Tag: self-esteem

Home of the Future

by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

When I think about home accessibility, things like ramps, grab bars, and walk-in showers come to mind. While I realize the list I’ve mentioned is in no way all-inclusive of the modifications available to make a person’s home more accessible, recently, I ran into an article that discusses how new technology has the potential to increase someone’s independence by introducing various forms of technology and really takes this idea to the next level.

This article will discuss the advancements of technology and how it increases the independence of  people with disabilities.

For those with a disability, accessibility in your own home is like a breath of fresh air. At least I like to think of it that way. Not only have I worked with people to make their homes accessible and have had home modifications completed for my own home but many years ago I was invited to speak to a group of realtors and discuss homebuying as a person with a disability. 

The speech focused on the importance of accessibility for someone with a disability in their quest for home ownership and how different modifications and accessibility features were a necessity so that the homeowner could fully enjoy all of the amenities their home has to offer.

Binyamin Mellish at Pexels

Accessibility allows individuals with disabilities to do things for themselves they may not otherwise be able to do.

Now let’s talk about what I’m calling the “home of the future”.  The reason I’m using that term is because when I read this article that spoke of different types of automation like video doorbells and smart thermostats, it made me think of movies like “I, Robot” starring Will Smith, or even “The Jetsons”, a Hanna Barbera cartoon from the l980’s. Equipment I never dreamed would be available in my lifetime will be more readily available in the not-so-distant future. Lights being controlled by smartphones and voice-activated television guides for the visually impaired were just some variations of technology that were mentioned. This is definitely a game-changer to help people with disabilities thrive in their own homes.

Right now, there’s a significant cost for such innovative technology. However, there are currently some organizations offering assistance for individuals with disabilities to get the equipment and upgrades they need to make these pieces of equipment available to them. As the years go by, hopefully these gadgets won’t be so difficult for someone to obtain on their own so that independence is not so far out of reach.

The assistive technology we use every day not only helps people with disabilities be more independent but adds to our quality of life and self-esteem. It helps us accomplish this by increasing the number of tasks that we can accomplish independently.

The advancements being made now will only help us reach our goals more and more as time goes by. In the long run, there’s no limit to what people with disabilities will be able to accomplish.

What gadget interests you the most?

Author’s note: The article that was originally included in this blog post was no longer a viable link. Updated information on home automation can be found here.

Dolls for Downs

by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

While browsing the Internet the other day, I saw a story about a doll that’s fashioned like a disabled child.  To be a bit more specific, a child with Down Syndrome.  While I was growing up, I used a wheelchair.  Although I knew most of the kids at my school didn’t have a disability, it didn’t bother me.  This isn’t necessarily the case for all disabled kids.  I think having dolls with differences is a great idea for children with disabilities so they’re less likely to feel left out when it comes to their non-disabled peers, which can sometimes be the case.  If there are dolls with different eye, skin and hair colors, it only makes sense to have dolls with different disabilities too.  It’s great that dolls can be made representative of real life.

Having these dolls available can help kids feel like they’ve got someone to identify with.  They can also help build self-esteem.  It’s a great idea for children with out a disability to have a chance to be exposed to these dolls too.  That’s because it could help them become sensitive to others no matter their circumstance.

When I started thinking about this, I remembered that when I was about 17 years old, Mattel came out with the first Barbie doll in a wheelchair.  It was really cool to see that a toy company seemed to be catching up with the rest of the world, but then, it kind of disappeared from the market.

I really like that this doll encourages things like occupational therapy.  I remember when I was younger, I was really not interested in doing the exercises that were assigned to me by my physical or occupational therapist in the least.  Maybe these dolls can help make a not so fun thing a little bit more fun to do.  All in all, I feel like these dolls have the potential to make an impact on many people.

What do you think about creating different dolls to exemplify the differences of people in society?

Thanks for reading…

cr

Gliding Stars: A Different way to Ice Skate

by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

As the weather gets cooler, I start thinking about wearing sweaters, making chili and believe it or not, ice skating.  I have watched ice skaters on television before but, never knew that this was something I could do too, even with my disability.

A few years ago, I found out about Gliding Stars.  Gliding Stars is an adaptive skating program where people with all types of disabilities can get out on the ice and skate! You read that right, they ice skate.   You may ask yourself, how is this possible?  The program has adaptive equipment available that allows participants to get out on the ice and have fun, just like anyone else who skates in their spare time.

Even if you don’t have a disability, you can get involved too!  There are volunteer opportunities available that allow you  to help the participants skate out on the ice.  It is also a great way to get exposure, have interaction and build bonds with people you may not otherwise have a chance to meet.

Gliding Stars has chapters in such places like New York, Florida and Ohio.

There are also some great benefits to this program.  First, the participants get to experience something they would not otherwise have the opportunity to do.  There is also the aspect of getting out and doing something fun.  Next, they get to exercise with out really even knowing it!  The program also helps with the participant’s social development.  At the end of the season (which lasts from 12 to about 26 weeks), an end of the season show is performed, where the participants can show the public what they have learned.  This also helps increase their self-esteem because of the sense of accomplishment they feel from reaching their goals in the sport.

What other benefits do these types of programs have for the people involved?

If you want more information about this program, please go to www.glidingstars.org

Thanks for reading…

cr

What Does Independence Mean to You?

by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

This may sound like a silly question but, if you think about it, independence means many different things to different people.  When I started thinking about writing this post, I was thinking about the independence you feel when you can do something with out someone else’s help.  Then I started thinking about independence as freedom from oppression that people face in other countries.  Then I started thinking about when I was in high school and one of my best friends got her driver’s license.  That led to independence (of sorts) from our parents driving us around (they still gave us a curfew so, we weren’t totally independent of them until later on).

There is also the independence you experience when you move out of your parents house to your first apartment or when you go off to a college dorm.  You begin to find out who you are as a person without your parents dictating your every move.  It also means being able to do whatever you want without having to ask anyone’s permission.

When you ask someone how it feels to be independent, they will probably tell you how great they feel because of their new-found freedom.  I started thinking about how it feels to be able to do things on your own, yet another aspect of independence.  I am talking about things that most people find easy, like, for example, cutting a piece of meat for the first time when you haven’t been able to do this before.  It may sound silly but, it’s like a whole new world opens up. All of a sudden you don’t have to rely on others to do it for you anymore.  You actually feel like a new person.

I had that experience many years ago.  In fact, I tell people about different things I use to make my life easier and it is like a lightbulb goes off over their head.  They either tell me “I never thought something like that was available” or “I never thought you had some difficulty doing (fill in the task here) because you make it look so easy.

Being more independent in your everyday life gives your self-esteem and self-confidence a boost.  It makes you think “if I can accomplish those things that were once hard for me, I wonder what else I can do?”

What does independence mean to you?

Thanks for reading…

cr