively to the <a href="http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/43/9/1089.full">Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) diagnostic and treatment guidelines</a>. Unfortunately, IDSA guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne disease are woefully inadequate and contribute to the misdiagnosis and undertreatment of tick-borne disease in the United States. Mainers -- especially Maine health care providers -- who want a more comprehensive assessment, diagnostic, and treatment approach to tick-borne disease may wish to use the <a href="http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/treatment_guidelines.html">International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) guidelines</a>, instead.<br />
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The Maine guide also falls down when explaining about how to diagnose Lyme. For example, it does not explain to readers that <a href="http://www.lymedisease.org/lyme101/lyme_disease/lyme_diagnosis.html">diagnosis of Lyme disease does not require a positive blood test</a>. A blood test is NOT required to diagnose Lyme disease. Anyone with an <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs_symptoms/">erythema migrans</a>, the rash often associated with Lyme, should be diagnosed with Lyme; a blood test is unnecessary in this case.<br />
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Further, laboratory tests -- especially the two-tier testing the Maine guide recommends -- are notoriously inaccurate for tick-borne disease, <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/emerging-diseases/200902/disappearing-disease-when-guidelines-lack-balance-patients-suffer">frequently showing false negatives</a> (saying the patient does not have the disease when they actually do). If a patient or doctor want a somewhat more reliable Lyme or other tick-borne disease test, a lab that specializes in tick-borne disease testing is preferable. In the US, the two options are <a href="http://www.clongen.com/">Clongen Laboratories</a> or <a href="http://www.igenex.com/Website/">IGeneX Reference Laboratory</a>.<br />
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The guide also does not refer doctors or patients to Maine's own Lyme disease organization, <a href="http://www.mainelyme.org/">MaineLyme</a>. MaineLyme is a nonprofit organization devoted to decreasing cases of tick-borne disease in Maine through awareness, prevention, education, and advocacy. MaineLyme's website provides information on Lyme disease in people and animals, prevention, and patient support.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mainelyme.org/">Visit the MaineLyme website</a>.Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355255231647612784.post-41160507289579767002014-05-22T11:29:00.000-04:002014-05-22T20:54:37.695-04:00GrassRoots Organizing Workshop Sept 26-28, Bryant Pond, Maine<h4 style="text-align: center;">
Resources for Organizing and Social Changes (ROSC) presents</h4>
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GROW (GrassRoots Organizing Workshops)</h3>
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New England Weekend</h3>
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September 26-28, 2014</h4>
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Bryant Pond 4-H Camp in Bryant Pond
(beautiful location on Christopher Lake in western Maine)</h4>
Learn and hone organizing skills, enjoy beautiful surroundings and healthy food, network with old friends and meet new ones with similar interests.
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Cost on a sliding scale basis so all can attend.<br />
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Child care provided and we can help to coordinate transportation.
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We will be sending out a list of workshops and more info in the summer. This year's theme is "Effective Tactics for Organizing."
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<a href="http://resourcesforsocialchange.org/">Visit the ROSC website</a> (after late-July) to register or ask for a brochure to register by mail or email.<br />
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For more information, a brochure (coming soon), and transportation help, contact:
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Jacqui at (207) 284-3358 or <a href="mailto:jacquio50@yahoo.com">jacquio50@yahoo.com</a><br />
Sha’an <a href="tel:%28802%29%20272-9959">(802) 272-9959</a> <a href="mailto:ormouliert@vtlink.net">ormouliert@vtlink.net</a>
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Larry at <a href="tel:%28207%29%20525-7776">(207) 525-7776 </a>or <a href="mailto:rosc@psouth.net%C2%A0">rosc@psouth.net </a><br />
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Visit us online: <a href="http://resourcesforsocialchange.org/">http://resourcesforsocialchange.org/</a>Ability Maine Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11473042177436456838noreply@blogger.com0