Finding Caregivers for the Disabled Child

September 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Taking care of children with disabilities is a huge responsibility. In fact, not everyone can say that they are cut out for this as a career. Working parents who have children with disabilities are faced with the task of finding qualified caregivers to ensure the safety of these children. Being qualified not only means being able to relate well with children with special needs. They should have some knowledge of the different types of disability accessories.

Tips for Finding a Caregiver

Parents of children with disabilities should be careful when looking for a caregiver. The individual’s background is important but not everyone can afford to make such checks themselves. There are professional organizations that provide listings of caregivers complete with background checks.

Some of these organizations are also involved in training caregivers to work with children with disabilities. Since some of them cannot attend school regularly they may be trained in teaching methods. The training offer will include information on various types of disabilities and associated disability accessories. They will be taught how these accessories should be used to help improve the life of their wards.

Some common methods of finding caregivers include:

-Seeking referrals from friends, family members or even the family doctor.
-Checking online job forums for postings by qualified caregivers.
-Letting friends and family know that you are in need of such services just in case they become aware of someone with the required qualifications.
-Putting an ad in the newspaper or online.

Before hiring a caregiver for a child with disabilities, it is important that needs of the child and the parent/guardian be addressed. You will have to determine how many hours per week their assistance will be needed. Whether or not weekends will be included should also be ironed out as well. The issue of holidays should be discussed in advance to prevent problems down the road. The caregiver should also be familiarized with all the disability accessories the child uses.

Filed Under: Family Support, Rehab & Exercise Tagged With: ,

Being a Caregiver for Children With Disabilities

September 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Children with disabilities need special care and must be shown a great deal of patience. They require disability accessories or medical equipment which can sometimes represent a significant cost. Making adjustments to accommodate disability accessories can also put pressure on the average budget. When an individual is suddenly thrust into the position of caring for a child who is disabled, it is a challenge that must be met with confidence and understanding. Understanding the needs of children with disabilities can be good for caregivers and the children themselves.

Understanding Disability Accessories

Disability accessories are meant to make the lives of individuals with disabilities easier. They help them to function and maintain some level of independence. Some type of disability accessories are:

-Wheelchairs
-Stair lifts
-Walking sticks
-Ramps and rails

Any caregiver for a child with a disability must ensure that the home environment is safe. The home must also be able to accommodate the appropriate disability accessories. Depending on the extent of the child’s disability a nurse may also be contracted to provide assistance. There are websites online that not only sell disability accessories, but also offer guidance on caring for children with disabilities.

Caregivers sometimes need to be aware of how to operate some types of medical equipment when faced with this responsibility. Information is one of the best tools any caregiver can have. This means understanding the nature of the disability and what the child’s limitations will be. Being informed also help the caregiver to react correctly in the case of an emergency.

Some types of medical equipment require some amount of training for both the child and the caregiver. The caregiver will also be responsible for ensuring that all disability accessories are in working order. This will also ensure that no injuries occur to the child or anyone else who is helping to care for him or her. Being a caregiver to a child with special needs can be a daunting task, but it is an important undertaking. Have the right person caring for a child with disabilities is essential for the child’s sense of well-being.

Filed Under: Childhood Disability, Rehab & Exercise Tagged With: ,

Dashiell Hammett: The Pulp Fiction Legend who Needed Alcohol Treatment

September 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The term “pulp fiction” became widely known to modern audiences with the release of the edgy Quentin Tarantino film of the same name. Younger viewers likely don’t realize where the term came from, but “pulp fiction” was a term for the stories published in the “pulps,” the inexpensive magazines of the 1930s and 40s, which featured glossy covers and pulpy newsprint pages. The magazines became major publishers for some of the most entertaining stories of the day, and specialized in romance, crime and hard-boiled detective stories. One of the greatest writers to emerge from the pulp fiction market was Dashiell Hammett.

Hammett became a name with his darkly entertaining detective stories, first published in pulps like “Detective Fiction Weekly.” His feel for character and his spare writing style has made him a legend of the genre. He had been a detective with the Pinkerton Agency and drew on his experiences for his writing.

He graduated from short fiction to novels, like “Red Harvest,” “The Maltese Falcon” and “The Thin Man.” From his novels sprang indelible characters like the hard-boiled detective Sam Spade, and the unforgettable Nick and Nora Charles.

Hollywood came calling, and Hammett’s novels easily transferred to film. His already colorful characters jumped to life on the big screen, with Humphrey Bogart making the Sam Spade character his own. “The Thin Man” starred the impeccable William Powell and lovely Myrna Loy as the witty Nick and Nora Charles.

His characters, Nick and Nora, were said to be based on his relationship with writer Lillian Hellman. Hammett was married once and fathered two daughters, but spent the last 30 years of his life with Hellman. Hammett suffered from emphysema, and spent his last years in poor health. He drank heavily for most of his life but never gained sobriety or sought alcohol treatment. He died in 1961 of lung cancer.

Filed Under: Rehab & Exercise Tagged With: ,

A Travel Nurse Job Helps Many People

August 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Some people may believe that the profession of nursing forbids people with disabilities from joining it.  According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, no profession, professional association or place of employment may forbid a person from holding any kind of job which the individual is capable of fulfilling, if they are given reasonable accommodations.  But of course, in the real world, things are not always so equitable and noble. The work force is often a battle field, and the people who win are often the ones who bend the rules whenever it suits their interests. That may not be right, but it’s the way the world works sometimes. However, whether you apply for a travel nurse job, or a more fixed position in a doctor’s office or a hospital, you have every right to the same degree of employment as any other similarly qualified individual.

