Julius@f223.n163.z1.fidonet.org (Julius) (02/22/90)
Index Number: 6897
I was reading your message about showing 10 devices to the newly
disabled group. What about including a reacher, and dicom (which
is a non-slip place mat, so your plate will be stabilized while
cutting your meat, etc.)? Rob (my C.P. child) likes the reacher
the best. That way he does not loose his balance when he has to
pick up something he dropped. He is a short kid too and with the
reacher he can get things off high shelves, which saves us from
helping him. I was wondering if you heard anything about a
companion dog, and where I could get information about them. I
would love to get a companion dog for Rob, who (the dog) in some
ways would make sure he (Rob) is always safe. Rob has cataracts
and also only sees out of one eye at a time. He cannot judge
distances, so when he crosses the street he waits until he cannot
see any cars, since we live on a main road some days he stands
there for about 5 minutes before he can cross the road. He is not
legally blind so we cannot get him a guide dog. He is also a
lonely little guy and I thought the dog would be a good companion
for him. One of the reason he does not have too many friends is
because he can only stand being with other kids for a short period
of time about 15 to 30 minutes, after that he gets overstimulated
and ends up throwing a temper tantrum, hits other kids etc.
Luckily his school recognizes the problem and he has his own
teacher's aid, and is never in a situation where the ratio is more
than 1 adult to 3 kids, usually he gets individual attention.
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!163!223!Julius
Internet: Julius@f223.n163.z1.fidonet.orgRon.Rothenberg@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Ron Rothenberg) (02/23/90)
Index Number: 6905
J> I was reading your message about showing 10 devices to the newly
J> disabled group. What about including a reacher, and dicom
J> (which is a non-slip place mat, so your plate will be stabilized
J> while cutting your meat, etc.)? Rob (my C.P. child) likes the
J> reacher the best. That way he does not loose his balance when
I've already include the reacher. I like it a lot myself. Good for
pinching girls at a distance. I may include the DICOM, but I really
wanted all the devices to be housing related. After all the idea of
the seminars are to get out the word about accessible housing so I can
sell houses so I can make a lot of money so I can get out the word
about accessible housing while living in the lap of luxury.
J> them. I would love to get a companion dog for Rob, who (the
J> dog) in some ways would make sure he (Rob) is always safe. Rob
There is a group called Canine Companions for Independence, or somesuch
which sounds like exactly what he needs. They supply trained dogs to
do some of the things he can't, plus fun and companionship are thrown
in for free. I'll post their address next time I come across it.
Thanks again,
Ron
CANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE (CCI) is a nonprofit, tax-exempt
organization founded in 1975. CCI trains specially bred dogs
to assist people with disabilities other than blindness to live
independent lives. SERVICE dogs aid people with orthopedic challenges;
SIGNAL dogs alert the hearing-impaired and deaf to crucial sounds;
SOCIAL dogs are placed with individuals or in institutions as
part of Pet Facilitated Therapy; and SPECIALITY dogs are trained
for seniors or individuals with multiple disabilities. CCI executive
offices are located at POB 446, Santa Rosa, CA. 95402-0446.ph.
707-528-0830 for further information. (V/TDD).
... We are all in this together -- by ourselves. - Lily Tomlin
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!101!460!Ron.Rothenberg
Internet: Ron.Rothenberg@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.orgPat.Goltz@f3.n300.z1.fidonet.org (Pat Goltz) (02/24/90)
Index Number: 6926
I can see from your description of your son that there is a need for a
service to provide handi-dogs to kids with vision impairments who are not
legally blind, which dogs have some of the training a seeing-eye dog
would have. Interesting. I hope someone out there in the far reaches of
this Echo picks up on this, cause I personally don't have time! <grin>
Pat
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!300!3!Pat.Goltz
Internet: Pat.Goltz@f3.n300.z1.fidonet.orgRon.Rothenberg@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Ron Rothenberg) (02/24/90)
Index Number: 6937
JO> Do you have the SHHH "Handyman Hints" booklet, Ron? I just did
JO> a workshop last night for folks here based on sone of the
JO> off-the-shelf devices in that book. I'll send you a copy (hope
JO> I can find your address - I know it's around here someplace).
JO>
Thanks, Jack. I think I sent away for that a while ago, but just in
case I'll mail away for another one. Bill Baughn publishes a
newsletter with similar info for amputees. I just received a few
copies of back issues and it's quite good. "SELF HELP" is the key. I
think we have the automobile attitude toward our bodies and lives. The
jalopy (sp?) breaks down, we bring it in for repair, never learning
about what goes on under the hood, or how to keep it from happening
again.
Sigh. . . .
