|
Greetings!
As usual, we've brought you a mix of the very serious
and the enjoyable side of life! First the serious:
Steve Gold is a tremendous soldier on behalf of the
disabled. He explains the issues around his fight to
allow the disabled to receive
home health care--if they wish--instead of being
relegated to health institutions. On the fun side, how
about planning an accessible trip to Egypt? Or, find
out about being interviewed
for a book about families with a disabled child that will
help others with difficult issues. Finally, celebrate the
amazing success of a quadriplegic who is the first to
reach the North Pole!
As Spring begins to get a foothold, may you enjoy all
that life has to offer.
Read on,
and as always, if you have a
need or a question, we are
here for you!
| Quadriplegic Reaches Geographic North Pole: A Historic First |
 |
|
The North Pole has now been made wheelchair
accessible. On April 11, 2009 a disabled parking sign
was raised at the North Pole on the 100th anniversary
of the first successful polar expedition. David Shannon
became the first person in world history with
quadriplegia and in a wheelchair to reach the Pole. He
along with expedition co-leader and fellow Canadian,
Chris Watkins, developed "Team Independence 09" to
promote breaking barriers to accessibility and greater
community inclusion.
David upon reaching the pole stated, "This sign
represents all peoples who have faced challenges or
adversity in their lives and have dreamed of
overcoming them. If we as people, work together in
our homes, our cities, our countries and in our global
village, there is no dream that cannot be realized."
|
| October 12-day Wheelchair Accessible Tour of Egypt: Plan it Now! |
|
|
Accessible Journey's wheelchair accessible group
tour to Egypt gives you everything you ever want from a
first class accessible tour to Egypt. Three nights in
Cairo, three nights on a five star Nile cruise, two tours
in Cairo to visit the Egyptian Museum, Pyramids area,
and the Citadel and Khan Elkhalili bazaar. Plus there
will be sightseeing in
Luxor and Aswan. The selected hotels are wheelchair
adapted with accessible amenities at each property.
Grab rails, roll-in showers are available in a wide
variety of hotels and resorts. This tour is designed to
provide maximum participation and be as barrier free
as possible.
|
| Participation Sought for Book on Families Living with Disability! |
|
|
Interviews are now being conducted for a book aimed
at helping families with a child living with a physical
disability. Mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters
and young people with physical disabilities who would
be willing to share their discoveries in a book to be
published by Johns Hopkins Press can participate.
This book will showcase the expectations and
views of all members of families living with a child
with a physical disability. Your experiences,
suggestions, failures, successes, or insights will be
the bedrock providing the 'lived' experience to the
book. As your views are basic to the book, a speedy
response would be appreciated.
If you choose to contribute your experience and
expertise, please respond to Kay Harris Kriegsman,
Ph.D., at wkriegsm@Gmail.com or 301-229-0472 as
soon as possible!
Paste this address into your search engine to get to
the correct page for more information:
http://spinalcord.org/news.php?
dep=12&page=234&list=2253
|
| For All Your Mobility Needs, Call Monroe Wheelchair! |
|
|
You can depend on all of us at Monroe Wheelchair for
the latest
technology in medical equipment and the highest
quality healthcare.
Our staff has a combined 300 years of experience in
the medical equipment industry and Monroe's on-site
owner, Doug Westerdahl, continually monitors and
works together with his staff to improve customer
service.
Call us at 1-888-546-8595
today!
|
|
The Nursing Home Industry
Money and Politics |
|
|
|
As we publish this newsletter 100 people are chained
to the White House fence after President Obama's
Health Care Czar Nancy Ann DeParle stated with no
reservation that long term services and supports (i.e.
Community Choice) WILL NOT be in health care
reform.
Ever wonder why Congress is so slow to
enact the
Community Choice Act, allowing people with
disabilities on
Medicaid to have a real choice whether they
wanted to live in the community or be limited to a
nursing home?
Ever think about why Congress has not wanted to
save funds by eliminating the nursing home bias in
Medicaid, since report after report shows it's cheaper
to house Medicaid recipients in the community?
Ever wonder why, with poll-after-poll showing
overwhelmingly that senior citizens and people with
disabilities want to live in the community and not in
nursing facilities, that federal Medicaid still goes
overwhelmingly to nursing homes?
In the light of these questions, it is more than
interesting that so many powerful
legislators have received so much money from the
nursing home industry. And, one must wonder if these
donations are keeping Medicaid recipients as
prisoners in a nursing home system they do not wish
to be a part of.
Telephone your U.S. Senators and House of
Representatives and ask them if the money they
received from the nursing home industry has anything
to do with why the Community Choice Act has not yet
been enacted!
Legislators who have received Donations:
J. McCain $129,650
J.Kerry $121,825
M. Baucus $78,800
J. Boehner $77,850
Jos. Lieberman $75,600
Benj.Cardin $66,350
D. Stabenow $60,000
S. Hoyer $57,600
R. Wyden $55,000
J. Gerlach $54,995
M. McConnell $54,050
F.Pallone $50,500
E.Cantor $50,150
M. Ross $48,750
B.Lincoln $47,700
N. Deal $46,250
L. Alexander $46,100
E.Pomeroy $46,000
R.Shelby $45,500
C.Rangel $45,000
K.Conrad $44,880
R.Burr $44,716
R. Blunt $43,500
C.Van Hollen $43,500
A.Specter $42,950
B.Gordon $40,300
C.Dodd $40,100
R.Berry $37,600
A.Schwartz $36,050
M.Martinez $35,050
Z. Wamp $34,700
J. Barrett $34,000
C. Thompson $33,325
J.Rockefeller $33,200
Chas. Grassley $33,000
P.Ryan $32,750
V. Brown-Waite $31,985
R.Durbin $31,600
S. Collins $31,500
O. Snowe $30,920
J. Kyl $30,806
S.Capito $30,300
S. Buyer $30,000
J. DeMint $30,000
There are many, many others who received
less
than
$30,000.
For the full list of Legislators who have received money from the nursing home industry, Click Here!
|
|
