Crafted while listening to: Paradise Valley- John Mayer
“Physical strength can never permanently withstand the impact of spiritual force.” ― Franklin D. Roosevelt
I still pay for cable TV, print out plane tickets, read the newspaper and watch Jeopardy. Yes, I like wallpaper in a bathroom and shag carpet in a bedroom. Yes, I use emojis too much. I leave too many voicemails. I know these are the things that boomers do and I know that younger people find them hilarious. Please don’t ridicule me, it’ll be your turn one day. Technically, I’m not a boomer. I was born in 1965, one year past the official deadline…
In an extraordinary collaboration, a local 4-year-old named Emmett is changing the world of accessibility. Emmett Connors, our WVTM 13 Project Community Champion, embarked on this remarkable journey with the support of Amazon's Accessibility Team. The story unfolds at United Ability's Hand in Hand Preschool, where Amazon's Accessibility Team took its first steps to make a difference. Emmett, a 4-year-old with speech and mobility disabilities, caught the attention of the team, leading to a groundbreaking collaboration…
When rumors began circulating years ago that a certain blue police box time machine might be getting an accessible makeover, my interest was more than piqued. Would a ramp truly be added to the TARDIS when the British sci-fi show “Doctor Who” returned to the air late last year for three 60th anniversary special episodes? That would mean people like me with SMA and other disabilities could become The Doctor’s companions…
Cindy Mullins was a healthy 41-year-old mom of two when she went into the hospital nearly six weeks ago for surgery on kidney stones. On Friday, Mullins is finally going home after a life-changing experience that resulted in both of her legs being amputated, and both of her hands scheduled to be amputated soon. "The hardest part about this is I miss my children, of course," Mullins told "Good Morning America." "Without my faith, I don't think I could be where I'm at today…
In a recent op-ed by San Jose Downtown Association CEO Alex Stettinski, he expressed concerns about the impact of Americans with Disabilities Act-related lawsuits on small businesses. He advocated for a “time to fix” period, as proposed in Senate Bill 585. Recognizing the challenges faced by small businesses, it is vital to check the wisdom of extending Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance timelines. This is especially important given the legislation’s extensive history…
We all have our favorite pizza restaurants across Southern California. But one mom-and-pop shop in L.A. is providing a deaf-accessible work-space, while making some top-tier pizza too. Pi00a was founded by deaf couple Melody and Russ Stein. One of their goals was to increase opportunity for deaf employees and provide a deaf-accessible workspace for them to thrive. It started as a pizza shop in San Francisco, then became a food truck, and now, along with their children Rylan and Taysia, they've opened a ghost kitchen in Los Angeles…
On a rainy December Monday at Pacific Lutheran University, Charlie Katica stood dressed in slacks, stylish sneakers and a wet rain jacket. Katica is an associate professor of kinesiology at PLU, and he's also president of the nonprofit Rainier Adaptive Sports. Welcoming and laid-back, he talked about the project that brings together his career, academic research and personal passion: serving South Sound adaptive sport and recreation athletes…
Kim Kirkwood-Boulter will get to take her two sons to the Columbus Arts Festival for the first time this year, thanks to a partnership the festival has with the state of Ohio. Her whole family has often stayed home rather than risk having to leave after a few hours or change her 10-year-old son Aiden — who has developmental disabilities that necessitate protective undergarments — in an undignified setting. But planned additions for the 2024 festival, which runs June 7-9, include a mobile adaptive restroom with an adult-sized changing table, picnic tables that can accommodate wheelchairs, a cooling tent and wheelchair charging stations…
People with disabilities would have improved access to medical diagnostic equipment including dental chairs, X-ray machines and mammogram systems under newly proposed amendments to the rules under the Americans with Disabilities Act. On Jan. 9, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a notice of proposed rulemaking pursuant to its authority under Title II of the ADA. According to the Department of Justice’s press release, the agency frequently receives complaints of people with disabilities being denied “vital” health care because of the lack of accessible medical diagnostic equipment, or MDE…
Billionaire Elon Musk has directed his attention to the Federal Aviation Administration's focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, stating Monday morning that he "could not believe this is happening." Musk, who has spoken out against the DEI movement recently, shared a story on social media that revealed the FAA is seeking to hire people with "severe intellectual" disabilities. Among these disabilities defined by the FAA include those involving hearing, sight, partial or complete paralysis, and epilepsy…
