Livin’ June - August 2009 Advice for the Class of 2009 By Amy Beck June means high school graduation. Thousands of students with disabilities are graduating from local school districts. My graduation from Wyomissing Area High School fell a few weeks before it was confirmed that I would be facing a disability for the rest of my life. I don’t remember anyone giving me any advice at graduation time, especially the advice I really needed (how to help me pursue a full and meaningful life with a disability). At my 1979 graduation there were no graduates with apparent disabilities. Those kids were somewhere else, out of the mainstream, out of sight. My friend from down the block, who had Spina Bifida, was shipped off to an entirely different school district while her siblings went to the local school district. Today most students with disabilities are attending school in their communities in buildings and classrooms with their non-disabled peers. All of us at LVCIL know every student, regardless of disability, deserves a bright future of hope and opportunity. Each graduate is entitled to full inclusion in his/her community. The IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) is similar to an ADA for education for students with disabilities. Thanks to IDEA we no longer have students with disabilities isolated in closets, subjected to unfair discipline. Students with disabilities need and deserve highly qualified teachers, and IDEA has helped mandate minimum levels of education for special education teachers. Sure the system is imperfect, but the provision of a right to due process gives an established process parents can follow when they disagree with professionals in their child’s school. (If you would like more information, please give us a call!) And as far as advice for the class of 2009? We asked our School to Adult Life (S2L) Transition program Advisory Board members: “What is one thing you would teach a student with a disability?” Here are their answers: • Speak up for yourself. • Life is not always fair, but it makes you stronger. • Take time for yourself. • Advocate. • Write down your hopes and dreams. • Know yourself and be true. • Never, never, never give up. • Strive for balance. • You are important. • Resources – know where to go for help. • Be adventurous, try new things. • It’s important to know you have something to give. • Be honest to yourself and others. • Make social connections • Emphasize your strengths. Good luck to the class of 2009! Amy Independent Living Celebration: A Home Run for Independence By Corrina Passaro Celebrate with the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living on Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 6 p.m. as we host the 19th annual Independent Living Celebration - a Home Run for Independence on the Club Level at Coca Cola Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The evening’s festivities will include a silent auction, plated diner and awards ceremony. A cash bar will also be available. All money raised from the night’s event will be used to fund the many programs and services for persons with disabilities offered by LVCIL. The Silent Auction offers some great items including tickets to local theater productions, amusement parks and businesses. There is also sports memorabilia and items from teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Mets. Additionally, there are many gift certificates to local eateries in the Lehigh Valley. The dinner for the event will include a choice of either Eggplant Fontina Napoleon, which will serve as a vegetarian entree, or Teriyaki Marinated Flank Steak. The cost of admission to the event is $40.00 and a registration form can be found on the back of this newsletter. This year, the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living will present three awards. The Mark J. Turbedsky “Torch of Independence” Award will be given to Allison Pfingstl. A long time LVCIL consumer who has grown into a tremendous advocate and educator; Allison is involved in educating physicians in the Medical Home Project at Lehigh Valley Hospital. She herself has transitioned to independent living against great odds. Allison is actively involved as a surveyor in the LVCIL FEST grant and the LVCIL Future Advocate’s Now (FAN). She also participates in Easton Coach new driver trainings. She is a caring mentor to her friends with disabilities. The Chester R. Collyer “Key to Living” Award will be given to Wendy Smith. Wendy is an employee of IU 21 and gets things done for students with disabilities. She is a leader in the Project Search effort, giving real life training on site at a medical facility to students with disabilities. She is a supercharged disseminator of information on disability services and resources. Her dedication is rarely matched. She is the organizing force behind the IU 21 Transition Academy held annually at Muhlenberg College. She serves on the LVCIL S2L Advisory Board. A staunch supporter of LVCIL, Wendy is also the parent of a