Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with disabilities

Evolution of Disability Termiology a Class-based Struggle?

The Confessor — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 13:38:46 -0800

A few years ago I formulated a sociological theory about the evolution of terms used to refer to those afflicted by certain classes of disabilities, whether physical or mental, in which more functional members of the class resent being "bundled" with less functional members and are hence in a constant, mostly subconscious, quest for differentiation. This leads to development of ever more benign terms ("handicapable!") which themselves quickly become associated with the whole, therefore perpetuating the cycle. The theory seemed obvious to me when I thought of it, but I've yet to see it espoused or debunked elsewhere. Have you? Or, failing that, do you see any obvious arguments for or against it? Two examples, in case I wasn't clear enough with my explanation:

A paraplegic, for instance, might once have said of a quadriplegic: "I'm not a cripple, he's a cripple! I'm just a bit... disabled.", and a relatively high-functioning mental patient might once have said of a near-vegetable: "I'm not an idiot, he's an idiot! I'm just slightly retarded."

Where can you find adult foster care work in Miami?

aussicht — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:32:03 -0800

What sorts of jobs exist in Miami (or Florida) for people who work with adult foster care for clients with developmental disabilities? A friend of mine is thinking of moving out to Miami, and is wondering about job opportunities for working with clients who have developmental disabilities in an adult foster care environment. I've had the hardest time finding anything concrete about this to tell him about, and am curious if people know where to look, if Florida uses different terms for the work, etc? Any help?

Thanks!

Does the Americans with Disabilities Act apply to landlords who accept Section 8 Vouchers?

anthropomorphic — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:06:49 -0800

Does the Americans with Disabilities Act apply to landlords who accept Section 8 Vouchers?

Policy monitoring for families with kids with special needs

greta simone — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 10:22:49 -0800

In search of website, blogs, etc that keep up with federal and state (specifically NC) policies that affect families with children with developmental and physical disabilities? I'm interning for an agency that provides support to families with children with special needs (developmental/intellectual/physical/behavioral/etc disabilities), and I am looking for a way to keep the staff up-to-date on current policies affecting the population we serve. I'm hoping to simply find a few comprehensive sites and blogs to whose RSS feeds we can subscribe and review when necessary. This agency serves all of North Carolina, so NC-specific sites would also be helpful. Thanks in advance!

ADA ADD AAAAGH

Anonymous — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:08:22 -0800

My problems with ADHD have reached the point where my employer of two years wants me to fill out paperwork requesting "reasonable accommodations" through the Americans with Disabilities Act. What now? I'm in my mid-twenties, and I love my job. I've been working at least part-time since high school, so I'm no wide-eyed infant when it comes to employment. My current job, however, is my first serious full-time non-temp job out of college, is perfect for me at this time in my life, and losing it would feel catastrophic.

Regardless, my status here has been precarious since day one. I was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago (my senior year of college) and have been on Adderall since then. It's helped me tremendously, but I still have problems - particularly with time management (I'm frequently late, to the point where I've missed several important meetings and trainings) and disorganization. Since I've arrived, my initial probationary period was extended by 30 days, I've received a verbal warning, two written warnings, and I've been put on an "improvement plan." The consensus is that I'm fantastic when I'm there and working, and so far my talents have outweighed my deficits, but the problems can't continue.

I'd actually been doing much better for several months, but then I decided to try some different ADHD meds, which was a big mistake - they didn't work well at all, so for August and September I was essentially unmedicated, and everything fell apart again. I had a meeting last week with my boss and her boss, and they requested I fill out ADA paperwork . This includes a section for my doctor to complete, and also a section where I can ask for "reasonable accommodations" for my disability.

So, my questions, because I'm pretty baffled by this process. Would speaking to a lawyer be worthwhile? Will this have unpleasant consequences far in the future, especially if I want to go into a medical field? What reasonable accommodations are...reasonable? I'm really not sure what to ask for. Like many people with ADHD, I've been beating myself up for so long that I find it odd to think of myself as having a disability that deserves accommodation in the first place. A more flexible schedule seems like an obvious request, but much of my day involves meeting with clients during specific hours, so I can't do much there. I should also mention that we're very short-staffed and they definitely want to keep me, as long as I can keep my shit together.

If it matters, I'm in all kinds of treatment - individual CBT therapy, group DBT therapy, meds, plus everything I can think of on my own. I'm definitely not complacent about my problems, which makes all this especially discouraging and scary.

