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

Grapefruit Is a Culprit in More Drug Reactions

Excerpt from: New York Times (click for full article)

 

“The culprit was grapefruit juice,” said Dr. Unni Pillai, a nephrologist in St. Louis, Mo., who treated the woman several years ago and later published a case report. “She loved grapefruit juice, and she had such a bad migraine, with nausea and vomiting, that she could not tolerate anything else.”

The previous week, she had been subsisting mainly on grapefruit juice. Then she took verapamil, one of dozens of drugs whose potency is dramatically increased if taken with grapefruit. In her case, the interaction was life-threatening.

Last month, Dr. David Bailey, a Canadian researcher who first described this interaction more than two decades ago, released an updated list of medications affected by grapefruit. There are now 85 such drugs on the market, he noted, including common cholesterol-lowering drugs, new anticancer agents, and some synthetic opiates and psychiatric drugs, as well as certain immunosuppressant medications taken by organ transplant patients, some AIDS medications, and some birth control pills and estrogen treatments. (The full list is online.)

Disabled people especially vulnerable in calamities such as Hurricane Sandy

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

 

Evacuating during Hurricane Sandy was a nightmare for the able-bodied, but many disabled New Yorkers felt a frightening level of despair and abandonment.

During disasters like Hurricane Sandy, "disabled people are really left to die. . . .It's really survival of the fittest," said Reginald Ragland, 59, who relies on a power wheelchair and is still living in a Middle Village nursing home while he waits for heat and hot water to be restored in his NYCHA apartment in Far Rockaway.

There's no official count of disabled people who died in the latest storm, but their stories are prominent in the news: John Paterno, 65, a legally blind man with cerebral palsy who was partially paralyzed, drowned in his Midland Beach home. Family members watched helplessly as Herminia St. John, 75, perished in her Gramercy Park apartment when the power outage stopped her oxygen machine.

Signs Your Child May Be the Victim of Bullying in School

Excerpt from: Baby-Sitting Jobs blog (click for full post)

 

According to a May 2011 survey published by the United States Department of Education, approximately 8,166,000 students between the ages of 12 and 18 reported that they were being bullied in school; this number translates to about 31.7% of American students in that age group. The effects of bullying have been emphasized to parents, educators and childcare providers as media coverage of teen suicides resulting from unchecked bullying increases. In today’s world, children require protection from each other, as well as reprehensible adult influence. Fortunately, there are a few warning signs that could indicate that your child is the victim of schoolyard bullies.  

Unexplained Injuries or Damages to Property

Displays an Aversion to School

Difficulty Sleeping or Nightmares

Lowered Academic Performance

Loss of Interest in Hobbies or Activities

Isolation

Self-Harming Behavior

For Disabled New Yorkers, Effects From Hurricane Sandy to Linger For Months

Excerpt from: DNAinfo.com (click for full article)

 

Winsome Williams knew she'd have to act fast when the floodwaters from Hurricane Sandy began pouring into the Shore Parkway apartment she shares with her adult daughter, who has cerebral palsy and relies on an electric wheelchair to get around.

"I saw the water rising faster and faster and said, 'How am I going to get her out?'" Williams recalled.

Soon, firefighters were carrying a tearful Schevon, 32, up to a relative's third-floor apartment in the walk-up building where she lives.

Mother and daughter survived — but Schevon's $5,000 electric wheelchair didn't.

Neither did the $2,000 hospital bed that allowed her to sleep slightly elevated and not gag. Meanwhile, the fate of the $7,000 device known as a DynaVox that allowed Schevon to communicate by pressing a touch-screen was unclear.

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, disabled New Yorkers say they have even greater obstacles to overcome to recover from the storm. The loss of handicap-accessible apartments and important equipment has left some in difficult situations.

Winsome Williams knew she'd have to act fast when the floodwaters from Hurricane Sandy began pouring into the Shore Parkway apartment she shares with her adult daughter, who has cerebral palsy and relies on an electric wheelchair to get around.

