Livin’ The official newsletter of the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living In this Issue: The Advocate’s Corner, Page 1 Why Weight?, Page 2 Real World: Lehigh Valley 2010 , Page 3 Upcoming LVCIL Events, Page 4 What Happened to Swine Flu?, Page 5 HPRP Program, Page 6 The Advocate’s Corner By: Robbie Graves, Assistant Director As we all should know by now, this year we are celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Recently some significant changes to the ADA went into effect. I will try to very briefly summarize some of these changes and also discuss some pending changes the Department of Justice is considering. More information on all of this can be found on the Department of Justice website: www.ada.gov 1. New design standards and accessibility guidelines have been adopted. Most significantly, standards have been harmonized with the Federal standards implemented by the Architectural Barriers Act. 2. A person with a disability who purchases inaccessible seating for sporting events or concerts on the secondary market must be accommodated by the venue operator, but only if there is unsold accessible seating for that event. 3. Service animals are defined as “a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.” The rule clarifies that other animals, either wild or domestic do not qualify as service animals. Essentially, a service animal must be a dog that is trained to perform tasks that “mitigate the effects of a disability.” The rule goes on to clarify that dogs used solely for emotional support are not service animals, however, dogs trained to perform specific tasks for people with a mental illness are protected by the ADA. Finally, trained miniature horses are permitted as an alternative to dogs with certain limitations. 4. A ruling has been made concerning mobility devices. Wheelchairs and other mobility devices must be permitted in all areas open to pedestrian use. “Other power-driven mobility devices” such as the Segway, which has become popular as a mobility aid, must also be permitted unless the entity can demonstrate that using such a device would alter its programs, services, activities, or create a direct threat and safety hazard. 5. The Department of Justice has ruled that video relay interpreting (VRI) may be used to provide effective communication. Performance standards have been established that require training for users of the technology so that the VRI may be set up and used quickly and effectively. 6. There has been clarification that three percent of newly constructed or altered cells in correctional facilities need to be accessible. Additionally, the Department of Justice is considering revisions in other areas. These include: 1. Updating the requirements for direct and equal access to 9-1-1 call centers for people with disabilities. 2. Proposing the requirement that movie theater owners and operators show movies with closed captions and video descriptions at least fifty percent of the time. 3. Proposing revisions to the regulations requiring state and local governments and public accommodations to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities. 4. Proposing revisions to the requirements concerning accessible furniture and equipment in programs and services provided by state and local governments and public accommodations. This includes ATM machines and Point of Sale devices, which are both increasingly popular, as well as medical equipm ent and much more. For more information on any of the above items, you can visit the website www.ada.gov or call the ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-800-514-0383 (TTY). As I always say, the best advocate is a well informed consumer! Why Weight? By: Debbie Rozear LVCIL’s weight loss group is a big hit! Each month the Why Weight? group meets to support each other and discuss the weight loss topics that affect our lives. So far we have discussed topics such as nutrition, healthy eating, and the importance of drinking enough water. We have also shared recipes with each other and have even compiled a “make your own” salad and fruit bar. We have some speakers coming in to discuss additional topics on nutrition, healthy eating, recipes, and whatever else may arise. We are also planning on hosting many other fun activities so everyone can learn something new and have fun while doing it. So, whether you need to shed a few pounds, gain weight, maintain a healthy weight, or just simply want to start eating better this is the place to be! Why Weight? meets the second and fourth Monday of each month from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. You can bring a lunch or your favorite healthy snack to share. See the Upcoming LVCIL Events section on page 5 for dates and come join the fun! The Real World: Lehigh Valley 2010! By: Seth Hoderewski The Real World: Lehigh Valley has come and gone already! And, what a very eventful and quick six-week summer program it was. For those who don’t know, the Real World: Lehigh Valley is LVCIL’s summer program for young adults with disabilities involved with the Transition: School to Adult Life (S2L) program. The group of S2Lers take part in an intensive six-week program to learn skills