If anyone has any experience with or insight into a situation like this, please share your thoughts. This is in California, if it matters. Throwaway e-mail account: adhdada@gmail.com. Thank you!

Are the Wastelands Wheelchair-Accessible?

wintermute2_0 — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 12:56:34 -0800

Can I play Fallout 3 despite my physical disabilities? I'm your typical geek who happens to have a motor neuron disease that leaves me with very little movement in my extremities. I operate my PC with a device that lets me move the mouse with my head in conjunction with an on-screen keyboard. I was a big fan of the old-school isometric RPGs like Fallout and Planescape because they could be played entirely with a mouse and didn't require particularly quick reflexes. But as more RPGs switched to first-person perspectives and emphasized twitchy gameplay, I found myself getting shut out of the genre.

I'm definitely interested in Fallout 3 and would love to play it. I'm thinking that might be possible if I run it in windowed mode and use my on-screen keyboard to handle movement. Any thoughts on whether is possible? I have a reasonably fast computer (Athlon X2 5200, NVidia 8600GT). Can most of the game's tasks be accomplished with a mouse? Or should I not bother and just fire up Planescape again? Thanks in advance for your input.

Help me learn everything I need to know about visual processing (and improving it).

mintchip — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:12:03 -0800

Help me learn everything I need to know about visual processing (and improving it). I would like to learn more about visual processing and how one can improve it. For example:

1. What region of the brain controls visual processing, and what activities/exercises have been shown to stimulate this region?
2. What activities have been found (or would be likely) to be helpful in improving visual procesing?
3. What if someone has deficits in this from birth as opposed to someone who has acquired visual processing deficits (for example, from a car accident). Would they present differently?
4. Are there any supplements that may be useful, either in improving visual processing or protecting this from further impairment?
5. What are some resources or links that would help me learn more about visual processing problems?
6. Is there anything in addition to simple practice that athletes do to improve their visual processing speed and accuracy (for example, a baseball player who needs to improve his reaction time and accuracy) when up at bat.
7. Anything else I need to know.

Thanks!

NYC housing for very low income people with disabilities?

cmgonzalez — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:36:07 -0800

My mother needs to find a new place to live. The house we currently live in will be set to go up for sale early next year. But repairs need to be made first, so my family would like us both to move ASAP. I’m looking at a move to Queens, but my mother has Multiple Sclerosis and has a limited income. All she has are her Social Security disability payments each month, which only come to about $600-700, and food stamps. I can’t afford to take her with me. We’re currently living in Brooklyn, and that’s where she prefers to stay. She can’t get into those HUD housing lottery buildings because she doesn’t meet the minimum income level for a “low-income” apartment. Heh.

The city’s Section 8 application list has been closed since May ’07 (we’ve been looking since about July '07 - damn), so that’s out as an option. Public housing is likely out too, because the projects can be wildly dangerous, and you have no choice where they send you. You can only select two preferred boroughs, with no choice of buildings. There’s one housing project in a decent area where she has friends, but there’s absolutely no guarantee she’d wind up there. I wouldn’t want my mother sent to Brownsville or Jamaica. If anything dangerous would happen, she can't move fast to avoid it. Nevermind the potential of a years-long waiting list.

She’s contacted the MS Society and spoken to a social worker at the center where she goes for physical therapy. We haven’t found many options that aren't for senior citizens. What we have found are a building in Coney Island (Friendship, I think) she might try. And the Bishop Boardman building in Park Slope, which she is applying to tomorrow.

She needs a first floor apartment or a building with a reliable elevator. We currently live on the second floor. It’s hard for her to climb stairs, especially since she uses a walker to get around and has trouble taking it up and down. I assist her with things (big reason I still live with her), but she’s actually quite independent. She doesn’t need any sort of intense care type of situation. She uses the MTA Access-a-Ride, and she goes out frequently – an MS group, physical therapy, occupational therapy, classes, and sometimes doctor visits. She’s been with the same neurologist for over 25 years. And all her friends and family are here; moving someplace else all alone wouldn’t really be feasible.

What other options are there for someone who is very low-income and disabled as far as NYC housing is concerned? Is there any way to weasel somebody who isn’t a domestic violence victim or protected witness onto the Section 8 list? Brooklyn is highly preferred, but any suggestions are helpful. Since all her doctors and activities are in Brooklyn, it can't be far flung like Inwood.

