Health and Disability News from America 11 October 2008

Weekly Roundup of Disability and Health News from America.

A new law, SB 1608, signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last week, reduces the chance of business owners being sued over access for disabled people by allowing owners to be certified by the state that they're in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. It was created with input from advocates for the disabled and business groups.

 To people with disabilities, using improper terminology can be as insulting as deliberately mispronouncing their names. "Everyone should strive to make sure they're using the appropriate terminology because it makes a difference in terms of stigma and how the world views people with disabilities," says Curt Decker, executive director of the National Disability Rights Network. What Should You Call a Person With a Disability?

Ernst & Young LLP received the U.S. Department of Labor's prestigious New Freedom Initiative award this week, which honors corporations, non-profits, individuals and small businesses for their efforts to further the employment and workplace environment for people with disabilities. The Office of Disabilities Employment Policy (ODEP) coordinates the annual New Freedom Initiative Awards program which was introduced by President George W. Bush in 2001. The New Freedom Initiative is a government-wide effort to accelerate the full inclusion of people with disabilities into mainstream American life. Enhancing the Participation of Americans with Disabilities

CLEARWATER – The Abilities Foundation will present a tribute to George Locascio, founder of the B & G Endowment, Thursday, Oct. 16, at Pepin’s Restaurant in St. Petersburg. Locascio is credited as a pioneer in the field of handicapped access and disability awareness. He was a driving force behind the Americans with Disabilities Act and the inaugural recipient of the Abilities Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award for exemplary advocacy or people with disabilities. Gifts are payable to the Abilities Foundation, c/o the B & G Endowment, 2735 Whitney Road, Clearwater, FL. 33760-1610. Call 538-7370, Ext. 345.

The U.S. Department of Labor presented Safeway Chairman, President and CEO Steve Burd with the Department's 2008 SPIRIT Award for his leadership in furthering employment and workplace opportunities for people with disabilities. Former Major League Baseball player, Jim Abbott, was named co-winner of the award. Mr. Abbott, a celebrated pitcher despite being born with only one hand, now works to raise awareness about the benefits and value that disabled employees bring to the workplace.

"America's People, America's Talent, America's Strength" is the official 2008 theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which is observed in October nationwide. In recognition of the month, Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt today announced the launch of a new Internet site The Missouri Disability Portal to assist Missourians with questions about disability resources. http://www.govtech.com/gt/420778?topic=118264

MONTGOMERY - With advocates and people with disabilities in attendance, Gov. Bob Riley signed an executive order Thursday reauthorizing the Governor’s Office on Disability. The signing ceremony was held in the Old Archives Room at the Capitol. “So many of us are going to deal with disabilities, either ourselves or a family member or a friend, sometime in our lives,” Riley said. A disability division was first created in the Alabama Development Office by Gov. Guy Hunt in March 1993 after passage of the federal Americans With Disabilities Act. Gov. Don Siegelman created the Governor’s Office on Disability in 1999.

Approximately 40% of all deaths in the United States are premature (at least 900,000 deaths annually) and are due to unhealthy lifestyle choices such as tobacco use, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, misuse of alcohol and drugs, and accidents. Other contributors to early death include genetic predisposition (30%), social circumstances (15%), poor access to quality medical care (10%), and environmental exposures (5%). The prevalence of obesity among U.S. adults rose to 30% in 1999-2000, a 33% increase from a decade earlier, and the prevalence of diabetes also rose by 33% during approximately the same period (1990 to 1998). Wellness Statistics   http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/74488

Health and Disability News for US Seniors:

Hop-on, Inc. (Pink Sheets: HPNN) announced today that its HOP1890, the ChitterChatter for seniors, is now available in the United States and Europe. The ChitterChatter phone provides a call center available 24/7 where operators can make calls, provide directory assistance and help with setup. With GPS/Enhanced Location-Based-Services the locator phone provides a unique and affordable way for seniors, or those with special medical needs, to stay connected and in contact with each other.
The HOP1890, a Dual-band 850/1900MHz in the U.S. or 900/1800MHz for Europe, offers 300 minutes of talk time and 300 hours of standby time. With a large, bright screen with large text that is easy to read and bigger buttons that are easy to push, dialing and making calls is easier than ever on the HOP1890. The phone is specific for ease of use for seniors. HOP1890 New ChitterChatter for Seniors

SAN MATEO - The Family Service Agency of San Mateo County is holding a counseling-training session from 6 to 9 p.m. today for seniors who want to provide free counseling to other seniors experiencing mental health issues such as loneliness, isolation, grief and depression. Volunteers will learn how to provide one-on-one and group peer counseling to seniors. The curriculum will cover the basics of counseling, social and family relationships, self-awareness, listening skills, understanding depression, substance abuse, and other topics related to the challenges of aging. Volunteers must be at least 55 years old and willing to commit to work with at least one client, one hour per week, for one year. The nonprofit is looking for people who can speak English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin or Tagalog. In addition to providing help to people from diverse cultural backgrounds, the Family Services Agency will also offer counseling to the LGBT community. The training session will be held at the agency's headquarters at 24 Second Ave. in San Mateo.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas -- In anticipation of an active flu season here in Montgomery County, The Friendship Center will offer senior adults an opportunity to obtain flu shots at two locations in the county. The shots will be offered at the Conroe Activity Center, 1202 Callahan, from 9-11 a.m. on October 20. Shots will again be offered in the west Montgomery County area on Oct. 23 from 12:30-2 p.m. at The Friendship Center’s location in the CDBG Community Center on Friendship Lane in Magnolia. Flu shots are free this year to seniors age 55 and over, courtesy of the Christus Foundation for Healthcare. In addition to seniors served by The Friendship Center, any local resident age 55 or over may receive a shot free of charge. For more information, contact Susan Bond at 936-756-5828 x34.

The Friendship Center is the primary nonprofit organization in Montgomery County serving senior adults county-wide. Services include Meals-On-Wheels, planned activities and a hot noon-day meal at five activity centers in all segments of the community, and transportation services for seniors and the disabled. Services are funded in part by United Way and by the Community Development Block Grant program. For more information on services offered by The Friendship Center, call 936-756-5828 or 936-441-2982.

American Veterans News

Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) and Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) today announced the rollout of a new web-based system to assist in the veteran disability rating process for the severely injured returning from the current conflicts.
"This new system will immediately help us ensure the accuracy of every veteran disability claim that we work on," said John Roberts, National Service Director for Wounded Warrior Project. "It performs disability calculations, checks the Code of Federal Regulations for veterans' benefits, and makes sure that all aspects of a disability rating are considered." The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. WWP serves to raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women, to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. For more information, please call (904) 296-7350 or visit http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

Coming Events:

Chapel Rock Christian Church will present the conference "Aging with Choice: Options for Seniors" from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Indianapolis church. Medical experts from Indiana University Hospital and St. Vincent's Center on Aging will discuss the latest information about aging and caregiving. There also will be breakout sessions on topics including generational differences, legal and financial considerations and Alzheimer's and related dementias. Registration is $15 for individuals and $25 for couples. It will include a continental breakfast, lunch, snacks and all information and handouts. The church is at 2020 N. Girls School Road. For more information or to register, call (317) 247-9739.

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