and gain knowledge to help them with their transition to adulthood. The summer program consists of seminars, group activities, and community outings... And they were busy! This year the S2Lers went on a variety of community outings including a tour of the YMCA, bowling, a tour of Martin Guitar, a tour of NCCC, an Iron Pigs game, a tour of the Banana Factory, a self defense class at a local dojo, a dance studio for a hip hop dance class, a trip to Flint Hill Farm, a trip to Harrisburg, and Musikfest. A group of young adults even got to attend a transition conference at State College. At the conference, the S2Lers helped to present during several breakout sessions. The group was literally all over the Lehigh Valley and beyond participating in a variety of activities and learning essential life skills along the way. In addition to their community outings, the S2Lers also participated in seminars and workshops on topics such as self-advocacy, stress management, victim safety, dating and relationships, housing options, transportation options, advocacy at the state and local level, team building, and technology. Through these seminars and workshops the S2Lers worked on their resumes, filled out applications, and worked on their computer skills. The young adults also participated in the S2L Iron Chef competition and video journaled their experiences in the program. The S2Lers also took part in elective groups including S2L Idol, S2L: the Talk Show, S2L Sign Choir, and S2L: the Commercial. Each elective was well done and presented to the young adults and their families at our last day picnic! The group really came together and learned a lot throughout the summer, and it’s time to keep on rolling. Now we’re going to continue with our monthly seminars, person centered planning, and mentor search for everyone! I can’t say enough about this group and their involvement with the S2L program. It’s because of their dedication, and the dedication of their families and the Real World: Lehigh Valley staff, that our summer program and S2L as a whole have been a success. The sky’s the limit, and we hope to build upon our program and grow with different types of transition programming and support. Thank You to everyone for another successful summer! Be sure to check out what’s happening with S2L in October, November, and December in the upcoming LVCIL events section of this newsletter! For more information about S2L or the Real World: Lehigh Valley, please contact Seth at 610-770-9781 ext. 119 or email sethhoderewski@lvcil.org. Upcoming LVCIL Events! October 11th & October 25th—@ LVCIL from 12:00 noon-1:30. Why Weight? Join us on the second and fourth Monday of each month as we talk about health and nutrition. Bring your own lunch and join us as we support each other’s weight loss journey! For more information, call Debbie Rozear at 610-770-9781 ext. 124. October 13th—@ LVCIL from 10:30-1:30. Craft class/Lehigh Valley Action Team meeting. Crafting will begin at 10:30. No experience necessary and assistance is provided. Lehigh Valley Action Team will meet from 11:00-1:30. You’re welcome to attend this free, casual gathering where people come together for peer support, activities, and guest speakers. You may bring a lunch. For more information, call Debbie Rozear at 610-770-9781 ext. 124. October 16th—@ LVCIL from 9:00-12:00 noon. S2L will meet for their monthly seminar. This month’s topic TBA. For more information, call Seth Hoderewski at 610-770-9781 ext. 119 or email sethhoderewski@lvcil.org. October 16th—@ Old Country Buffet in Whitehall from 11:00-1:00. FAN Group will meet for lunch! You must bring your own money. For more information, call Robbie Graves at 610-770-9781 ext. 129 or email robgraves@lvcil.org November 1st—@ LVCIL from 1:00-2:00. First Mondays. Social Security 101, learn about eligibility, what to do if denied, work incentives, and much more. For more information, please call Annette Drobil at 610-770-9781 ext. 127 or email annettedrobil@lvcil.org. November 8th & November 22nd—@ LVCIL from 12:00 noon-1:30. Why Weight? Join us on the second and fourth Monday of each month as we talk about health and nutrition. On November 8th, Kathy Spaetti, LMSW from St. Luke’s MS Center will speak about health, nutrition, and healthy living. Bring your own lunch and join us as we support each other’s weight loss journey! For more information, call Debbie Rozear at 610-770-9781 ext. 124. November 10th—@ LVCIL from 10:30-1:30. Craft class/Lehigh Valley Action Team meeting. Crafting will begin at 10:30. No experience necessary and assistance is provided. Lehigh Valley Action Team will meet from 11:00-1:30. You’re welcome to attend this free, casual gathering where people come together for peer support, activities, and guest speakers. You may bring a lunch. For more information, call Debbie Rozear at 610-770-9781 ext. 124. November 13th—@ LCCC, Schnecksville Campus from 10:30-12:00 noon. FAN Group. Edward Wilson will speak about his life experiences. For more information, call Robbie Graves at 610-770-9781 ext. 129 or email robgraves@lvcil.org November 20th—@ LVCIL from 9:00-12:00 noon. S2L parent’s meeting and monthly seminar. This month’s topic TBA. For more