Her sisters are the ones selling this house, and so far they’ve been way less than helpful. Suggestions included dumping her into the Staten Island trailer park, sending her out of state, or sending her to Queens with me. (I would if I could, but I can’t). One is harassing my mother a bit lately because she wants to get money from the sale already. The other lives in a million dollar totally redone house. Anyhow, Mom and I are determined to find her someplace decent where she can maybe even get one of those motorized scooters to make her even more independent.

I'm sure there are stones we haven't turned yet, so I come to all of you.

I looked at these already: http://ask.metafilter.com/52870/What-are-the-various-governmentsubsidized-housing-programs-in-New-York-City
http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/7967 but they don't really help much, as the circumstances are different.

Adult diagnosis of a learning disability and where to go from here

Anonymous — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:32:15 -0800

Adult diagnosis of a learning disability and where to go from here I have always sensed that something wasn't right with my brain. I'm really smart and have excellent verbal skills but always found myself to be a slow learner. This has been very frustrating for both me and for my supervisors. Consequently, I've been an “underachiever” in life and have developed bad anxiety.

Fast forward a few years... neuropsychological testing revealed a significant (but narrow) learning disability. It's not quite ADD but has some overlap, as I have a short attention span as well as difficulty with organization and information presented verbally. I also have an “inefficient” learning style, which was described as poor cognitive strategies for grouping information in order to learn more effectively. According to the testing, I often miss the “big picture.”

As an adult with already poor self esteem due to these problems, my question is, where to go from here? Although it's a relief to have an explanation for my difficulties and to find out that my IQ is indeed very high (despite my underachievement), since I’m no longer a student I don’t know how to find support services or learn what learning/organizational strategies would be helpful. It's also hard to know who to share this information with (e.g. employers, friends) and when.

I would like to learn how to best compensate my weaknesses because I find that they present a significant barrier to my career advancement and satisfaction, as well as my feelings about myself. (They also affect me socially since I do miss the big picture sometimes; this usually leaves me feeling a bit "out of sync” with others.)

I’d be really interested to hear from others who had a similar experience of dealing with a later-life diagnosis of LD and how you coped. I worry that I may never be able to achieve the career performance that I desire, and this makes me really upset because I am well educated and a very hard worker and have very high goals for myself.

Organization at home and at work

mintchip — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:52:50 -0800

Please help me with oganization of daily tasks at home and at work. I am an adult who has been diagnosed with a learning disability that affects organization. Because of my age at diagnosis, and the fact that I'm out of school, I seem to be on my own as far as figuring out how to best manage with this.

I usually get everything that I need to do done, but it seems that I put in a lot more effort than might be necessary. Just the ordinary tasks of daily life often feel overwhelming. My life is full of daily frustrations and annoyances about not working at peak efficiency because of stupid things like forgetting my wallet at home, not being able to find papers I need, taking messy notes and having to rewrite them, having bought multiples of things because I didn't realize I already had them, etc. I also straighten up my apartment on a daily basis, but there are always clothes everywhere and a sink full of dishes (how does this happen???)

I often find myself doing double or triple duty in order to keep on top of work projects, for example.

I'm wondering if there are any general (or specific) principles I can apply to simplifying my life and work routine? I'd be happy to provide more info if necessary. What about you super-organized folks? How do you manage things? Thanks!

Need help looking for research resources

greta simone — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 13:20:35 -0800

Websites to research alternative programs for students who have been suspended or expelled, including students with disabilities. Hi have to do a mock testimony for a state house bill. The bill proposes that "the state board of education shall establish a pilot program authorizing up to three local school administrative units to create appropriate alternative learning programs to serve students who have been suspended for more than 10 days or expelled, including students with disabilities who have been placed on homebound instruction for discipline purposes. Appropriate alternative learning programs may include, but are not limited to, a school within a school, effective in-school programs, collaborative treatment, and community-based off-site programs".
I need sources from think tanks or philanthropic or research organizations (such as Kaiser Foundation, Children's Defense Fund, Annie E. Casey Foundation, etc). Problem is I don't know what foundations are out there and I am having a hard time googling. Any help with finding foundations supporting/researching alternative programs for discipline-problem kids? I need a little more than just general education foundations.
Any help would be appreciated.

Resources for adult ADD?

mintchip — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 19:00:59 -0800

Does it sound like adult ADD? Resources? I am in the process of being tested for a learning disability. I have a terrible memory, particularly for auditory learning. I am also horribly disorganized, and have to spend a large amount of time and energy keeping track of things.