"I saw the water rising faster and faster and said, 'How am I going to get her out?'" Williams recalled.

Soon, firefighters were carrying a tearful Schevon, 32, up to a relative's third-floor apartment in the walk-up building where she lives.

Mother and daughter survived — but Schevon's $5,000 electric wheelchair didn't.

Neither did the $2,000 hospital bed that allowed her to sleep slightly elevated and not gag. Meanwhile, the fate of the $7,000 device known as a DynaVox that allowed Schevon to communicate by pressing a touch-screen was unclear.

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, disabled New Yorkers say they have even greater obstacles to overcome to recover from the storm. The loss of handicap-accessible apartments and important equipment has left some in difficult situations.

Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20121113/kensington/for-disabled-new-yorkers-effects-from-hurricane-sandy-linger-for-months#ixzz2CgHDKoEd

Winsome Williams knew she'd have to act fast when the floodwaters from Hurricane Sandy began pouring into the Shore Parkway apartment she shares with her adult daughter, who has cerebral palsy and relies on an electric wheelchair to get around.

"I saw the water rising faster and faster and said, 'How am I going to get her out?'" Williams recalled.

Soon, firefighters were carrying a tearful Schevon, 32, up to a relative's third-floor apartment in the walk-up building where she lives.

Mother and daughter survived — but Schevon's $5,000 electric wheelchair didn't.

Neither did the $2,000 hospital bed that allowed her to sleep slightly elevated and not gag. Meanwhile, the fate of the $7,000 device known as a DynaVox that allowed Schevon to communicate by pressing a touch-screen was unclear.

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, disabled New Yorkers say they have even greater obstacles to overcome to recover from the storm. The loss of handicap-accessible apartments and important equipment has left some in difficult situations.

Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20121113/kensington/for-disabled-new-yorkers-effects-from-hurricane-sandy-linger-for-months#ixzz2CgHDKoEd

Winsome Williams knew she'd have to act fast when the floodwaters from Hurricane Sandy began pouring into the Shore Parkway apartment she shares with her adult daughter, who has cerebral palsy and relies on an electric wheelchair to get around.

"I saw the water rising faster and faster and said, 'How am I going to get her out?'" Williams recalled.

Soon, firefighters were carrying a tearful Schevon, 32, up to a relative's third-floor apartment in the walk-up building where she lives.

Mother and daughter survived — but Schevon's $5,000 electric wheelchair didn't.

Neither did the $2,000 hospital bed that allowed her to sleep slightly elevated and not gag. Meanwhile, the fate of the $7,000 device known as a DynaVox that allowed Schevon to communicate by pressing a touch-screen was unclear.

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, disabled New Yorkers say they have even greater obstacles to overcome to recover from the storm. The loss of handicap-accessible apartments and important equipment has left some in difficult situations.

Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20121113/kensington/for-disabled-new-yorkers-effects-from-hurricane-sandy-linger-for-months#ixzz2CgHDKoEd

Suit May Go On in Disaster Plan for the Disabled

Excerpt from: New York Times (click for full article)

 

A judge has agreed to allow a class-action lawsuit to proceed against New York City alleging a systemic failure in addressing the needs of the disabled population in planning for emergencies and disasters.

The lawsuit was filed last year after Tropical Storm Irene; the lawyers have contended that there were significant gaps in the city’s plans to accommodate people with disabilities at city shelters or to evacuate them from high rises, among other claims.

Judge Jesse M. Furman of Federal District Court in Manhattan cited  Hurricane Sandy’s impact in support of granting class-action status to the plaintiffs: the city’s estimated disabled population of about 900,000 people.

The judge wrote that it was impossible to know “if or when disaster will strike the city, but — as the tragic events of the past few weeks make abundantly clear — it is beyond ‘mere conjecture’ that another disaster, whether natural or man-made, will occur and that it will seriously affect members of the proposed class.”

