The mission of the Invisible Disabilities Association is to encourage, educate and connect people and organizations touched by illness, pain and disability. The term “touched by” is for both the caregiver (friend, family member, co-worker, healthcare worker, doctor, etc.) and the loved one living with the illness, pain or disability. In order to “encourage” we […]
“Who, me?” Patient? I ain’t no stinkin’ patient. Denial is a wonderful thing. After being a patient with a chronic illness for more than three decades, I became a wee bit tired of playing the role. No offense to anyone in the medical community, but it was a too-close connection that I didn’t want anything […]
“How do you do it?” How does anyone keep going through insurmountable difficulties? We’re talking the really big stuff. The stuff that can’t be fixed with chocolate (gasp) or a pitcher of margaritas or a box of tissues and a friend’s slobbered-on shoulder. We’re talking the ‘I don’t think I could ever get through it […]
Financial Planning Webinar for Caregivers Thursday, Feb. 24 What is the value of a true labor of love? For family caregivers in the United States, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) estimates their efforts were worth approximately $375 billion in 2007. In addition, the average family caregiver for someone 50 years or older spent […]
According to the Migraine Research Foundation, an estimated 10% of the population suffers from migraines and women are 3 times more likely to have them than men. KCBS reporter, Serene Branson, found out the hard way how quickly a migraine can come on and how incapacitating it can be. When Serene was covering the Grammy Awards on 2/13/11, she believed […]
When my husband first got sick, I was honestly just so overwhelmed trying to “maintain,” that finding help for our household was put on the back burner for several weeks. When things finally calmed down, I realized that my family needed help, but I had no idea where to begin looking for it. I am […]
Written by Stan Popovich Everybody deals with anxiety and depression, however some people have a difficult time in managing it. As a result, here is a brief list of techniques that a person can use to help manage their most persistent fears and every day anxieties. When facing a current or upcoming task that overwhelms […]
“What a wimp.” It must be bad when you recognize it in yourself. Why is it the older I get, the wimpier I am when it comes to – of all things – needles? Sitting in the lab technician’s chair recently, I found I was distracting myself from her preparations. The rubbery tourniquet thingy, the […]
Disability-Related Interview Tips: 5 Strategies to Improve the Odds of Finding a Job Author: Lisa Jordan The labor market is challenging as it is, but if you are a person with a disability, you are often faced with additional obstacles in order to find meaningful employment. Statistics show that for every one interview a non-disabled […]
“Nothing personal, but the fewer times I see you, the better.” My comment elicits smiles from my medical caregivers. They know exactly what I mean. I admire the heck out of all of them. I’m extremely grateful for their dedication and commitment. Almost as far back as I can remember, I’ve been involved in the […]
Avoid Common Mistakes When Your Social Security Disability Benefits Are Denied Allsup outlines why SSDI benefits may be denied and the importance of representation Belleville, Ill. – Dec. 17, 2010 – Nearly 300,000 people applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits in October, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Since approximately two-thirds will […]
For many the holiday season may be anything but festive. This posting provides some suggestions for how we can fight the holiday blues and make this a season to remember.
58 million Americans receiving Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will not be receiving a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2011 (SS). Beneficiaries did not receive this adjustment in 2010 either. It is estimated that almost 10 million people living with various disabilities and their dependents are on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) (Allsup). According […]
“They’re all alike.” It was a rude awakening listening to the receptionist at my doctor’s office. I’ve previously been stereotyped within earshot for various reasons, but not usually when I’m the paying customer. Most employees understand who ultimately pays their mortgage, and it’s not so much their employer. Another customer – aka patient – and […]
Loma Linda University’s Department of Psychology (LLU) is conducting a study regarding a parent’s pain and the effects on the oldest child. Chronic illness and pain can not only affect the life of the person living with it, but also those around them. Throughout the years, many parents have expressed concerns in our support groups about their limitations […]
The brain is our most complicated and essential organ in our body. It’s essentially just three pounds of mostly fat nestled between our ears. It defines who we are, and controls every aspect of our life. It influences how we perceive our world around us and it is affected by that world at the same time.
The goal of this blog is to talk about all things cognitive…mental processes, emotional responses, brain health and fitness. We cover things that go right and things that go wrong with our brains, and—where possible—we’ll cover things that you can do to make the rights-things better and the wrongs not-so-bad.
ADA revisions define service animals. ADA Revisions published in the Federal Register on September 15, 2010 clarified the definition of service animal and revised the Americans with Disabilities Act regulations. Most of us are familiar with guide dogs for the blind or visually impaired and hearing dogs for those who are deaf or hearing impaired. […]
When one turtle is on his back, the other doesn’t fault him for getting himself in that position and walk away. He doesn’t tell him he just needs to try harder and he doesn’t stand there giving advice. He simply walks over and helps him up in his time of need. Of course, when dealing with […]
“Boo.” Oh yea, eek. It was a year ago this week that, for the first time, I went through a Halloween Haunted House. I never thought I was haunted house material. So it was with some hesitation and – ok, let’s be honest – downright fear (but not for the usual reasons) that I somewhat […]
“You’re weird.” Not the typical diagnosis one hears at the doctor’s office. Stranger still, it wasn’t me hearing it. If it had been, it wouldn’t have been ultra surprising. For several (ahem) decades, this body has routinely presented an out-of-the-ordinary case for my medical team to investigate. I figure it’s my contribution to science. Hey, […]