I have multiple systems that I have developed to help me (to do lists, reminders, etc.), but find that my systems overlap and inconsistent. For example, I'll lose the to do list, forget to look at the reminders. I am constantly overwhelmed both at work and at home, and feel that my career has been limited by my ineffectiveness managing these weaknesses.

I have always gotten by, but I feel I've never lived up to my true capacity. I suspect that, if I do have a LD, it's gone undetected because I've been able to compensate in other ways.

For those who have ADD, (or are very familiar with it) do these sound like symptoms? I do get diagnosed, what resources are available to help me? How can I learn to better handle my learning style and avoid doing "double and triple work" in order to cover my bases and keep organized? Finally, how do I find a career niche that is a good fit for a "big picture" person who struggles with details?

Auf Deutsch, bitte!

Soliloquy — Sun, 20 May 2007 09:37:48 -0800

Can anyone help me get a copy of DragonDictate in German or French, or point me towards a discrete speech voice recognition program in either language that's currently on the market? I would like to brush up on my German and learn French, primarily by taking courses in each and corresponding with relatives, etc. I use DragonDictate voice recognition software (yes, the obselete old version) to do all my typing due to disabilities, and am balking at the thought of training/spelling out each foreign word complete with accents.

Since the nature of my disabilities makes it difficult to impossible to use continuous speech voice recognition programs, I can't use the German and French versions of NaturallySpeaking. (Please don't tell me anyone can use continuous speech voice recognition, I have tried it several times.) I'm willing to try other brands, but I need a program that uses discrete speech like DragonDictate. Would be nice if it ran completely hands-free as well, but since it won't be my primary interface I can deal with the hassle of a non-hands free system for a while. Must run on Windows XP Pro.

I've tried Google, eBay's Want to Buy, and had an eBay alert set for over a year now with no results. Any leads would be appreciated.

What's it like to have ADHD?

The corpse in the library — Thu, 10 May 2007 09:21:21 -0800

What's it like to be a kid with ADHD? All signs indicate that my four-year-old son has ADHD (among other initialisms). Can any of you who have ADHD tell me what it's like?

I know, that's a weird question -- how can you say what it's like to be you and not be someone else? -- but maybe you've gained insight as you've gotten older. What do you wish your parents had known about ADHD? What did your parents do right?

Making Elder Scrolls IV Accessible

wintermute2_0 — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 15:22:17 -0800

GamesFilter: Can this gamer with a physical disability play Elder Scrolls IV? Although I don't play as many games as I used to, I'm really interested in checking this game out However, I'd like to know if I can play the game with my adaptive computer equipment. To operate the mouse, I use a device called a HeadMaster. I was thinking I could run the game in a window and enter keyboard commands with my on-screen keyboard. Any thoughts on whether this will work? Will I have any trouble switching between the game window and the on-screen keyboard?

I'm also interested in whether this will work for World of Warcraft. Thanks for your time.

Camp/gym games that can be played by youth with disabilities?

The Wig — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 16:21:19 -0800

Camp/gym games that can be played by youth with disabilities? (with bonus game already inside the box!) What are some good games that can be played by 15-30 kids aged 13-30 with mental and mixed physical handicaps (from in wheelchairs to fully mobile)?

Can you suggest a favourite game from your own experience as a camp counsellor/camper that can be adapted for this kind of group? It's impossible to accommodate everyone and their abilities but some games can come pretty close and still be fun.

In case you've never worked with youth with disabilities, here is an example of a game I adapted and play at the camp where I work.

Ultimate Frisbee is almost impossible to play with a group like this. Kids in a wheelchair or with otherwise limited mobility have a hard time catching a frisbee because of their limited mobility and many of them cannot throw a frisbee any great distance or with any accuracy (neither can I for that matter).

So at the camp where I work, instead of Ultimate Frisbee, we play Ultimate Hoola. The rules are the same as Ultimate Frisbee, except the game is played with a Hoola hoop. Anyone can throw a Hoola hoop, and anyone can catch one, all you have to do is get an arm inside it (or your whole body, wheelchair included). Completely immobile kids can even be included, as staff can pass to them and easily 'ring toss' the Hoola hoop onto them (doesn't sound as fun as it is!). You'd be amazed at how into the game the kids get, most sports that involve passing and catching can be very frustrating for them to play.