-rsr-
... We are all in this together -- by ourselves. - Lily Tomlin
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!101!460!Ron.Rothenberg
Internet: Ron.Rothenberg@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.orgPANDORA.NIGH@f532.n157.z1.fidonet.org (PANDORA NIGH) (02/27/90)
Index Number: 6970
Hi Ron, when you talk about reachers try and get a few different
models. I think that they are great also but I found that some types cause a
problem for people to use. I can use the regular reacher if I am trying to
pick up small objects from the floor but do not have the strength to use it
to grab something over my head. I got beaned a lot. I found that there are
different reachers that have different strength of hand requirements for
closing the reacher and there is also one that has a wrist and hand brace
attached that help give strength for lifting. Check with Fred Sammon's Inc.
to get the info on all the different types. It helps to know for people that
may have tried one without success that there is others out there that may
help. Also there are several different closing mechanisms. There is the
standard prong type closure , one designed like a gun trigger and even palm
cup activated.
Another way to solve the problem of overhead reaching is the type of
wheel chair that one has. There a some models that have hydrolic lifts in
the seat that will raise your height to easy reach of upper shelves and some
that will stand you up with total support.
Another device I came across for someone that is doing home remodeling
is the Liftshelf this is a storage retrieval system where at the push of a
button the whole shelf comes forward and down. The Liftshelf is $300 per
unit. It comes from Owens Design
2295 C.R. 292
Bellevue, OH 44811
(419) 483-4872
Pandora
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!157!532!PANDORA.NIGH
Internet: PANDORA.NIGH@f532.n157.z1.fidonet.orgGreg.See-Kee@p0.f404.n714.z3.fidonet.org (Greg See-Kee) (02/28/90)
Index Number: 6983
J> I was reading your message about showing 10 devices to the
newly
J> disabled group.
I know you may not have originally used to word "devices".
GADGETS is a far more appropriate word.
J> I was wondering if you heard anything about a companion dog
Yes this is a DEVICE.
Other devices are: new friends, job/recreation/hobbies. Partner/
spouse. Fidonet DisAbled Conferencing, Disability organizations,
solitary sex, ab/use of the medical drugs and/ or professional
carers.
When talking about professional carers -- they may or may not be
trained/ code-of-ethics bound, disciplined.
But they see that being a do-gooder is their major vocation.
Before my own brain injury (motor vehicle accident), I defined
myself as a professional do-gooder. Some of my causes were
Feminism, Druggies, Homeless youth, crazies, quads, paras,
retards, vision-impaired, and the men's auxilaries to the Women's
Liberation Movement in Australia's two largest cities.
Five years after the fourth most disabling thing that could ever
happen to anyone, I'm still coming to terms with the new "me".
BTW: The most disabling events are
(1) Persistent, acute pain
(2) Persistent, acute dizziness
(3) Tinnitus
(4) Brain Damage
(5) ...
( ) Quadriplegia
I'm interested in your "Hit Parades". (1), (2) & (3) are in
agreement with the Australian Tinnitus Association.
Brain damage, which I have, has multiple causes:
1) natural senility (premature or otherwise)
2) the birth process
3) drug abuse/ reactions, including alcohol
4) physical impact (as with me)
5) stroke
6) oxygen starvation (eg drowning, coma, ...)
7) ...
8) schizophrenia ?
9) other organic brain disorders ?
Unlike mere spinal cord damage (paras & quads), or damage to the
peripheral nervous system [PNS] (hearing, vision, digestion,
limbs,
...), brain damage affects the total human body.
In military terms, if you eliminate headquarters, you do the most
damage. So in my case, it not only affects my PNS (hearing,
vision, gigestion, limbs, etc), but also other important
Brain-Only functions.
These Brain-Only functions include:
1) Logic systems ("insight")
2) Memory systems, esp short term memory
3) Muscular Multi-processing (eg listening, swallowing)
4) Input multi-processing (eg listening & seeing)
5) Cognitive multi-processing (eg thinking/ emoting)
Often termed "emotional disinhibition".
6) Output multi-processing (eg walking & talking)
The other determinant of the seriousness of a medical disability,
is the level of civilization around the disabled person.
So if the society relies on "blue-collar" muscular-type work,
then spinal cord and limb-disabilities are very critical.
However if a society has the physical and social mechanisms to
provide prostheses (artificial parts), then access to these
physical & social mechanisms becomes much more important.
With Brain Damage, a person (myself included) becomes unable to
fully access the physical and social prosthesis that advanced
societies provide.
To put it in "street language", crips like me are so bitchy and
unreliable that no-one likes being near us too long.
Most of the brain damaged people are living on the streets, in
"overnight refuges" or just dumped into nursing homes.
The science & technology has not YET evolved to the level that it
knows how to handle brain damage. Our society doen't even know
how it is caused!
-- END OF SERMON -- <grin>
Comments, questions, arguments ... please ...
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!3!714!404.0!Greg.See-Kee
Internet: Greg.See-Kee@p0.f404.n714.z3.fidonet.org