Why do people see wheelchair and see you differently?

Why do people see wheelchair and see you differently?

So today, I went talking to somebody and I told them I have a job and they look at me like I was some alien!!! I often wonder why they do it, do you have any idea? Leave a comment if you do.  

Homecare

Homecare is so screwed up. The workers are nice, but the office is odd. On Monday they decided that they would cancel my essential service to do more training. Training is fine and good, but don't cancel essential services, and don't give me half an hour notice to figure something out. I was able to figure something out, but in my opinion if you have to cancel homecare for a while, you should tell the person that is receiving the care at least a day in advance, or more. It was so frustrating - phoning and wondering , and one person said one thing, and another person said another thing.

Annoying

This is a post from Caleigh's blog. I do not agree with what they are doing, and the supported typing is not putting words into somebody's mouth. I think that Caleigh knows what she wants, especially when Holly her mom says that she was choosing things that Holly didn't really want to do. That shows me that she can make her own decisions about different things, like what she wants to do. I don't think those people that she's working with really know what they're doing and they really need to get somebody else involved that is willing to listen to what Holly has to say. An ipad is definitely considered a communications device. They have it in my program where I go. This upsets me so much because I had similar experiences.

Communication

i am really angry because as I was reading Caleighs Corner; I came across..her getting her ipad taken away without asking.  When her parents said they were sending her to school, they were afraid of that happening and so was I.  I think that is there is no possible way for her to get a mount, they really need to talk about access because; I'll tape your mouth shut and see how you like it!  It's kind of ironic that it was a speech therapist that took it away.  They need to listen to the parents because they know more about this.  It makes me very angry because it is like taking your voice away and a communication device replaces or enhances your voice.  And nobody should be able to take your device away.  Or at least tell you where they're taking it so you know and let you know when they'll bring it back.  I know of three people now that have gotten there devices taken away.  This should not be an issue guys!   This is somebody's way of communication!!  To all the teachers out there: PLEASE DO NOT TAKE PEOPLES COMMUNICATION DEVICES AWAY!! EVER!!!  If it really bothers you maybe you could figure out a way to make it work.  You can change the voices on them, make it quieter, etc.  I hope Caleigh has a better time.  And if her parents read this, I'm so sorry that this happened. 

Holidays

So you phone somewhere and people are always on holidays!  Yesterday I phoned somebody for my home care call.  The regular person wasn't coming.  So I phoned the Coordinator to see what was going on (after waiting for 15 minutes to be absolutely sure they weren't coming).  And she was on holidays until next week or the week after.  She said on her machine to call the Case Coordinator instead.  So, I did this. 

And he said he was on holidays on his machine until later that day.  So, I pressed zero for the reception because I think going to the washroom is something that requires "immediate assistance", don't you? 

And so my worker talked to the receptionist who went "hold on, I'll just transfer you to the case coordinator." who she just called like 5 times just so she could hear all the details of the message he left which said, to call the reception if you needed "immediate assistance" (and it might have said to call the coordinator, which we have established was already gone on holidays). 

Eventually, he got back to the office and emailed me that he talked to the coordinator's sub who phoned me back and arranged something...after I figured out the afternoon on my own. 

But, this could have all been prevented if I knew who the replacement was and how to phone them...but apparently they always change..so they can never tell me who (!) and this day in age, maybe it's confidential!  Everything seems to be that way.  But it was a pretty funny day..you never think they are all going to go on holidays at once!!

I'm just happy I wasn't training anyone, that might have freaked them out a bit:) 

Police Handcuff 9 year old boy with autism following meltdown

http://news.sympatico.ca/oped/coffee-talk/toronto_cops_handcuff_9-year-old_following_tantrum/16d79769

I think if they really needed some intervention; they should call them but don't handcuff the poor guy for crying out loud!  Did he kill anybody?  No.  He just threw some chairs and splashed some paint on the floor.  So, why are they handcuffing him?  If he didn't do anything criminally (against the law).  Then why would they handcuff him?  In a pair of adult handcuffs!! I guess they didn't know what to do. 