DVD Solutions for persons with limited dexterity?

chudmonkey — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 02:19:04 -0800

DVD Solutions for persons with limited dexterity? My younger brother has cerebral palsy and can't use DVDs because of a lot of factors related to his dexterity - he can't handle the discs properly, he can't properly get them in and out of their cases, he can't seat a disc properly on a tray-loader. His primary hobby is watching movies on video and the ruggedness of VHS has allowed him autonomy in watching so far, but as that technology passes I want to make sure he can keep enjoying himself without having to rely on someone to work the equipment for him.

I've considered massing blank VHS and simply dubbing new releases as needed, but that's an unattractive option to say the least. I also considered a sort of juke-box system to minimize disc handling, but my brother is largely illiterate as well and relies on box-art and labels to recogize his choices. I figure it would be easy to use a specialized PC to rip and store movies as well as create an on-screen menu for selection, but my brother lives in a small group-home filled with kindly support-workers who wouldn't be a lick of help if something went wrong with such a system.

Is there anything that somehow gives a DVD a ruggedness comparible to a VHS cassette - i.e. can be set down less than gently, not repackaged properly, and inserted into a player without too much care as to aim - without compromising playability? Or barring such, some ultra-cool way to circumvent the problem that requires only occasional access to the DVD media itself and allows movie selections to be made from a very graphical source?

Bonus points for the solution that keeps the experience closest to using VHS, for the sake of my brother's very habit-driven lifestyle.

Thanks in advance to anyone who has any ideas.

Wanted: Narrators with mental disabilities.

nobody — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 22:35:16 -0800

LitFilter: Please help me find books, preferably novels, in which the narrator has some sort of mental disability. Autism counts (Curious Incident). Tourettes counts (Motherless Brooklyn). Retardation in all forms counts (The Sound and the Fury). Schizophrenia would certainly count. Depression probably doesn't count, unless extremely debilitating (otherwise, too common). Hypochondria would probably count, but, again, only if severe. A pathological liar might count, too. Also, maybe, epilepsy. (I remember reading a memoir called Lying, that would count here in spite of not being fiction).

I'm most interested in cases where the disability affects the narrative voice, allowing a certain language-production that might otherwise be impermissible. (In Motherless Brooklyn, for example, even apart from the tourettes tics themselves, the fact of the tourettic narrator allows for certain metaphors and punning figures of speech which I suspect would fall flat or come off as too cute without the underlying disability to ground them.)

Though a narrator would be ideal, it's probably alright for examples to include non-narrating characters who are mentally disabled -- as long as the narrative voice is demonstrably tethered to theirs (most likely through free indirect discourse).

A sub-genre (or related genre) might include narrators who are precocious children, the youth and precosity maybe functioning similarly to a mental disorder in the other books. Also related may be non-native speaking narrators. But including these would make this question way too broad, so let's stick with disabilities.

(Note: I'm neither a grad student nor a professor, though I had once planned to be both, so this is just to help me satisfy a few curiousities. I hope I've made the question specific enough to avoid deletion.)

Why don't (some, at least) service dog owners seem to like their dogs?

Sinner — Fri, 12 Aug 2005 12:05:14 -0800

On several occasions, I've noticed people with service dogs treating them in a manner that seemed surprisingly ... "dismissive," let's say. Why is that? I've noticed this most frequently on buses and in coffee shops and that sort of thing, where various owners seem to treat the dog in an almost cruel way. Not abusing the dog so much as pushing it around or really just tolerating its presence, but little more. There seems to be no emotional bond between owner and dog.

Is this just pattern recognition - a simple matter of me noticing these interactions more because my attention is called to the "spectacle" of a dog on a bus - or is there something else here? The explanations I can think of are 1) When receiving a service dog people are told not to relate to their dog in certain ways so as to avoid confusing the animal; 2) The owner is so accustomed to having the dog around that s/he really does see it as just a tool; or 3) The owner is lashing out at their condition by proxy, since the animal is a prominent reminder thereof.

I'm not saying there couldn't be a lot more to it, those are just some guesses.

Well-spouse needs guidance.

Anonymous — Fri, 06 May 2005 04:01:37 -0800

Can I seek companionship outside my marriage and still respect myself in the morning? My husband and I, both in our late 30s, have been married for 12 years and have two children. Several years ago, he was diagnosed with a degenerative nerve condition and is currently wheelchair bound. Prior to his illness, he was a very competent and driven individual; this disease has robbed him of the ability to work or even affect the smallest of changes in his environment. I will say that I am lucky that he remains a pleasant person to be around in spite of his failing body.

