Monday, February 28, 2011

Personal Emergency Response Systems

As my Grandmother advances in age her safety is of increasing concern to my family. She wants to live independently and there are no insurmountable barriers to her doing so - but her age and increased frailty have set the family upon a mission to ensure her safety.

At this point, most of us have seen the old commercial "I've fallen and I can't get up"! This ad is for a specific brand of Personal Emergency Response Systems - a sort of assistive technology that use electronic sensors connected to an alarm system to help caregivers manage risk and help vulnerable people stay independent at home longer.

In my research, I found that these alerts can be customized to the particular person's risks - opening the potential for usefulness to a wide variety of persons with disabilities. When the alert is triggered, a message is sent to a caregiver or contact center who can respond appropriately. For example, the device structure can be modified to include gas sensors so that if a person with cognitive disabilities leaves the gas on, the device turns off the gas and notifies caregivers.

This a good example of how the design of a piece of Assistive Technology is critical to its usefulness. People with cognitive disabilities (or any other identified user group) must be involved in the design process to make sure that the design is accessible and usable. In the example above, a voice message could be used to remind the person with cognitive disabilities to turn off the gas himself, but whose voice should be used, and what should the message say? Questions like these must be answered through user consultation, involvement and evaluation.

Fascinating times as these technologies evolve!

Holly Morgan
VP Programs
Easter Seals Washington
hmorgan@wa.easterseals.com

Friday, February 25, 2011

How Can I Help Eliminate Barriers Confronting People With Disabilities

Myth or Fact?
There is nothing one person can do to help eliminate the barriers confronting people with disabilities. Answer—MYTH!

* Fact: Everyone can contribute to change.

You can help remove barriers by:
• Understanding the need for accessible parking and leaving it for those who need it
• Encouraging participation of people with disabilities in community activities by using accessible meeting and event sites
• Understanding children's curiosity about disabilities and people who have them
• Advocating a barrier-free environment
• Speaking up when negative words or phrases are used about disability
• Writing producers and editors a note of support when they portray someone with a disability as a "regular person" in the media
• Accepting people with disabilities as individuals capable of the same needs and feelings as yourself, and hiring qualified disabled persons whenever possible

To learn more about disability etiquette and the myths & facts about people with disabilities, visit our web site at wa.easterseals.com and check out the Resources Section. In there you can “Connect to Experts”.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Tolling on SR 520 Bridge in Seattle

The 520 bridge in Seattle will be implementing tolls this spring for all motorists. The cost for crossing the bridge will fall between $1.50 and $4.30 depending on the time of day and the method by which motorists choose to pay. Certain vehicles will be exempt from the tolling. Such vehicles include Metro Transit, emergency, and towing vehicles when removing debris from an accident.

Individuals may also choose to use one of the 130 new bus trips added to the existing 600 trips across the bridge. Tolling is completely electronic and should speed up travel time on the 520. The purpose of this extra fee is to help pay for a newer, and safer, bridge in the near future. With tolling prior to bridge construction the city hopes to make a larger down payment on the project and avoid paying greater interest in the future.

Do you think that tolling will have an impact on low income individuals with disabilities?

Ryan Brown
Philanthropy Intern
Easter Seals Washington

Monday, February 7, 2011

Could My Child Be On The Autism Spectrum?

With autism becoming more and more prevalent these days, one cannot help but wonder if their child is on the spectrum when they display some behaviors that are different from the child's siblings or other children approximately the same age.

Last February, on my son's 8th birthday, we attended a screening to see if he landed somewhere on the spectrum. Based on the information I provided, the clinician's review of that information, and his general observations, my son was screened as mild on the autism spectrum. Although this was only a screening and not a full diagnosis, it did answer so many questions for me and my family. It helped us have a better understanding of why it is so important to provide him several warnings before he transitions from one task/activity to another. Why any slight adjustment to his usual routine could quickly send him into a minor (or major) meltdown. Why his focus is so intense at times that it takes a significant amount of effort to divert his attention. Although these are just some examples, below is a list of the areas or "flags" to look for if you think your child might be on the spectrum.

- Difficulty forming relationships with peers
- Doesn't show empathy toward others
- Inability to understand and participate in give-and-take activities, like sharing toys
- Trouble reading and responding to social cues
- Exhibits extreme distress over minor changes in routine
- Has an overly narrow area of focus when playing or a very restricted range of interests
- Is significantly verbally or developmentally behind for his age

If you have any concerns about your child being somewhere on the spectrum, talk with your pediatrician. There are numerous resources and tools available to help your child be more successful when you learn that they are or are not on the spectrum, than if you had not inquired at all.

Charissa Manglona
VP of Human Resources
Easter Seals Washington