caste551 – Page 6 – mamasmunchkin

Access Lynx Passenger Almost Arrested

June 29, 2014June 29, 2014 by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

I’ve been a client on Access Lynx on and off, for as many years as I’ve lived in Orlando. They’re the para transit service run by the local bus service that helps people who’re disabled get around town. As with other share-ride systems that pick up multiple people at a time, it encounters problems related to scheduling, and other issues.

I was appalled this week when I saw the story of Joyce Rosa on the news. Ms. Rosa had a stroke, and uses a wheelchair as a result. The driver of the van Ms. Rosa was riding in called 911 on her because she was a dollar short on her fare. The article says Ms. Rosa refused to get off the bus but, honestly, in order for her to get off the bus, the driver would’ve had to help her.

The driver could have used their discretion and not called 911. I’ve been on the bus before and have seen people not have the right fare. As a result, the driver didn’t call the police on them.

The newscast also talked about the drivers receiving additional training because of this incident. While I understand passengers need to pay the fare to use the service, some sort of common sense should be exercised by the driver in each situation. Since the majority of clients are repeat customers, they could implement a procedure where the person signs a sort of “IOU” for the next time they use the service. They’d probably use the service again very soon, like to get home, for example.

I’ve also had to file complaints against Access Lynx. Although, as with everything else, there’s a process that needs to be followed, it’s the best way to get your issues with them resolved. Either way, I hope they come up with a viable solution to this problem, so that if it happens again, there’s a more logical resolution than calling the police on the passenger.

If you’d like to find out more about this story, check out the link below:

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/lynx-driver-calls-911-disabled-passenger-over-1-di/ngTj3/?ecmp=social_20140627_26876706

Thanks for reading..

Teacher Assaults Autistic Boy

June 24, 2014 by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

As parents, we expect when we send our kids to school, they’re in good hands. After seeing a story on the news earlier this week, I was completely shocked about the subject of the report. A teacher had been caught on video assaulting a student with Autism.

When I started looking into the subject a bit more, I found out that unfortunately, this wasn’t an isolated incident. I’ve posted before on how students with disabilities experience more bullying by their peers than their non-disabled counterparts. What didn’t occur to me, until now, was the possibility that maybe the person bullying the student could actually be the teacher, and not other students.

Obviously, there’s no excuse for this behavior. It’s a shame that those we entrust with our kids feel they can use their position of trust and power in such a negative way. I feel the Superintendent of the school did the right thing by firing the teacher. Although the School Board reinstated her, I’m hoping the new investigation being conducted will result in the appropriate action to protect all children at the school, especially those with a disability.

I’ve had the pleasure to volunteer my time years ago at a local Middle School and realize the majority of teachers who take on the job genuinely care about their students. Although I’m not sure how, an extra safeguard should be implemented in the education field to ensure the people entrusted with the safety and well-being of our kids on a daily basis are doing exactly that. As a result, the kids can focus on learning instead of the physical abuse their teacher might inflict on them if they misbehave.

For more information check out the following link:

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/9-investigates-teacher-accused-assaulting-special-/ngPHN/

Thanks for reading..

Paralyzed Woman’s Weightloss Journey

May 2, 2014May 2, 2014 by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

One of the things I find most important is overall health. It doesn’t matter if you’re a person with a disability or have no disability at all, investing in your health should be a top priority. This week I found out about a woman, who despite her disability, has set a goal to lose weight.

I wanted to share her story because it just shows that anyone can lose weight no matter what activity they’re able to do. Even though Jamie has obstacles in her life, she’s determined to improve her health so that she can have a better quality of life to enjoy her husband and children.

It’s difficult for anyone to get motivated and lose weight. I give Jamie kudos because even though she also attempted to be a contestant on “The Biggest Loser” but wasn’t selected, she didn’t let that stop her from reaching her goal. She even started a Facebook page titled “Wheelin Weightloss” so that people can follow along with her on her journey. This just goes to show no matter how limited a person may be by their disability, there’s always some activity available to help them lose weight if that’s what they want to do. Sometimes all it takes is a little research to see what’s available to help you meet your needs.

For more information on this story, you can go to:

https://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/this-mom-s-wheelchair-based-exercise-blog-will-totally-inspire-you-143902684.html

Thanks for reading..

Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System

April 17, 2014 by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

Mental illness seems to be a taboo subject no one wants to think about, much less talk about. Despite that fact, it’s a disability that if left untreated has devastating effects, not only on the person living with this illness, but also those around them.