I love him profoundly and would never dream of abandoning him--- and let me add that I would hate to cause him emotional pain-- but I am under the double weight of all my increased responsibilities plus the complete loss of the sexual side of our relationship.

What advice would you have for a woman who didn't realize how lucky she was to have an Alpha Male until she didn't have one any more? Furthermore, since AA-battery operated novelties are a piss-poor substitute for a sex life, what to do about that?

Wheelchair Accessible Train Travel in Spain

yankeefog — Wed, 09 Mar 2005 07:08:22 -0800

How hard is it for a mostly wheelchair bound person to get around Spain by train? Our party of 4 includes one wheelchair user (who can make short walks on prosthetic limbs if necessary) and three people with no mobility issues. We're trying to determine if we can travel by train among Madrid, Seville, Toledo, and Cordoba, or if we should rent a car. First-hand accounts would be particularly appreciated, and any other tips on accessibility issues in Spain are welcome as well. I should probably mention that I spent a morning googling before posting here, and found a lot of resources on traveling with mobility issues, but no answer to this specific question.

Percentage of blind since birth persons who are homosexual?

billysumday — Wed, 16 Feb 2005 10:35:11 -0800

Interested in percentage of blind since birth persons who are homosexual. [mi] Last night I read a short story by Lorrie Moore wherein one of the main characters was both gay and blind from birth. I'm just wondering if (in the real world) there has been analysis of whether this occurs as often or more or less often than those who have sight. Also, how this information plays into current research dealing with the development of homosexual behavior or the genetic predisposition to homosexuality.

alternatives to/improvements on nursing home care in the NY/NJ/CT area for an elderly person with disabilities

hilatron — Wed, 12 Jan 2005 08:22:20 -0800

I’m looking for alternatives to/improvements on nursing home care in the NY/NJ/CT area for an elderly person with disabilities. [+] I am my father’s legal guardian. He has mild multiple sclerosis, and uses a wheelchair to get around. He also has early-stage dementia: very poor short-term memory, poor judgment, mood swings, etc. He needs 24-hour supervision because he can’t manage his meds alone, needs help with personal care, and periodically tries to walk unaided or otherwise put himself in danger of a fall.

He is currently in a nursing home in NH, which provides for his physical needs but little else: he gets very little social contact except for visits from family, and this is the only mental stimulation that seems valuable to him (he can’t read well due to the memory problems; he doesn’t watch TV; he used to love listening to music but seems to have no initiative to do so now). I also fear that he is undergoing a process of learned helplessness. He seems content to let the staff of the nursing home do almost everything for him; and they fulfill this wish because it’s faster for the overworked nurses to do things like put on his pants for him than to help him do it himself. I’ve attempted to set things up so that he gets as much mental stimulation as possible, but it seems there’s only so much I can do within the framework of the institution. I’m afraid that his mental decline is going to be hastened by these factors, and he’s only 71.

Within the next year, I’m going to be moving from Massachusetts to NYC, and my father wants to move as well so he’ll be close to me and other family members. I’m hoping this will be a good opportunity to find a better living arrangement for him. The elderly services I’ve been able to investigate so far don’t seem to offer anything different from what he’s getting now: there seems to be a model for elderly care that runs from retirement communities to assisted living to nursing homes, with little variation in the services they provide.

I’m wondering if anyone has any experience with either a) facilities for the elderly/physically disabled that might be off the map and provide more personalized, creative care; or b) a way to create a care plan for him individually, either by adding services to what he receives from a nursing home, or with him living in a private apartment with aides. My main goal is to provide him with more meaningful day-to-day social contact, and to put him in a situation where the staff is committed to keeping him as independent as possible. Money is definitely an object – he’s on Medicaid right now. However, since Medicaid laws differ from state to state, I’m happy to do the research on financial viability if anyone has any leads at all – even nursing homes with good visiting volunteer programs would be better than what is available to him in NH. Thanks for reading this opus; any advice/discussion of these issues is welcome.

Hearing Impaired

feelinglistless — Fri, 09 Apr 2004 13:36:56 -0800

Why do some DVDs offer both 'English' and 'English for the Hearing Impaired' options? Aren't they going to be the same?