Six Flags is facing allegations of discrimination, with a lawsuit contending that the system its parks and several others use to provide disability accommodations violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. The lawsuit filed late last year by a California Army veteran known as I.L. who has mental and physical impairments says that Six Flags’ “Attraction Access Program” illegally discriminates against people with disabilities. In order to receive disability accommodations at Six Flags parks, the program requires guests to register at least 48 hours before their visit with a third-party company…
Doris Griffith spent her life working to help others with their mental health, but now that she’s retired, she struggles to find a place she can call her own. Griffith retired from Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas at the beginning of September and has been looking for a place of her own ever since. She currently rents a house with her brother. But the house isn’t accessible, and she has safety concerns there. In the middle of the summer, her brother’s dog knocked her over, and she was unable to get up until a neighbor found her…
The stretch of Sheridan Road that runs through Edgewater is a busy, four-lane thoroughfare lined by lakefront condominiums, with cars zipping by all day long. When a resident of one of those condos was struck by a taxicab outside his building, his neighbors sprang into action. They sent emails and made phone calls to the local alderperson, advocating for a pedestrian signal with audio cues that would help their neighbor, as well as another blind resident of the building, to get around the community more safely…
Hours had passed since Julie Larame and her family arrived at Promenade Park, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, US. Her seven-year-old son, Vine – who was born with spina bifida, and uses a wheelchair – was still playing on the splash pad with other children. The experience was exactly what she'd hoped for when the family planned their trip, specifically selecting the destination so Vine could take advantage of its disability-friendly attractions. Their visits to other recreation areas were usually short, since most facilities have limited opportunities for disabled people…
Contento, a Peruvian restaurant in Manhattan, is spreading happiness with its innovative embrace of accessibility. "We created a space that welcomes everyone. Regardless of your ability or disability," said George Gallego, one of Contento's five managing partners. Gallego and partners Lorenz Skeeter, Yannick Benjamin, Mara Rudzinski, and Oscar Lorenzzi brought Contento to life. "It really combined two worlds that I was working in for a very long time: the hospitality world and working with people with disabilities, trying to raise awareness," said Rudzinski…
Two senators are pressing the Department of Transportation to digitize paperwork that Americans with disabilities need to complete before they can travel with their service animals, calling both the current form and an updated proposal “inaccessible, demeaning and time-consuming.” In a Jan. 12 letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg that was publicly released on Wednesday, Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., said constituents have reached out to their offices with concerns that the agency’s service animal form is “poorly designed and needlessly difficult to complete.”…
Whether it's fighting off angry rush hour commuters or straining to hear muffled conductor announcements, every day in the New York subway feels like a fight for your life. Now, imagine how inaccessible our city's transit is for people who are visually impaired or don't speak fluent English. Luckily, there's an initiative that could make a lot of people's lives easier: The city is aiming to set up colorful QR codes in stations all over the transit system to make subways and buses more accessible for the many people who might have trouble navigating them…
The number of new cancer cases in the U.S. is expected to top 2 million for the first time in 2024, based on new research that also points to shifting age patterns among cancer patients and a troubling increase in overall cancer incidence among people younger than 50. The American Cancer Society’s latest statistical report, released on Wednesday, says the country’s cancer mortality rate fell by 33% from 1991 through 2021. That decrease equates to an estimated 4.1 million fewer cancer deaths, which researchers attribute to improvements in disease management and detection, along with reductions in smoking…
The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bar Association (DHHBA), represented by the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), has negotiated an agreement with the California Lawyers Association (CLA) under which CLA will increase the accessibility of its educational programs and events. As the result of the DHHBA’s advocacy, CLA has committed to providing d/Deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, DeafBlind, and DeafDisabled individuals with full and equal access to all its educational programs and events, whether live, pre-recorded, virtual or in-person, through the provision of captioning services, transcripts, and other accommodations…