Maybe police should have special training on dealing with situations that involve people with mental disabilities like autism.  So that in a situation like this they can go in and know exactly what to do.  Like putting the person in a quiet place by themselves so that they can work it out and come back when they're ready.  NOT trying to calm them down and talk to them intensely.  Putting a little boy in handcuffs makes him seem bad and them seem like they're mad at him instead of wanting to help work out the situation.  People need to know about autism so they can help.  There needs to be more education in the Government about it. 

Dignity

Today at my work we have a Dignity Forum.  And I think dignity is very important because as people with disabilities we don't get that enough.  All I ask for is to be treated like a regular adult.  That shouldn't be a lot to ask but it is sometimes.  It is important, especially for non-verbal people to have their needs and wants known somehow.  Because it's really important that we give them dignity and respect even if they don't speak or seem like they can do anything.  Which I don't believe, I think that everyone can do something, even if it's small.  People don't see that though.  And that annoys me.  That they look at people like medical cases instead of like people with hearts and minds and souls. 

One time, I went to a doctor that was doing a procedure for me that wasn't very pleasant sometimes and I thought it had to hurt and my next doctor said no, it doesn't have to hurt that much!  It just has to hurt a little bit.  The other Doctor was not paying attention to how I felt and actually was doing something wrong!! And this Doctor knew exactly what it was and fixed it right away because she was talking to me and listening to what I said and asking if I was ok lots of times.  Normally, that would really bother me, people asking are you ok? are you ok? all the time but when you are having work like that done, it is actually nice to be asked and not jabbed without notice!!!

I hope you all have a very Dignified Day!!!

Marshmellows

On Love That Max I was reading a comment from somebody and I'm not trying to be rude; but I didn't appreciate it at all.  (Max who is 8 and has Cerebral Palsy painted a paper plate by himself for the first time using marshmellows that his Occupational Therapist suggested to him).  This person said that marshmellows should only be used to feed people because there are starving children in the world and not for OT activities.  What if you had never painted before (and you really really wanted to)??? Or think of something that you really want to do and you can't do it and all of the sudden there is a way that you CAN do these things...wouldn't you buy anything to be able to make you do it??? want to acheive this goal. 

 This makes me angry because I have an OT that is very creative and I get very upset when I can't do things.  If that is the only feasible way that I could do something; it would make me happy, really happy!!! In my opinion, whatever works, works!!

kilometres for communication

I loved this presentation that I went to. It's about these two boys that are cycling across Canada to raise awareness about alternative augmentative communication. It is really cool, I think, and I think there has to be more awareness raised because two of the people at the presentation had communication devices taken away from them by teachers because the voice was annoying. (!) This is like me putting tape over your mouth because it's like taking their voice away and how would you like it if somebody made fun of your voice? This really makes me mad because everybody has the fundamental human right to communicate. If you don't give them a chance to communicate, then they can't. Alot of people think that non-verbal people are dumb and stupid and don't understand what you're saying. Even the simple things, simple wants and needs, like thirst, hunger, need for sleep, etc. If people had the ability to communicate even these simple needs, they would feel more like humans. Not aliens. This is the blog for Kilmotres for Communication:
http://kilometresforcommunication.wordpress.com/
Check it out!

Talk to you guys later! Leave me comments if you have time!

Good Stuff for People with Disabilities

Hello Everyone,

I thought this was SO NEAT!!! And I would reccomend (for the Enter Van).  That you get the 500 dollar straps because their the best ones ever! And I would never go back..to the other ones.  You don't tip or move a bit! 
Enjoy!
http://www.lovethatmax.com/2011/05/stuff-for-kids-with-special-needs-lots.html

Metro - Winnipeg : Video : iPad gives non-verbal kids a voice

Metro - Winnipeg : Video : iPad gives non-verbal kids a voice

This video is really cool because it's about about giving non verbal kids a chance to have a voice and pay attention better in school and let them know what they really want, you don't have to guess anymore.

XALTS New and Exciting Speech APP Proposal

Hi Everyone,
Click on the link below and find out what someone is doing to make communication apps accessible to everyone.  Developing a web-based free speech app that can be used on any device not just ipods.
Enjoy!!!

