Accessibility matters in every community
Combating Employment Stigma Combating employment stigma that surrounds people with disabilities is a big job! It’s a long-standing problem, one I know well myself. Which is why a refreshing spark of hope emanated from Carol Goar’s column in The Star . If you have a disability and you want to land a job, then you will […]
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Enable Talk You may have heard the saying, talking heads, well what do think about talking gloves? Seriously, enable talk helps communication for the deaf. It amazes me how far technology has come over the past few years. For people with disabilities, many technical aids and devices have been life changing and this is yet another example
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Information Apps Of late, I have noticed a number of innovative information apps for access awareness geared to assist people with various disabilities. Many are promoted on crowdfunding sites. While the ole adage, need is the mother of invention, is alive and well in the world of crowdfunding. This is not new for those who
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Show me the moo…ney Basically, show me the moo…ney is what a business says to potential customers. In response, as a consumer, I say, Ok… will do …provided I can get in your store to do my shopping and pay. We all know businesses are in business to make a profit so it would be
Show me the moo…ney – disabled people shop too Read More »
Thinking Universally Great news for techy’s with dexterity limitations. There is now a Plug-and-play device that adapts for iOS. The rise of touchscreen devices could leave people with less dexterity behind. Thinking universally, the pererro device from UK-based assistive technology RSL Steeper is a switch and voice-activated control that gives those with motor dexterity problems access
Thinking Universally helps people with dexterity limitations Read More »
Traveling with a disability Traveling, and in particular, flying can be very difficult for people with disabilities. Especially if traveling by oneself. I know this first hand, but I must say that Air Canada customer service is always at the top of my list of choices. Their customer service people always provide me with excellent
Air Canada Customer Service Read More »
There is no question that riding a bike is good exercise. However, if a person has physical limitations then challenges may be too great to achieve the motion needed to ride safely. Two critical factors are: not having the leg power to pedal and not being able to easily place the foot down on the
For people who live with the challenges related to asthma knowing how to properly use an inhaler can be life-saving. Asthma is frightening when attacks occur. One of the difficulties is not having the breath to call out for help. In Canada, like everywhere else, patients arrive at emergency rooms on a frequent basis. Studies
With the incidence of vision loss expected to increase with the rapidly aging population, the consequences of being unable to read prescription information poses a significant public health challenge. People who are blind or visually impaired can mistakenly consume the wrong medication, the incorrect dose, or an expired drug because they are unable to read
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A project born out of a family’s grief, the Jack Project is raising awareness about mental health. Jack Windeler took his life at the age of 18 while studying at Queens University in Kingston, ON. His family, lead by his father Eric has established a foundation to highlight the importance of awareness about mental health
Donna Thompson’s first book, The Four Walls of My Freedom is a narrative of her family experience with a disability as seen through the lens of Amartya Sen’s “Capability Approach”. Thompson addresses the bigger questions about the value of human life. As the wife of Jim Wright, Canadian High Commissioner to Britain, Donna is well-traveled
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Kilometers for Communication, a national public education, awareness, and fundraising campaign for AAC. Striving to empower the voices and enhance the lives of people who have limited or no speech, and to make accessibility and inclusion a national priority. Kilometers for Communication is a campaign designed to advocate for new policies that don’t act as
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National Senior Safety Week – is led annually by the Canada Safety Council. This year’s theme is “Safe driving for older Canadians.” Independence is a key component of healthy and active aging, and driving often contributes to that independence. Maintaining a driver’s license is an important issue of independence however; the aging process brings forth
Buildings have always served as a method to trace a community’s historical foundation. Architectural structure and design features are like footprints that mark the beliefs, resources, and financial climate of an era. Similar to flipping through the pages of a family photo album, our community buildings remind us of where we came from and how
Whenever and wherever I travel to, I am always proud to wear a small Canadian pin, not only to honour (yes – spelled with a ‘u’ is our Canadian way) Canada but also to let others know of my heritage. I’ve found if I don’t wear this identifier then I am mistaken for an American.
All things being equal does not necessarily mean sameness. Meaning, the right to access or participate in society must be available to all members. That may (and often does) require different points and method of access. To this end recognizing the history of discrimination against people with disabilities, (however unintentional), led to the creation and
AODA – It’s the LAW Read More »
