Accessibility in the outdoor built environment is not necessarily a “fait accompli” because it has been legislated. Current regulations are not universally applied and building codes are minimal and insufficient for the many different types of disabilities that can impact…
Preparing to Move: Lessons I’ve Learned
I have moved four times over the last many years starting with leaving my parent’s home when I was 25 years old. I was comfortable at home, so I was a bit overwhelmed at the thought of moving out, but…
Renewing Health Cards
Expired Health Cards must be renewed by end of February. It is possible to book an appointment to renew your card at the Service Ontario office in Ottawa City Hall, which can easily be reached by Para Transpo, and is…
Community Living
The Covid-19 pandemic has focused attention on the needs of our senior population wanting to age in place with appropriate neighbourhood supports. The needs of younger adults with complex physical, medical and intellectual disabilities are identical to those of the…
LOCKDOWN’S OVER (MAYBE)! NOW WHAT?!
Here we are, in September 2021, 18 months after the COVID-19 virus was declared to be a pandemic. Governments responded by imposing an emergency lockdown. We all became familiar with words like lockdown, isolate, bubble, quarantine, and zoom. We saw…
Providing Lifelong Supports in Community
Providing lifelong supports in community While we all want a place to call home, for individuals with medical complex needs, finding a supportive home can be challenging. Options are often limited to living in a healthcare setting that feels more…
Your Voice in the Healthcare System
In a world and healthcare system full of information overload, what can we do to be heard? Sometimes well-intentioned people, including healthcare providers, inadvertently devalue the person who appears disabled, causing uncertainty or unrest and dis-ease. Here are three ways…
Self-Advocacy – A Personal Story
The Ontario school system says when you are a disabled student, you age out when you turn 21 regardless of what you have accomplished. I had other ideas because back in high school my goal was to get my High…
Advocacy
Most people have found themselves in a place of needing to advocate for a loved one. Add in the dynamic of a loved one with a disability and advocacy becomes a necessary skill. This blog profiles two people’s perspectives who…
A Support Worker’s Perspective
My name is Becky, and I am a Personal Support Worker (PSW) and Developmental Service Worker (DSW). I have been working in the field for approximately 15 years. I work in both home care settings and residential group home settings.…