Wednesday May 2, 2012
There is still time to apply for some scholarships for disabled students. If you have been accepted to a college for the fall 2012 semester, the following scholarships are still available:
- 180 Medical - offering 3, $3,000 scholarships for fall 2012. Deadline: June 1
- Georgia Council of the Blind - offering a $1,000 scholarship for residents of GA. Deadline: June 15
- Ameriglide Achiever Scholarship - scholarship amount varies to cover the cost of books and tuition. Deadline: June 1
Information on these scholarships, as well as links to apply, here: College Scholarships for Disabled Students.
Monday April 30, 2012
There are hundreds of veterans coming home each month and among them are many disabled veterans. Disabilities range from extreme injuries to those less visible, such as post traumatic stress disorder. No matter what the disability, these veterans need help and support, as do their family members who may not initially know how to care for a disabled individual.
To assist with re-integration into civilian life and to provide support, many organizations are at the ready to provide much needed resources. Organizations who help veterans may provide monetary support, flights to and from military hospitals, assistance getting to doctor's appointments and physical rehabilitation or provide emotional support during difficult periods of transition.
To learn more about these numerous resources, check out the following:
Monday April 30, 2012
Lupus is a disabling condition that affects men, women and young adults. The disabling effects of lupus include chronic fatigue, swollen joints, fever, sensitivity to light, and many other symptoms, depending upon the severity of a flare up of the disease. A butterfly-shaped rash on the face (across the nose and cheeks) is a common symptom, but many individuals who have lupus do not have this rash.
Many people with lupus have become permanently disabled due to chronic symptoms. Others may be able to continue work if certain accommodations can be made. For example, individuals who have cold hands and feet due to Raynaud's Syndrome may have a space heater placed in their cubicle at work. Those who are consistently running a fever may need a fan available in their workplace. Still others who have swollen joints in their hands may benefit from using Dragon Naturally Speaking software on their computer if they have difficulty typing.
Lupus is known as the "look good, feel bad" disease. There may be people you work with or socialize with that have the disease, though they have no visible outward symptoms. Unless they tell you they're ill, you may never be able to tell by just looking at them. Unfortunately, because this disease isn't visible, many people may think that a person suffering from lupus is fine and maybe pretending that they are ill to get out of work or taking care of everyday responsibilities. The Lupus Foundation is working hard to educate the public about the disease to help others understand this "hidden" disease.
To learn more about lupus, view the following resources:
Sunday April 29, 2012
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that there are approximately 288,000 disabled farm workers between the ages of 15-79 that are unable to perform one or more essential tasks. These individuals may be working on a family farm, agricultural workers (i.e. poultry inspectors, ag specialists working in the field), as well as migrant farm workers.
Despite their disabilities, many farmers don't have the option of quitting and living off of disability income or workers compensation - they live on and run a family farm and everyone, even the disabled, have to perform a job to keep the business running. Agricultural workers, employed by a business or the government, may only have been trained for one specific job, and if they become disabled they may have to quit their job, find a way to make it accessible or train for a new career.
There are organizations that are able to make these disabled workers jobs easier, as well as offer solutions to make their existing jobs accessible. In addition, there are also organizations that can help train disabled ag workers for new jobs. Some of these organizations include AgrAbility, National Farmworker Alliance and the OIC of Washington.
To learn more about these disabled workers, and options available to them, check out the following resources:
