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May 1, 2013
The 64th annual Mental Health Month observance this May celebrates Pathways to Wellness, the diverse strategies that individuals use to attain better overall health, including emotional, physical, spiritual and mental health.
According to Mental Health America, wellness is “an active process of becoming aware of and making choices towards a more successful existence.” Wellness is a conscious pursuit of health and working towards achieving one’s full potential. The pathway to wellness includes a healthy diet, regular exercise, relaxation and plenty of rest. Overall wellness contributes to your readiness and ability to work, and meaningful work can then also help you continue on the path to wellness.
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May 21, 2013
Throughout this month we continue to share information in effort to provide an understanding of mental illness and reduce the stigma that keeps many people from seeking help. During the week of May 19-25, we recognize Older Americans Mental Health Week. This week is dedicated to promoting mental health among the aging community and preventing discrimination against older adults who have mental health problems and other disabilities.
Take some time this week to learn about your mental wellness. Use these tips to learn whether you need to seek help for yourself or someone you know who is aging with a disability.
May 16, 2013
By Guest Blogger, Anne Tucker
Guest blogger and mother Anne Tucker shares another personal piece from her experiences with her sons with autism. If you missed her first post, be sure to check out The Power of a Broken Heart.
By now, most of us who own a TV and have internet access know that April is Autism Awareness month. Autism Speaks has done an outstanding job over the past decade raising awareness around the condition that 1 in 88 children in the United States live with. For that, I am extraordinarily grateful. Both my sons are on the autism spectrum, and because of this heightened awareness, my family has been met with acceptance, understanding and compassion the vast majority of the time.
With that said, I have noticed that where we are lacking as a collective is appreciating the special gifts, talents and abilities this population has to share with us. My son, Ethan, started using a technique called facilitated communication several months ago. Now that he can type to express his thoughts and ideas I have been literally and figuratively brought to my knees again and again with the depth of understanding he holds.
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May 13, 2013
Helen Keller once noted that of all her impairments, her lack of speech and hearing was the most unfortunate. In her words “Blindness separates us from things but deafness separates us from people.” Since 1927, the month of May has observed the importance of speech, language, and hearing – three major components of communication. This observance provides an opportunity to raise awareness, knowledge, and understanding of these types of communication impairments. According to the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association (ASHA), one in six people in the United States has a speech, language or hearing impairment that negatively affects their ability to learn or communicate at home, work, or school. If you are one of the millions of Americans who has a speech, language, or hearing impairment, there are resources to help you!
Speech
When a person is unable to produce speech sounds correctly or fluently, or has problems with his or her voice, then he or she has a speech disorder. Difficulties pronouncing sounds, or articulation disorders, and stuttering are examples of speech disorders. There’s a variety of speech treatment options, depending on the type of speech impairment you have. Consult an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist (SLP). For more information on locating an SLP who may be able to help you, visit http://www.asha.org/findpro/. Read More...
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May 10, 2013
Following our April 24th WISE Webinar, we took to our Facebook page to answer your disability employment-related questions. We addressed a variety of questions about the Ticket to Work program, Work Incentives and the path to financial independence. Thank you to all who participated, and we hope to see the rest of you next time! Follow us on Facebook (http://facebook.com/choosework) to receive announcements of future events! If you are interested in work and would like to discuss your situation now, speak with a Ticket to Work representative at 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 866-833-2967 (TTY) or find a service provider using our Find Help tool.
Check out the transcripts of the April 24th Facebook Q&A below:
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May 8, 2013
By Guest Blogger, Arielle Dorros.
Autism Awareness Month, recognized in April, is an opportunity to continue educating people about Autism and issues within the autism community. It is also a time to celebrate the resources and support services available to people on the spectrum. To coincide with Autism Awareness Month, Autism Speaks introduced the Employment Toolkit, a useful guide that offers adults on the spectrum practical tools and resources to help them find work and advance in the workforce. Seeing it prompted one of those rare moments when I exhale and consider the scaffolding of support in my daughter’s future. It is going up one piece at a time. Last month we connected with another mother who offered to share her story about building her child with autism's future.
It was August of 2004 when my 5-year-old daughter and I took refuge at Starbucks from a 100-degree heat index. While waiting for our drinks, I turned my back for a moment to gather straws and napkins. That’s when I heard an alarmed voice exclaim “Hey! Kid! Stop it. What are you doing?! That’s my drink!!” There she was, sitting next to a gentleman at the counter, taking a satisfied draw from his Frappuccino. Her large brown eyes looked directly into his without a hint of concern. The look she gave him said: “Yes, and…?” I apologized profusely, explaining that Sarah has autism. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group (or “spectrum”) of neurological disorders that interfere with a person’s ability to process information, communicate, and interact with others. In some cases, it presents with repetitive or involuntary body movements, and behaviors considered to be socially inappropriate. Impulse control is a particular challenge for small children who have autism. Sometimes when we’re out with Sarah it seems like we are living life on Candid Camera.
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April 24, 2013
April is Autism Awareness Month, an opportunity to continue educating people about Autism and issues within this close-knit community. It is also a time to celebrate the resources and support services available to people with this condition. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group of complex disorders of brain development. ASD often interferes with a person’s ability to communicate, process information, and in some cases, it presents with repetitive, odd or inappropriate behaviors.
To coincide with Autism Awareness Month, Autism Speaks introduced the Employment Toolkit, a useful guide that offers adults on the spectrum practical tools and resources to help them find work and advance in the workforce. We also want to share two fascinating stories about two mothers’ care for their children who have autism. Read our past posts Embracing the "Joking Body" and The Power of a Broken Heart.
Don’t miss next month's posts by our other guest bloggers and mothers who will share their personal stories on autism. Sign up today to receive Choose Work blog updates by email.
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April 21, 2013
National Volunteer W
eek, April 21 – 27, acknowledges the extraordinary work people do through service. It’s a great time to connect with volunteer opportunities in your community!
There are many personal and professional benefits of volunteerism and community service:
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Make a difference: Simple tasks like helping others or contributing to a public project like a playground clean up creates a joy and a sense of self-worth that is of great value to every citizen.
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Explore potential career areas: When you contribute to a cause you care about, without even realizing it, you are expanding your horizons and exploring new areas of interest that can lead to a future career path.
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Strengthen your resume: Not only will you learn from others and develop new skills, but you can use relevant community service experience on your resume! Think about the skills you developed that may be transferrable to professional positions. Here are tips to present your volunteer experience on your resume.
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Build your network: When you serve, you meet new friends, mentors, and even potential referrals and references for future job opportunities, and sometimes you develop lasting friendships. Never underestimate the power of connecting with others. It can benefit you now as well as in the future.
If you’re interested in volunteering, check out the resources below:
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