information, call Seth Hoderewski at 610-770-9781 ext. 119 or email sethhoderewski@lvcil.org. December 8th—@ LVCIL from 10:30-1:30. Craft class/Lehigh Valley Action Team meeting. Crafting will begin at 10:30. No experience necessary and assistance is provided. Lehigh Valley Action Team will meet from 11:00-1:30. You’re welcome to attend this free, casual gathering where people come together for peer support, activities, and guest speakers. You may bring a lunch. For more information, call Debbie Rozear at 610-770-9781 ext. 124. December 11th—@ LCCC, Schnecksville Campus from 10:30-12:00 noon. FAN Group will meet for their holiday party and planning for 2011! For more information, call Robbie Graves at 610-770-9781 ext. 129 or email robgraves@lvcil.org December 13th—@ LVCIL from 12:00 noon-1:30. Why Weight? Join us on the second and fourth Monday of each month as we talk about health and nutrition. Why Weight? will not meet on December 27th due to the holidays. Bring your own lunch and join us as we support each other’s weight loss journey! For more information, call Debbie Rozear at 610-770-9781 ext. 124. December 28th & December 29th—@ LVCIL from 9:00-3:00. Real World: Lehigh Valley WINTER! For more information, call Seth Hoderewski at 610-770-9781 ext. 119 or email sethhoderewski@lvcil.org. Whatever Happened to Swine Flu? By: Annette Drobil Swine flu was all the rage last Fall/Winter flu season, and we should be glad it’s not making headlines anymore. However, swine flu, or H1N1, is still out there. As is typical for the summer season, there were a few cases here and there, but there were no large outbreaks. Last year, during the peak of flu season, more than 90% of influenza viruses that were tested were H1N1. In response, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new vaccine for the Fall 2010/Winter 2011 flu season. Many of you will remember that last year there were two flu vaccines available: one for the seasonal influenza virus and one for H1N1. This year, only one vaccine will be necessary to protect against both seasonal and H1N1 strains of flu. There are exceptions to the one-vaccine recommendation, and, as always, you should talk with your health care provider before getting the vaccine. Every year, the FDA, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and other worldwide organizations study viruses in order to predict which will cause seasonal influenza outbreaks. The vaccines are manufactured to fight these strains. Because creating a vaccine is a complex process and virus strains mutate, or change, over time, the vaccine may not be a perfect match to the strains causing illness. Note that even if the vaccine and the strains causing illness are not a perfect match, the vaccine will likely be close enough to lessen the severity of the symptoms of flu. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that between 5% and 20% of the US population gets the flu, leading to approximately 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths annually. The CDC recommends that anyone age 6 months and older be vaccinated. This is different than past years when it was recommended that only certain populations of people get vaccinated. Hand washing definitely helps reduce the incidence of respiratory infection but vaccination is the most reliable way to prevent getting influenza. Talk to your doctor before getting a flu vaccine to be sure it’s safe for you. The Lehigh Valley has public clinics offering free vaccinations starting this fall; look for them in your local newspaper. Allentown Health Bureau has a vaccination clinic but call first 610-437-7754. Homelessness Prevention, Rapid Rehousing (HPRP) LVCIL has been granted Homelessness Prevention funding under the HPRP program to help persons with disabilities maintain their current level of housing. If you are behind on your utilities payments, have a shut off notice pending, or are nearly homeless we can help. In order to qualify you must already have an eviction notice, have adequate income to maintain rent or utilities payments once caught up, and be able to supply us with all the necessary paperwork. In addition, you or someone in the household must have a disability. For more information, please call 610-770-9781 to speak with a Community Support Coordinator; Debbie ext. 124, Eladio (Spanish) ext. 118, or Annette ext. 127. Need a Scooter Lift? Thanks to a gracious donation, LVCIL has a Bruno ASL-400 Scooter-Lift Jr. ready for a new home. The lift was previously installed in a Volvo station wagon for four years, but it can be installed in the trunks of some cars. Whoever gets the lift will need to pay for installation and any modification to fit their vehicle. If you are a consumer in need of a scooter lift call 610-770-9781. For Rent/Sale! Mobile home available in Red Maple Park located in Trexlertown. 3 bd, 2 bath, LR, DR, Kitchen, laundry room all one level. Central air, large shed with loft, nice yard in quiet cul-de-sac, great neighbors. Close to super Walmart and other shopping. Completely wheelchair accessible. Moving because growing family needs more space. Lot rent $365; must pay electric, trash, water, taxes; $26,500 OBO. Call 610-336-0823 for more details.