The Criminal Justice System seems to be the place that most often ends up taking the responsibility of trying to help some of these individuals once they end up in jail. The Central Receiving Center in Orange County, Florida tries to help offenders by referring them to other resources that can best assist them in their situation. Because of the efforts put forth by the Central Receiving Center, incidences of re-offending can, and have been reduced. As a result, the problem of jail overcrowding, which is faced by most facilities within the Criminal Justice System is alleviated to a certain degree.

Sadly, as with other Social Services programs, when the economy hits a downturn, they’re the first to suffer. Lack of funding available to this program will lead to unnecessary overcrowding and these offenders won’t receive the help they actually need.

Hopefully Representatives can find a way to include funding in the State budget for this and other programs like it. Not only does this program benefit the offender by getting them the help they need, but also keeps the community safe as a whole. That’s certainly amounts to a win-win for all.

To find out more go to:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-mental-health-care-florida-032314-20140321,0,3544368.story

Thanks for reading

Football’s Role Reversal

April 9, 2014April 9, 2014 by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

This week’s story has a cute twist. I’d found out about it a few months ago. When I finally got a chance to sit down and write it, who would’ve known it had gotten even better.

As a kid, and even a teen, I remember writing fan letters to different celebrities in the hopes of receiving a response. Unfortunately, I was never lucky enough to get that response back, much less have a disabled celebrity that I could send a letter to. In those days, there weren’t many celebrities that had a disability.

While on the Internet I found out about a deaf fan who wrote to Derrick Coleman. He’s a football player who plays for the Seattle Seahawks and happens to be deaf. This young fan wrote to him because she wanted to give him encouragement and let him know he was inspiring others. It’s not often you see children uplifting adults, but it can, and does happen. When it does, it makes you think twice about why you may be feeling down at that time or even think differently about situations in your own life that may be troubling. The letter probably gave him an idea of the impact he’s having on the lives of others because he plays professional football.

To amplify the impact of this letter, Derrick actually responded to his fan. It’s wonderful to see that despite what I imagine to be a very busy schedule, he was willing and able to take time to respond to her. Celebrities have their jobs because there are other people who follow and believe in them. It’s great to see those celebrities actually show their appreciation by the actions they take to also support their fans in any way they can.

Thanks for reading..

http://msn.foxsports.com/buzzer/story/hearing-impaired-fan-s-letter-to-derrick-coleman-is-awesome-012114

The Bionic Chef

April 3, 2014April 3, 2014 by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

When choosing a career path, the average person doesn’t take disability into consideration. That can change in an instant, if the person has some sort of accident, causing them to become disabled in some way, shape, or form.

An excellent example of this is the “Bionic Chef”. When people think of notable chefs, Mario Batali, Emeril Lagasse, or even Bobby Flay might come to mind.

When I was younger, there was a time I wanted to go to cooking school. At the personalized orientation the cooking school offered, the interviewer had no problem telling me that because I didn’t have full use of both hands, the idea of me even attempting cooking instruction was almost impossible. Now that I’m more knowledgeable on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), I wonder if that’s actually true.

On the other hand, for Eduardo Garcia, the “Bionic Chef”, what seemed like an impossibility for that Admissions Counselor was far from that for him. He’s known as the “Bionic Chef” because he had a hunting accident and as a result, had a portion of his arm amputated. He was then fitted with a prosthetic arm that allows him to continue his dream of being a chef. The only difference in how he cooks now is that he has had to approach his craft with a different perspective to complete each task.

The video that’s attached to the link at the bottom shows the interviewer, Josh Elliott from “Good Morning America”, in awe of Eduardo’s abilities. In my opinion, it reinforces the message that with persistence, anyone can figure out how to overcome any obstacle, no matter how big or small.
Thanks for reading..
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http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2013/12/chefs-bionic-hand-implant-better-than-new/

Christmas 2013

December 26, 2013 by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

Before becoming pregnant with my son, I’d researched and contemplated having a child. Most people tried to discourage me, or said I’d be a burden to him or her. Some told me, and tell me, even today, I should tell him I’m disabled. I don’t make a big deal about it and won’t tell him because I don’t think it matters. I take care of him and love him and am his mom. Those are the most important things, also, in the long run, he’ll know but, again, it doesn’t matter.

I’d heard about a little girl who signed her Christmas play for her parents, who happen to be deaf. At the risk of sounding corny, this is one of the most loving things she could do for them. It allows them the opportunity to fully participate in her extra-curricular activities despite their limitations.

This is just an example of children showing they love their parents despite their limitations. For this reason, I don’t feel like disabled parents are burdens on their children, or that as a disabled person, you don’t have a right to have a child just because you’re disabled.