Wheelchair

This article makes me so mad because this is so bad. There should be handicap parking stalls available whether you need them for having cancer and needing to park close to the entrance or having a wheelchair all sorts of people have them for all sorts of different things.  And it shouldn't matter if people use them or not they should still be there.

Handicapped parking stalls rare in WSD

Handicapped parking stalls rare in WSD

Turbo Type

I found this really cool word prediction program that you can access for free on the internet. If you would like to buy it, it only costs 20 dollars. It's not as good as the word prediciton software that I talked about in my first post, but it's good enough, and it's nice and cheap. Here is the link:

http://www.easytousetools.com/turbo_type/

You can only use it for three hours at a time if you don't want to buy it. It is easy to restart when your 3 hours are up.

See you later!

Tooner

GAMES!!!!

have you ever wanted to play games  on the computer but you have limited mobility and you don't know what ones are accessible???  Here are some that I have found are good:
- They're mostly on Facebook but some of them are on other things too.
**Fashion World (a game where you get to sell your own clothes virtually).
***FarmVille (a game where you get to grow your own farm.)
****FrontierVille (a game where you get to make your own Frontier Town in the Old West).
*****Happy Pets (a game where you get to take care of your own virtual pets (cats and dogs and other kinds of animals).
If you have any other games that you know of please comment me back I would love to hear about other games that you play if you have limited mobility.
HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Certain Proof: A Question of Worth - Trailer

Certain Proof

Watch This Video next Post....





This video got me going. I think that when some people see a wheelchair they freak out.  It's four wheels and then they go "what do I do..." ahhhh! It's a monster! this video is a movie of a boy with cerebral palsy and his mom.  She was saying that people think that he doesn't know anything that he is doing because is non verbal. i think it is really wrong. I'm trying to be nice here. i think Communication not always verbal.
Some people in my life have done that to me too.  Even though I am verbal and I do talk (a lot):)  Some people think that I don't know anything about death and dying.  I work in a personal care home.  One day I was sitting with someone that was dying and someone asked my worker "Does she know what's going on??"  I hate that "DOES SHE..."?  "Do I..."?  Would be better.  But still, I think that is really the wrong question to ask.  Because why would I be sitting there for a long time with someone if I didn't know what was going on??
It's so hard to find people that will treat you normally.  It's like they have to treat you differently because you're in a wheelchair and you "don't know what's going on".  In the video it also says that "He shouldn't be in a real-life classroom (but a special one)" and I remember very distinctly when I was in school them telling me that I couldn't go to university and I went. 
I believe in special programming but you don't have to take them out of the classroom but you can just do ability appropriate activities with them in the same class as all the other kids.  And if they have to go out for something that's fine.  I don't think they should be separated. 

Did you Know

That in Canada you can travel with an attendant at no charge?  (Air Canada website).  That you can have an attendant (only in Winnipeg) come to a movie with you at no charge?  (you need a doctor's note and a special card from Cineplex) because of people faking it.  That you can also go swimming and get 2 people to come with you included (in Winnipeg). 

Communication Devices Program

This is a program I am a part of.  I really like it.  They are trying to get to everybody in Manitoba.  You have to have a speech difficulty to be a part of it (or be non verbal).  They just put up a NEW website!!! One they've been waiting for for a year it is so exciting and you can check it out here:
http://www.wrha.mb.ca/prog/cdp/index.php

Welcome!

Welcome to Accessibility in Canada. It doesn't mean that if you don't live in Canada you can't read this blog! lol It just means that most of the things I am going to talk about are in Canada but some of them aren't. The reason why I am writing this blog is because I really believe that in Canada when you turn 18, it's like you stop existing. Because I had so many different things in school that not available to me after school ended.  It's really disappointing because it's like they're taking your independance away. I use something called Word Q.http://www.goqsoftware.com/ It's a program that predicts what word you want to say.  So if you wanted to write "Hi my name is Tooner..." (This is my pen name for this blog) You would type "H" and it would give you option 1-5 (Hi, Hill, Hand, Hint, Hall) and you would pick the word that you wanted, in this case #1.  That way if it's a long word you don't have to type out the whole thing.  If you are interested in this program please message me back on this post and I will give you more information.  See you later guys! Looking forward to talking to you all!!!