According to the CDC, approximately one in four people in the United States are living with a disability. That can be an intellectual disability, physical impairment or vision loss among many things. This is why leaders like those at Camp For All share simple ways people can make their communities more accessible and inclusive. Camp For All, which is located in Burton, creates barrier-free experiences for children and adults with disabilities. They’re given the opportunity to participate in activities they normally may not be able to including rock climbing, horseback riding and swimming…
American fast-casual restaurant chain Sweetgreen failed to design its website so that it would be fully accessible to and equally usable by individuals who are blind or visually impaired, a new class action lawsuit alleges. Plaintiff Ali Colak claims Sweetgreen’s website contains access barriers to screen-reading software used by individuals who are blind or visually impaired to access the internet. Colak, a blind man, argues these alleged access barriers deny individuals who are blind or visually impaired with access to its services offered, in an alleged violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)…
Hit The Road Jack — Diving for All: A New Wave in Resort Accessibility & New Tours for Boomers Prove That Travel Adventures Don’t Have an Age Limit
The City of Whitehorse has unveiled specifics on how it plans to tackle snow-and-ice-clearing problems that have impeded sidewalk and parking-space accessibility, among other things, for people with mobility issues. One long-time resident and advocate, however, says he's yet to see changes. In a press release this week, the city announced that beginning this month, it is hiring additional bylaw officers to focus "solely on snow and ice control enforcement over the winter months," at the cost of $70,000…
The Province of Manitoba has made improvements to the Accessibility for Manitobans Act that addresses barriers to public transportation. “Manitobans should be able to easily get around and we’re removing accessibility barriers to services like public transit and school buses to make life easier,” said Province of Manitoba’s Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine. “Whether you’re going to work, school, getting groceries, visiting family and friends or just going about your day-to-day life, you should have access to transportation that works for you.”…
How can we create a barrier-free environment? One that is accessible to anyone, regardless of age, ability or other mobility factors. Oftentimes, a place is seen as accessible to persons with disabilities (PWD) when there is presence of ramps, handrails, and elevators. But there are many other ways, and a lot of other factors to consider in order to make a place barrier-free. It is not as easy as putting solutions on existing infrastructure, because in the first place, the needs of PWDs must already be considered in planning our infrastructure, buildings, and overall urban design…
Scott Cooper’s memories fade all too quickly, yet the 66-year-old Australian still travels the world in defiance of his dementia. He and his wife Jill visit their daughter in Canada twice a year, and regularly explore Australia. His home country is one of the few destinations starting to cater to tourists with dementia, which affects recall, thinking, and behavior. Cooper says tourism gives him the “opportunity to continue to enjoy life.” “Traveling can be stressful at times but it can also be stimulating by enjoying new experiences,” he says…
The 4th Accessible Travel and Tourism International Conference in Dubai concluded today with a call to appropriately tap the disability travel market by making all cities fully accessible to people with disabilities.Dubai hosted the Conference at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel in Business Bay under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman of Emirates Airline and Group, with the aim to highlight the achievements of the UAE to become the most friendly destination for tourist with disabilities…
Aligned with the national policy of empowering people of determination and the ‘My Community... A City for Everyone’ initiative which aims to make Dubai a friendly city for people of determination, the Dubai Police, represented by the People of Determination Empowerment Council, has launched the ‘Universal Accessibility Pack’ service on the Dubai Police website to ensure convenient and user-friendly access to all services for people of determination…
The AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 Local Organising Committee (LOC) has affirmed its commitment to providing an accessible experience to disabled fans. Several accessibility features have been put in place to ensure a barrier-free user experience for disabled fans throughout the tournament. All nine stadiums of the tournament are equipped with accessible entrances and seating for wheelchair users and fans with limited mobility. The Doha Metro network, Lusail Tram and shuttle services between metro stations and stadiums offer wheelchair access…
Virali Modi is not a fan of the term ‘differently-abled’. Instead, the wheelchair-bound model and disability rights activist prefers being referred to as disabled. “People need to stop viewing us (the disabled) through sympathetic eyes. They need to look at us as normal, because we are normal. It is they who make us seem abnormal with their stares, with the way they address us, with the way they don’t talk to us or ignore us. The only difference between others and me is that I use a wheelchair,” she says…