The last example I have of this is Shemar Moore from “Criminal Minds”. His mother has Multiple Sclerosis. He’s constantly trying to raise awareness about M.S. and make his mom’s life the best it can be. No matter what level of ability the parent has, the child will love them either way.

Thanks for reading..

Florida Disabled Outdoors Association

December 19, 2013 by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

Physical activity is beneficial for everyone and people with disabilities can benefit and participate in different forms of activity too. This week, I have the pleasure of sharing information from the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association (FDOA). I want to thank Laurie Gussak, the Executive Director and David Jones, the President of FDOA for answering my questions and being open to letting me profile the organization.

1. Can you give me a brief description of the origins of FDOA?

It is rare that someone can take a “tragedy” as an opportunity to change their life and help others. That is exactly what David Jones did. His injury became a personal commitment to help others. In 1988, David Jones was shot in a hunting accident resulting in a serious head injury that left him with permanent paralyses of left leg, limiting mobility and no use of left hand. David utilized a wheelchair for one year, then gradually increased mobility to the point where he could walk with a walker and now walks with a slight limp without any device. He remains paralyzed in one arm. In the process of his rehabilitation, he became aware of the importance of recreation for rehabilitation – not only to improve mobility, but to improve mental well-being. David saw this event in his life as a challenge and an opportunity to assist others. This life changing event developed into his personal crusade.

David went back to school and received his bachelor’s degree and with his degree in Marketing learned that an effective organization fills a need that is not being met. David Jones overcame the challenge of his disability utilizing sports for himself and others by forming the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association in 1990. The Florida Disabled Outdoors Association has grown since that point to have multiple programs including, the Recreation Activity Program for Adults with Disabilities, ALLOUT Adventure Program, Miracle Sports, Community-Based Therapeutic Recreation for People with a Brain or Spinal Cord Injury and SportsAbility.

2. What are the requirements to become a member? An interest in improving the quality of life for people with disabilities through accessible, inclusive recreation

3. What is the cost of membership? $0

4. What activities are available to members? We have a variety of programs. More info can be found at http://www.fdoa.org/programs

5. Can you tell me some of the benefits of being involved in your Association? (In other words health wise or socially)

People with disabilities are often excluded from recreational pursuits and active leisure for a number of reasons.

There is a lack of barrier-free facilities and equipment.
There is a deficiency of inclusive recreation programs.
Staff is not trained to help people with disabilities to participate in recreation and active leisure.
There is a general lack of awareness about them and about the importance of physical activity.
The majority of people with disabilities finds it difficult to be motivated and inspired to participate in fitness and active leisure. The message of the importance of active leisure for wellness has not been heard by people with disabilities because people with disabilities do not relate to traditional communication methods. This has been a serious deterrent to people with disabilities in receiving the message of the health and wellness benefits of recreation and an active lifestyle.

It is for these very reasons that the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association (FDOA), an organization dedicated to enriching lives through accessible, inclusive recreation and active leisure for all, seeks to deliver its programs.

6. Do you have any volunteer opportunities available to people who would like to help out?

Volunteers are needed at all programs. In addition, volunteer fundraisers, graphic artists and grant writers would be appreciated.

7. Is there anything else you would like to share?

FDOA has seen that inclusion in all aspects of society begins with recreation and active leisure. With the recent passing of Nelson Mandela, his words are ever present in our minds.

“Sport has the power to change the world…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.”

You can also “Like” FDOA on Facebook

Thanks for reading..

Nelson Mandela Memorial Interpreter

December 14, 2013December 14, 2013 by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

While visiting with family for an early Christmas this week, I noticed the news about the sign language interpreter used during Nelson Mandela’s memorial service. I’m not sure as to whether or not there are standards in place for South African sign language interpreters but, I’m a bit amazed this interpreter has been previously utilized at other functions with the same results and nothing, thus far, has been done about him.

Now that this has happened at such a widely televised event, for all the world to see, hopefully something will be done to fix the problem so it won’t occur again. I’m not proficient in sign language but, if this person would like to continue in the profession, a strict requirement should be made of him that he acquire the proper knowledge and skills to do the job.

Everyone should have full access to all ceremonies made available to the general public. Although I’m aware that South Africa is it’s own country and may not have laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in place, maybe this can begin the conversation to come up with something similar to the ADA for them.

Nelson Mandela was a great activist for the world. It would be a great show of respect for him if we could use this incident to really honor his memory by making some more positive changes for all abilities, so equality can keep moving forward, and may one day be reached for all.

Thanks for reading..