child with a disability. The Marilyn Burns “Volunteer of the Year Award,” presented by AccessAbility will be presented to Emily Burke. Emily has been volunteering with LVCIL for a year. She is a young woman with a head injury who came to LVCIL as a shy and nervous volunteer helping at the front desk and folding newsletters. Emily has blossomed into a very capable and confident woman. She has joined the Common Playgrounds Performance Troupe, and has become a standout in the program. We have watched her grow and shine! For more information about the Independent Living Celebration - A Home Run for Independence, please contact Corrina Passaro at (610) 770-9781 ext. 20. Ask Robbie...About Lawyers! By Robbie Graves Dear Robbie: I need a lawyer and I see that you provide advocacy services. Does the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living provide legal services or offer legal advice as part of the advocacy services? Sincerely, “In Need of Attorney” Dear “In Need of Attorney”: Thank you for the great question. This is something that I used to be asked quite a bit by people in need of legal assistance. It is also something that our Community Support Coordinators still are asked. Very simply, no, we are not attorneys, and do not provide legal assistance or offer legal advice. Whenever someone calls with a situation that may require legal assistance, one of the first things we always do is to remind the caller that we are not lawyers and nothing we tell them should be considered as legal advice. At this point, we will very often refer the person to North Penn Legal Services - a non-profit organization that provides free legal services for civil cases by low-income individuals. North Penn Legal Services can be contacted at 610-317-8757 and more information can be found on their website: www.northpennlegal.org. If you need a lawyer for a criminal matter and you cannot afford one, you should contact the Public Defender’s Office for the appropriate County. In Lehigh County, the number is 610-782-3157 and in Northampton County the number is 610-559-3040. Now, as for our advocacy services, we can provide assistance in filing a disability-related complaint and can help you if you are facing discrimination, up to the point where an attorney may be needed. We can accompany you to court and legal proceedings to provide peer support, but cannot act as legal representation. Please e-mail and send in questions for future columns. I look forward to answering your questions. Robbie can be reached at (610) 770-9781 ext. 29 or by e-mail at robgraves@lvcil.org. For Your Information New Transportation Service for ADA Paratransit Passengers* As of May 1, 2009, the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (LANTA) began providing extended service to ADA Paratransit passengers. With federal funding from the New Freedoms Program LANTA, through its contractor Easton Coach Company, provided services based on the weekday Metro (city bus) fixed-route territory. Federal rules mandate that paratransit service be provided to ADA-qualified individuals who live within 3/4 mile of Metro’s fixed routes. The new service does this in two important ways: Sunday Service: ADA paratransit service is available Sundays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in most of the Lehigh Valley’s urbanized areas. Weekday Service: Extended later evening and overnight service is provided Tuesday through Sunday. For more information on this program and your eligibility call (610) 432-3200. *Both new service expansions apply only to people who are ADA eligible. User demand and experience will determine future inclusion of Shared Ride and MATP passengers. PA Premise Alert The Premise Alert System provides individuals and families with a uniform method to alert first responders about special needs individuals. It also provides first responders with advance knowledge, allowing for quick and educated responses during crises, evacuations, and disasters. In the event of a 9-1-1 emergency, the call center will receive a message stating that a person with a disability is at that residence. It can also list specific disabilities and other special requirements to ensure safety. To sign up for the PA Premise Alert, visit the website – www.papremisealert.com. There you can fill out the necessary form and deliver it to the police department. Additionally, for residents of Lehigh County (excluding the city of Allentown), Northern Catasauqua, and Walnutport, you may contact Dan at the Lehigh County Emergency Management Agency at (610) 782-4652. Northampton County Emergency Alerting System NotifyNC is a notification system that allows Northampton County officials to send email or text messages to cell phones, Blackberries, pagers and other enabled devices that have been registered. Using www.notifync.org, the public can customize their subscriptions and choose the types of alerts that they wish to receive. Examples of alerts that may be sent out by the county include severe weather