Disabled World Community Newsletter - May 15 - 2009 - Episode 2

By Thomas C. Weiss - May 15, 2009 2:49:37 PM

Disabled World Community Newsletter May 15th, 2009.

How to Resize Text and Fonts in Your Browser Settings
By Disabled World

Although Disabled World provides a handy text resizer on our pages many web pages can be difficult to view because the text is too small to read easily.

Disabled World includes this information to help people, in particular those with vision impairments, who want to know how to change text size in their browser settings and may not know how.

Modern browsers such as Internet Explorer, FireFox, Safari (Mac), Google Chrome, Opera, and Netscape provide a setting option to adjust the font, or text, size.

The Langtree's - The Family Behind Disabled World
By Thomas C. Weiss

The Langtree family lives in a town outside of Montreal, Canada where they enjoy gardening, boating, fishing, and many of the things that other families do. The Langtree's have a home that includes a swimming pool for them to enjoy, a yard for them to relax in when the weather is nice, and is situated in a neighborhood that is much like the one's you would find many other homes in across both Canada and America. They enjoy a life of daily living and caring for their children.

More Women Turning to Social Security Disability Benefits
By Allsup

More working mothers are becoming disabled and losing their ability to support their families. That means it's even more important for women to understand the role of Social Security disability insurance, according to Allsup, which represents tens of thousands of people in the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) process each year.

In the past decade, from 1999 to 2009, the rate of disability for women has grown by about 72 percent compared with nearly 42 percent for men, according to the Social Security Administration. Since 1990, the number of working women who are fully insured for Social Security benefits has grown by 28 percent to 99.7 million women. As of April 2009, 3.6 million women were receiving SSDI benefits as disabled workers.

Films Involving Disabilities
By Thomas C. Weiss

The Films Involving Disabilities website presents detailed listings of over three-thousand feature films and documentaries which involve persons with disabilities.

The films the site lists are separated into two different categories - major films and minor films. The films are often reviewed, or include a summary as well as links to further information. The site is directed towards teachers, students and anyone who has an interest in how disability is represented in films. The Films Involving Disabilities site has a number of categories of disability-related areas it focuses on, to include:

Patients with Mild to Moderate OSA may Benefit from Exercise
By American Thoracic Society

Practicing certain tongue and pharyngeal exercises may reduce symptoms of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to new research being published in the second issue for May of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Although CPAP is the gold standard treatment for severe OSA, the vast majority of subjects from epidemiological studies have mild or moderate OSA. The compliance to CPAP among mild to moderate OSA is variable, and there are only a few forms of alternative treatments for this large number of subjects and patients.

First treatment for Fibromyalgia Pain now Available in Canada
By PFIZER CANADA INC.

Relief in sight for Canadians suffering from a common chronic widespread pain condition.

Pfizer Canada Inc. announced today that LYRICA(R) (pregabalin) is now indicated for the management of pain associated with fibromyalgia, giving the approximately one million Canadians who suffer from this debilitating condition a key component towards managing their disease.

This new indication announcement, made on International Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, represents positive news for fibromyalgia sufferers since pain associated with the condition previously had no approved treatment options in Canada.

Meet Disabled World Community Member Mike!

Picture of Mike Mike is from Pittsburgh, PA originally, but now lives in the Greenville, SC area. Mike likes watching movie channels, has an interest in the paranormal, and has a CB and a police scanner. He likes to go out to bars and clubs once in a while with friends and is a big fan of Coast to Coast AM with George Noory. Mike has osteoporosis, PTSD, borderline schizophrenia as well as other disabilities. He has never been married, although he has reached a point in life where he is now looking for the right woman to settle down with. Mike lived in various parts of America, having lived in South Florida, Denver, Colorado and Columbus, Ohio in the past. You can visit his profile at: http://community.disabled-world.com/SWMSOUTH

Meet Disabled World Community Member AnniePHP!

Picture of Annie Annie loves to socialize with others, both young and older. She spends approximately ninety-percent of her time lying down which she says offers her some challenges, but she finds that it makes her an interesting person to be around. She believes it helps others to open up to her about their lives and experiences, helping her to have meaningful conversations with them. Annie has a pelvis condition that has affected her for thirty years. She exercises in in a pool and is dedicated to exercising. Annie enjoys a number of activities such as needle felting, glass mosaicing, remodeling, and crocheting. She likes to volunteer at Nursing Homes and Respite Centers. You can visit Annie's profile at: http://community.disabled-world.com/anniephp

Glossary of Gerontology Definitions
By Disabled World

Gerontology is the study of the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging. It is distinguished from geriatrics, which is the branch of medicine that studies the disease of the elderly. Gerontology examines the biological, economic, psychological, social and health/fitness aspects of the aging process.

Also see our How Long Will I Live - http://www.disabled-world.com/calculators-charts/life-expectancy-statistics.php showing average number of years you will live for according to which country you live in.

Probiotics may Ward off Obesity in Pregnant Women
By European Association for the Study of Obesity

Study in pregnant women suggests probiotics may help ward off obesity.
One year after giving birth, women were less likely to have the most dangerous kind of obesity if they had been given probiotics from the first trimester of pregnancy, found new research that suggests manipulating the balance of bacteria in the gut may help fight obesity.
Probiotics are bacteria that help maintain a healthy bacterial balance in the digestive tract by reducing the growth of harmful bacteria. They are part of the normal digestive system and play a role in controlling inflammation.

RehaDesign Wheelchair Gloves Launched in the USA
By RehaDesign

Med Services Europe has announced the US launch of RehaDesign Wheelchair Gloves.
RehaDesign Wheelchair Gloves have been on the market in Europe since 2005. Due to a cooperation signed between Grover Gear Medical (http://www.grovergear.com)and Med Services Europe, RehaDesign Wheelchair Gloves are now available to US wheelchair users as well.

RehaDesign Wheelchair Gloves (http://www.newdisability.com/gloves.htm) range includes four different styles:

Disability Sex Dating and Adult Chat
By Disabled World

Sex and disability are rarely discussed in the same sentence. As a result more than 50% of disabled people do not have any form of a regular sex life.

Today's culture has tended to set various rules and ideas on how people should look and act. A person with a disability of some kind may tend to feel unattractive, or even less worthy of sexual partnership or relations, because they think that they can't live up to the idealized image today's society has set. If the disability happened later on in their life, the person may recall how they used to look and feel very unattractive by comparison to who they once were.

Extra Payments to Medicare Advantage to Total $11.4 billion in 2009
By Commonwealth Fund

$43 billion in extra payments have been made to private Medicare Advantage plans since 2004.

Private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans will be paid $11.4 billion more in 2009 than what the same beneficiaries would have cost in the traditional Medicare fee-for-service program, according to a new report released today by The Commonwealth Fund. This new analysis, The Continuing Costs of Privatization: Extra Payments to Medicare Advantage Plans Jump to $11.4 Billion in 2009, estimates that since MA was enacted in 2004, $43 billion in extra payments have been made.

VA Applications for Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
By Department of Veterans Affairs

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today that Veterans can begin submitting applications on-line for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

“There is no better investment than education,” said Tammy Duckworth, VA’s assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs. “The Post-9/11 GI Bill will provide new opportunities that are essential to our Veterans, our workforce and our economy.”
Veterans, service members, reservists and National Guard members with active duty since Sept. 10, 2001, may be eligible for this benefit. Veterans will remain eligible for benefits for 15 years from the date of last discharge or release from a period of active duty of at least 90 continuous days.

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