You might have to be crafty about it, though. Every nurse benefits their patients, especially those patients who have disabilities.  And while a completely capable individual should have the ability to sympathize, and to a point empathize with their patients, a nurse who also has a disability is in a unique position to provide even better care.  It is one thing when you can imagine how someone feels – and it is quite another when your understanding is personal and complete.

Regardless of their respective challenges, people with disabilities can offer many things to the world. Most everybody has something they can do, even if it isn’t of a physically intensive nature. Some disabled individuals simply lack the confidence to believe they have any gifts to offer their fellow human beings. What better way to inspire the disabled, than to function exceptionally despite your disability?

Filed Under: Family Support, Health & Medical, Rehab & Exercise Tagged With: ,

Recognizing and Treating Asperger’s Syndrome

August 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Asperger’s syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder characterized by difficulty interacting with others, but to a lesser degree than autism. No one knows how many people in the world suffer from Asperger’s, but it is estimated that less than 1 in 1000 children exhibit this syndrome during their lives.

The symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome overlap with those of autism. Children with Asperger’s show decreased ability to interact and empathize with others, and may exhibit repetitive, inflexible behavior patterns similar to autistic children. They may fall into specific routines or develop habits, and become agitated and upset when those routines and habits are disrupted. However, unlike autistic children, children with Asperger’s show a normal range of linguistic development. They begin talking and reading at the normal ages, and may appear very proficient at language acquisition. However, they may have odd speaking styles, use strange words and phrases, lapse into verbose incoherence, or show limited range of inflection. Asperger’s is usually diagnosed once the child begins school, but because the symptoms are so similar to those of autism, diagnosis may be complicated.

Like autism, the specific causes and mechanisms of Asperger’s are not known. It is thought to be the result of a complex interaction between genetic predisposition and genetic mutation, with the environment and upbringing playing only a limited factor. The mechanism by which Asperger’s syndrome manifests are likewise unclear, as it appears to affect a range of brain systems and structures, from high-level cognitive processes down to individual neurons.

Treatment for Asperger’s syndrome usually takes the form of a combination of therapy and medication, meant to relieve the inflexibility of Asperger’s behavior and to enhance social skills. Asperger’s therapy is typically easier than autism therapy, because the patient is more communicative. Other psychological issues can arise alongside Asperger’s as the child attempts to understand their condition and fit into the world. Anxiety, stress, and depression are common, and therapy and medication are able to effectively address these issues. However, no medication can address the complicated nature of Asperger’s syndrome, and only a lifelong effort at treatment will alleviate the symptoms.

Filed Under: Rehab & Exercise Tagged With: ,

Handicapped Parking

August 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment
One of the provisions of the American with Disability Act (ADA) of 1990, dealt with parking spaces. It noted that it was essential that people with disabilities be able to park close to their destination. If not, travelling to those destinations becomes extremely difficult. The ADA regulated the establishment and the reservation of parking spaces for individuals with disabilities.
The word used is handicapped. Handicapped is defined as people who suffer from any type of disability that impacts their movements. These disabilities could include blindness, loss of a limb, severe illness causing difficulty moving, etc.  The word, handicapped, as it relates to parking also refers to any organization that transports people with disabilities to their destination.
The laws insure that all public buildings, regardless of who owns them, have to include designated handicapped parking spots. This also applies to parking spaces constructed in and around commercial areas (either in operation or under construction).
The only way these handicapped designated spots can be used is if the vehicles in the space have handicapped registration plates or cards. Any other vehicle parked in those spots will be given a parking ticket which is usually accompanied by a hefty fine.
In addition to the punishment meted out by illegal parkers in those spots, the parking spots have to be designed in a certain way. They need to be at least eight foot deep and have an additional five feet for offloading.
They are also supposed to be constructed close to an entrance or to handicapped-friendly walkways. The same number of handicapped stalls apply to buildings with multiple entrances.
To obtain a handicapped plate or placard, a medical certificate detailing the disability and how it impacts the holder’s movement must be presented to the appropriate issuing entity.

One of the provisions of the American with Disability Act (ADA) of 1990, dealt with parking spaces. It noted that it was essential that people with disabilities be able to park close to their destination. If not, travelling to those destinations becomes extremely difficult. The ADA regulated the establishment and the reservation of parking spaces for individuals with disabilities.
The word used is handicapped. Handicapped is defined as people who suffer from any type of disability that impacts their movements. These disabilities could include blindness, loss of a limb, severe illness causing difficulty moving, etc.  The word, handicapped, as it relates to parking also refers to any organization that transports people with disabilities to their destination.
The laws insure that all public buildings, regardless of who owns them, have to include designated handicapped parking spots. This also applies to parking spaces constructed in and around commercial areas (either in operation or under construction).
The only way these handicapped designated spots can be used is if the vehicles in the space have handicapped registration plates or cards. Any other vehicle parked in those spots will be given a parking ticket which is usually accompanied by a hefty fine.
In addition to the punishment meted out by illegal parkers in those spots, the parking spots have to be designed in a certain way. They need to be at least eight foot deep and have an additional five feet for offloading.
They are also supposed to be constructed close to an entrance or to handicapped-friendly walkways. The same number of handicapped stalls apply to buildings with multiple entrances.
To obtain a handicapped plate or placard, a medical certificate detailing the disability and how it impacts the holder’s movement must be presented to the appropriate issuing entity.

Filed Under: Rehab & Exercise Tagged With: , ,
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