A call has gone to the media to take advantage of technology to create greater accessibility for the persons with Disabilities, in their various platforms. A Non-Governmental Organisation, Disability Not a Barrier Initiative, (DINABI) made this call at a “One-Day Training Workshop on Disability Inclusion and Media Accessibility for PWDs, with support from Disability Rights Fund (DRF). The Executive Director of DINABI, Olajide Funso, in his opening remarks hinted that the workshop was designed to strengthening the capacity of the media to report persons with disabilities positively…
Today the ACT Government has adopted the new National Construction Code in full, including provisions which prioritise energy efficiency and accessibility in housing. Minister for Sustainable Building and Construction Rebecca Vassarotti said the ACT is the first jurisdiction to have introduced these new energy efficiency and accessibility standards. “These new building standards set the benchmark for developers and builders to deliver sustainable and high-quality homes for people living in the territory,” Minister Vassarotti said…
A Brampton secondary school has said that it is 'very proud' of one of its former students who is championing accessibility and comfort for football fans with autism. Ross Mattinson was a student at William Howard School between 2012 and 2017 and recently took up the role of lead representative for supporters with autism at his beloved Carlisle United, the team he has followed up and down the country for the majority of his life. This position fits into Ross' wider ethos which has also seen him volunteer in an inclusivity role at Carlisle Youth Zone, with this outlook on accessibility being informed by his experiences growing up as a lover of sports with autism…
The Alibaba Group ecosystem is working to improve life for millions of Chinese people with disabilities, according to a report released by the Alibaba Foundation on Monday. Around 15% of the global population live with a form of physical, intellectual or cognitive impairment, according to the United Nations, including some 85 million in China. Despite making up such a large portion of the population, many of the tools and services we use daily do not consider their needs…
More than a third of New Brunswickers are living with a disability, according to the latest Statistics Canada data. At 35.3 per cent, it's the second highest rate in Canada. The national average is 27 per cent. New Brunswick's disability rate is also increasing faster than anywhere else in the country — rising by 8.6 percentage points between 2017 and 2022. Haley Flaro is the executive director of Ability New Brunswick, a non-profit organization that advocates for people living with a mobility disability…
The court of the Chief Commissioner of Persons with Disabilities has asked civil aviation regulator DGCA to not allow travel agents to sell flight tickets if they fail to make their websites accessible to persons with disabilities (PwD). The court also asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to fine such travel agents and submit an action taken report to the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD). The court passed the order during a recent hearing on a complaint that brought to light three critical issues regarding accessibility for PwD in the aviation sector…
Around 4.4 million Australians, or 18% of our population, live with disability. This number is likely to rise as our population ages. Adults living with disability can experience a range of benefits from participating in community-based physical activities such as dance, Tai Chi and yoga, our recently published review found. Yet adults with disability are less physically active than those without disability, with inclusive community-based physical activities few and far between…
The fourth International Conference on Accessible Travel and Tourism in Dubai says addressing the needs of travellers with disabilities will unlock billions in tourism revenue. The event, at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai in Business Bay, said the world should prioritise accessibility for people with disabilities. Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the event aimed to showcase the UAE’s progress in becoming the most welcoming destination for tourists with disabilities…
When was the last time you went to a concert and heard a disabled musician perform? Many of the UK’s finest concert hall stages remain inaccessible to disabled artists and a lack of imaginative commissioning and programming means we too rarely see disabled musicians on stage. Thankfully, though, change is afoot. There is small army of instrumentalists, conductors, composers and instrument makers fighting to make the industry genuinely more accessible to professional performers…
Legislation that will set up a safety framework to allow the introduction of self-driving vehicles across the UK must not be allowed to create new access barriers, two disabled peers have warned the government. They told the House of Lords this week that changes to the automated vehicles bill would have to be made to ensure that all self-driving vehicles were accessible to disabled people. Conservative peer Lord [Chris] Holmes (pictured) told the Lords on Monday, during the bill’s committee stage: “Automated vehicles are either accessible, or they should not be pursued…
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