Patti's Blog - Advocate for Elders, People with Disabilities and Their Families

Restoration work at JFK grave site begins

Excerpt from The Washington Post: (click for entire article)

"Now the trumpet summons us again," John Benson recited with gusto Thursday at Arlington National Cemetery, quoting from John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural address while standing just steps from his grave. The 71-year-old Rhode Island resident knows the famous speech by heart because he carved it into stone.

On Thursday, workers began a week-long project to re-stain the letters that Benson hand-carved into 30-ton pieces of Deer Isle granite. The stones sit across from Kennedy's eternal flame in a plaza visited by most of the 4 million people who go to the cemetery each year.

Kennedy ex-aide, NY lawyer Sorensen suffers stroke

Excerpt from Chron.com: (click for entire article)

Ted Sorensen, a speechwriter for John F. Kennedy, is hospitalized with his second stroke.

Adam Frankel, a friend and current White House speechwriter, says the 82-year-old Sorensen suffered a stroke last Friday. Frankel would not identify the hospital where Sorensen is being treated. Sorensen also had a stroke in 2001, which left his vision seriously impaired.

Sorensen is the author of several books and was a key aide to Kennedy.

Some of Kennedy's most memorable speeches resulted from such close collaborations with Sorensen that scholars have debated who wrote what.

Midlife Crisis: Transition or Depression?

Excerpt from WebMD: (click for entire article)

What's a midlife crisis? It's the stuff of jokes and stereotypes -- the time in life when you do outrageous, impractical things like quit a job impulsively, buy a red sports car, or dump your spouse.

For years, midlife crisis conjured those images. But these days, the old midlife crisis is more likely to be called a midlife transition -- and it's not all bad.

The term crisis often doesn't fit, mental health experts say, because while it can be accompanied by serious depression, it can also mark a period of tremendous growth. The trick, of course, is to realize when the transition is developing into depression so you can get help.

Long-term care providers applaud GAO's call for transparency

Excerpt from McKnight's: (click for entire article)

The nursing home chain Golden Living Thursday issued a statement praising a new report that found that a concentration of private-equity firms has been acquiring nursing homes over the last decade.

Golden Living, which was purchased by the private-equity firm Fillmore Capital Partners in March 2006, operates more than 300 Golden Living centers in 21 states. Dr. Neil Kurtz, president and CEO of Golden Living, urges the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to consider making improvements in its data systems and the usability of that information, according to the statement.

A Victory for Deinstitutionalisation in Georgia

Excerpt from Forward: (click for entire article)

There’s been a significant push towards deinstitutionalisation in the United States over the last few years, in no small part due to the Olmstead decision, a major ruling by the Supreme Court that I discussed in a bit more detail here. Short version: Unnecessary confinement of people with disabilities has been deemed a civil rights violation. As a result, the Department of Justice as well as a number of disability rights groups have been suing in a number of states to get people out of institutions.

AAPD President/CEO Andrew Imparato to become senior counsel and disability policy director for Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee

Patti's Comments:  Congratulations Andy!!

Excerpt from Media dis&dat: (click for entire article)

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is pleased to announce today that AAPD’s President and CEO, Andrew Imparato (pictured), has accepted the position of Senior Counsel and Disability Policy Director for the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee after 11 years of service with AAPD.

“I am excited for this tremendous opportunity to work with Senator Harkin and a great policy team at the HELP Committee,” said Imparato. “I am sad to leave AAPD, but I am confident that the organization will continue to grow and thrive under the leadership of our Board Chair Tony Coelho and the talented Board and staff.”

Since joining AAPD as its first full-time President and CEO in 1999, Imparato has led the organization to become the nation’s largest cross-disability membership group with more than 100,000 members. Imparato has led AAPD’s efforts to create opportunities for youth and young adults with disabilities and personally invested time and energy in cultivating emerging leaders throughout the country. He has also applied his strong policy background to a number of bipartisan legislative and administrative initiatives in the last 11 years.

Voting Day Activities for Students

Excerpt from Mango Mom: (click for entire article)

Tuesday, November 2nd is a very important day in America.  It is the day where we are holding mid-term elections for 37 of the 100 senate seats.  State votes will also take place on topics ranging from education to state spending.  Elections will also be held that day for many governor positions along with other state and local government positions.  Teaching students about the importance and history of voting is vital to the basis of why the United States was formed and continues to be a free nation.  The Elections that will be held on this day will shape the next few years of American politics and government.

Bad advice to desperate parents

Patti's Comments:  The anger should be directed at a system that has failed and continues to fail these familes.  When one speaks about family values, ask them if they value ALL FAMILIES including those providing services for their loved ones with disabilities.

Excerpt from Indy Star: (click for entire article)

State workers with Indiana's Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services have been put in an untenable position. The state doesn't have the money necessary to help families in need, and yet the caseworkers, who lack the authority to make key decisions, must face parents who are desperate to find help for their children.

So state employees, according to The Associated Press, have been dispensing some truly awful advice to the parents: Drop off your disabled children at homeless shelters if you can no longer care for them at home.

A spokesman for Family and Social Services Administration says such advice is not a part of the agency's policy and any worker who suggests it would be disciplined.

Illinois Social Security Lawyer Explains Difference Between Medicare and Medicaid

Excerpt from Medicare and Medicare Programs: (click for entire article)

Medicare is funded through the federal government and is primarily for people over the age of 65; however, people under age 65 who have disabilities and those with End Stage Renal disease can also be eligible, while Medicaid is a state funded program serving low income individuals and families who meet certain income guidelines.

There are two parts to Medicare coverage: Part A and Part B. Part A is for hospital insurance and covers hospital admittance, hospital stays, nursing facilities, some home care, and hospice care if needed. For many people, hospital care is paid for once they reach the age of 65, as long as you paid Medicare taxes while you were employed. If you live in Illinois and aren’t sure about your Medicare coverage, you can have a consultation with an Illinois social security lawyer. They are there to help you and better understand your eligibility regarding Medicare coverage.

Medicare Part B is for medical coverage; it covers some services that Part A doesn’t cover like physical and occupational therapy, along with doctor visits and outpatient hospital care. Part B Medicare coverage is an additional monthly premium which has several options. If Part B wasn’t selected when you turned 65, then it may cost more if you need to add it later.

The Provision of Accessible Instructional Materials to Students with Disabilities under IDEA, Section 504, and Title II of the ADA: An Overview for Families and Educators

Excerpt from the National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials: (click for entire article)

The purpose of this brief is to help families and educators understand the legal requirements pertaining to the provision of accessible instructional materials to students with disabilities who need these materials.  The brief discusses requirements in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as well as in the disability civil rights statutes Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

What are accessible instructional materials and why are they important?

For some students with disabilities, the printed text of traditional instructional materials is a barrier to their participation in the general education curriculum that is provided to students without disabilities.  Some students may have visual disabilities that make it difficult for them to see printed text.  Other students may be unable to hold printed materials because of a physical disability.  Still other students may be unable to read or to derive meaning from the printed text because of their disability-related needs.  Accessible instructional materials are instructional materials that have been converted into accessible or specialized formats (for example, Braille, audio, digital text, or large print) in order to help students with disabilities learn the same curriculum that is being taught to other students in their class.