alerts, transportation delays, Amber Alerts, and other public safety information. Additionally, Northampton County has begun using Facebook and Twitter to reach a broader network and raise awareness throughout the community. Links to the pages can be found at www.nc911.com. First Monday Programs The First Monday program has been busy with lots of different activities. Consumers learned about taking control of their hospital stay, managing their money, and scrapbooking! On Monday, July 6, 2009, the First Monday program will hold a BBQ at LVCIL from 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. The event, which is for our consumers, is free, however space is limited and RSVPs will be received on a first-come, first-served basis. We will kick things off with a presentation of the History of Allentown by Robbie Graves. Following the presentation, LVCIL staff will be cooking up BBQ favorites on the grill! To RSVP for the event, please call Annette at (610) 770-9781 ext. 27 no later than June 26, 2009. The First Monday program will be on hiatus in August but will return on Monday, September 14, 2009 at 10 a.m. when Doris Sterns, from Senator Pat Browne’s office, will talk about the different programs and services offered including: the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program and the PACE/PACENET programs. Senator Browne’s service area covers most of Northampton, Monroe and Lehigh (including the city of Allentown) counties. Please RSVP your attendance to this program to Annette at (610) 770-9781 ext. 27. Come and learn about what your elected officials can do for you! The Fall First Monday program will begin with a presentation on fire safety on October 5, 2009 and a Halloween Costume Party/Dance on November 2, 2009. To check for additional information on the programs, please visit the Current Events page of our website at www.lvcil.org/currentevents.aspx. Alternate Version of Livin’ Livin’ is available in alternate formats. If you or someone you know would be interested in receiving a text-only or electronic version of the newsletter please contact Corrina Passaro at corrinapassaro@lvcil.org. Alternate formats are also available on the website, www.lvcil.org. Lehigh Valley Action Team Updates The Lehigh Valley Action Team meeting on June 10 welcomed a speaker on Shamanism. What is Shamanism, you ask? It is a centuries old holistic type of medical healing. It was quite interesting. There is no craft class this month, as Jean Feldman is at home recuperating from her hospital stay. She is doing quite well and is determined to come back soon. She thanks all who have sent her cards. The summer months are filled with vacations and many people miss out on the meetings, so LV Action Team will not be meeting during the months of July and August. We will be returning in September, with our first meeting on Wednesday, September 9, 2009. Please watch the next newsletter for the upcoming programs that we will schedule. Also there will be an e-mail going out to those who regularly attend. If you would like your name on that e-mail list, call Joe at 610-770-9781 ext. 26 or e-mail him at joekrycia@lvcil.org Future Advocates Now Meeting Schedule The Future Advocates Now (FAN) group is looking forward to an active summer! We are focusing on social and recreational activities in and around the Lehigh Valley for the next few months. We made T-Shirts to show our spirit as we participate in the upcoming Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community in downtown Bethlehem on June 13th. All money raised by our participation in the walk is benefiting programming at the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living. All meetings are on the second Saturday of the month unless noted. The meetings at Lehigh Carbon Community College, Schnecksville Campus, will be in Room SH 131, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Saturday, July 11, 2009 from 1-3 p.m. we will be bowling at Parkway Lanes in Allentown. Saturday, August 8, 2009 we will be meeting at Rascal’s for dinner at 6:00 p.m. Saturday, September 12th, starting at 1:00 p.m., we will be having a movie day at the LVCIL offices. This is a tentative schedule which is subject to change, but we do plan on adding events as well. Trips to IronPigs baseball games, trips to the Lehigh Valley Mall, and other events are all possible, so stayed tuned! FAN events are listed on our Current Events page on the LVCIL website (www.lvcil.org/currenevents.aspx) In the event of bad weather, if an event is cancelled or rescheduled; Robbie will change the outgoing message on his voicemail. You can hear the message by calling 610-770-9781 ext. 29. He will have this information by 8:00 a.m. the day of the event. LVCIL Freewheelers Basket Bingo Doors open at 1 p.m.Bingo Begins at 2 p.m. Held at: Lehigh Lodge 2100 Rt. 100 South, Macungie PA 18062 Tickets: $25 in advance, $30 at door for 20 games includes food Only 150 tickets will be sold 50/50 Raffle, Grand Prize Raffle Drawing & Grand Prize