IRS Announces Qualified Disaster Treatment of Payments to Victims of Hurricane Sandy

Excerpt from: IRS.gov (click for more information)

 

The Internal Revenue Service today alerted employers and other taxpayers that because Hurricane Sandy is designated as a qualified disaster for federal tax purposes, qualified disaster relief payments made to individuals by their employer or any person can be excluded from those individuals’ taxable income.

Qualified disaster relief payments include amounts to cover necessary personal, family, living or funeral expenses that were not covered by insurance. They also include expenses to repair or rehabilitate personal residences or repair or replace the contents to the extent that they were not covered by insurance. Again, these payments would not be included in the individual recipient’s gross income.

The IRS also announced that the designation of Hurricane Sandy as a qualified disaster means that employer-sponsored private foundations may provide disaster relief to employee-victims in areas affected by the hurricane without affecting their tax-exempt status. Like all charitable organizations, employer-sponsored private foundations should follow the guidance in Publication 3833, Disaster Relief: Providing Assistance Through Charitable Organizations, in providing assistance to employees or their family members affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Disability.gov launches ‘What’s Your Connection?’ campaign to emphasize disability as a universal link, encourage inclusion in all aspects of life

Excerpt from: United States Department of Labor (click for full article)

 

The Disability.gov website has launched "What's Your Connection?" to commemorate the site's 10th anniversary. The initiative emphasizes that disability is a natural part of the human experience and focuses on the integral role people with disabilities play in American society. Disability.gov is managed by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy in collaboration with 21 federal agency partners.

"There are nearly 57 million individuals with disabilities in the United States, and they are all connected to those around them — their family members, co-workers, neighbors and friends," said Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy. "By sharing how disability touches us all, we can reinforce and encourage the inclusion of people with disabilities in every aspect of daily life, in our homes, communities and workplaces."

People nationwide can participate in the campaign by submitting a captioned photograph or video that answers the question "What's your connection to disability?" Submissions will be accepted through July 31, 2013. More information, including rules and requirements, is available at http://s.dol.gov/XJ.

Disability.gov is the federal government's website for comprehensive information on disability programs and services in communities nationwide. Through the site, individuals with disabilities, their families, caregivers and others are able to connect to thousands of resources from federal, state and local government agencies; academic institutions; and nonprofit organizations. New information is added daily across 10 main subject areas: benefits, civil rights, community life, education, emergency preparedness, employment, health, housing, technology and transportation.

How To Figure Out If A Charity Might Be A Scam

Excerpt from: The Consumerist (click for full article)

 

t’s not just home-repair scams that pop up in the wake of natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy. There will also be grade-A-holes out there trying to trick consumers out of money by pretending to be raising money to help those hurt by the storm.

And of course there will also be legitimate charities looking to raise money to aid those affected by the hurricane, so it’s best that consumers know how to tell the real ones from the liars.

The anti-scam folks at the Federal Trade Commission have this checklist for dealing with a possible charity to make sure you’re not getting hosed:

Don’t be shy about asking who wants your money.

Call the charity.

Ask for written information about the charity.

Contact the office that regulates charitable organizations and charitable solicitations in your state

Trust your gut and check your records.

Be wary of charities that spring up overnight

Watch out for similar sounding names

Be wary of charities eager to collect cash.

Know the difference between “tax exempt” and “tax deductible.”

Do not send or give cash donations.

President Obama Signs Emergency Declarations Making Federal Aid Available to States Affected by Hurricane Sandy

FEMA.gov (click for more info and press releases from FEMA)

President Obama's statement about Hurricane Sandy (click link for article and video)

President Obama has signed emergency declarations for several mid-Atlantic and Northeaster states, making federal emergency aid available to help with the response to Hurricane Sandy. Visit DisasterAssistance.gov for resources that can help you prepare for, respond to and recover from a disaster. There’s also information about taking care of immediate needs like finding shelter, and an online questionnaire to find out what types of assistance you may be eligible to receive following a disaster.