Cover-All & Good Stuff Raffle To be held before and during bingo For ticket info call: 484-437-3710 or 610-770-9781 ext. 11 Proceeds benefit: C&M Care 9’s (Service Dog Organization) LVCIL Freewheelers (Wheelchair Sports Club) This fundraiser is in no way connected with or sponsored by the Longaberger Company. Housing Summer Energy Tips By Debbie Rozear Every winter we are told to make our homes energy efficient. Winterizing is important, but now it’s time to “summerize!” Weather stripping should be used on doors and windows. Insulating pipes and entire rooms lowers energy costs. By following these ideas, heat doesn’t escape in the winter and the house stays cooler in the summer. We all know the general tips of keeping the thermostat down and turning off electrical items when not in use. What about air conditioners? Air conditioners are used by many Americans in this day and age. Many people with certain types of disabilities need cool air in order to function in the hot and humid days of summer. There are some general rules to follow to cut costs and still be comfortable. The greatest asset is an energy efficient model. Older air conditioners are not only big and bulky; they contain Freon, which is no longer used in newer units. If you still have an older model, consider purchasing a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. Being on a limited income makes it difficult to replace something that still works. However, it would be beneficial to purchase a new one, as it saves money in the long run. Before installing the unit, clean it thoroughly so it runs most efficiently. Make sure to clean out the filter periodically as well. Don’t keep the air running when you are out of the house for an entire day. Many new features have been added; one of them being a timer, which you can set to turn on a half hour before returning home. When you walk through the door, the house will be cool enough to tolerate. Another simple way to keep the house cooler is to close the shades, curtains, or blinds during the hottest part of the day. This keeps the heat out and the indoors remain cooler, reducing the use of electricity. Another way to save on energy and lower the heat indoors is to minimally use your stove and oven. During the sweltering summer days, make a salad or a sandwich instead of roasting or baking. Or you can purchase a toaster oven, which cooks the food faster and uses about half the energy of the regular oven. If you insist on using the oven, consider making several meals at one time. Once all the food is cooked, you can store individual portions in the freezer or refrigerator. Later, when you are ready for a meal, just pop it in the microwave for a few minutes. One last tip that I just found on my PPL bill is: “Clean the lint filter on your dryer between loads. Clogged filters cut air flow and wastes energy. A clean filter shortens drying time and saves money. Information about appliance energy use and tips on saving energy are available through the Energy Library on PPL’s website: www.pplelectric.com.” If you check your PPL billing statement each month, you may find an energy saving tip. Helpful Housing Hints: Your Credit By Fancisco Sainz de la Pena There are several factors that you must consider before shopping for a mortgage. Your credit needs to be, for at least 12 months, in good terms. You would be able to get better interest and other benefits if you have been cautious and careful with your payments of utilities and credit cards Do not co-sign for anybody, not even your best friend or a relative when you are planning to buy a house. This creates not only a dent in your possibility of qualifying for a better mortgage, but also is a liability that could ruin your credit history if the loan that you cosigned for is defaulted on. If you co-sign for a car insurance plan, you have the same liability as the main insurer, consequently you can also get involved in situations that would impact your finances. If you are planning to go on vacation for an extended period of time, plan to pay your credit cards and other loans in advance or pay them online before you leave. Many people have problems with their credit for not planning or foreseeing problems. If you pay off an account, wait at least six months to close the account. It sounds weird but your credit score goes down if you close it right after paying it in full. The score will go up if you wait six months to close it. Always pay your bills on time, 10 days in advance is a good time frame to send your payments. Be organized, you could use a calendar with big daily squares to record when a payment is due. Be really careful with offers at department stores. Buying expensive items that you do not have to make payments until 12 months can be a trap. If you do not pay that amount in full, after the 12 months you will see a big increase in the balance because they will add all the interest accumulated in 12 months! Your credit report is very important. You should be running a free credit report at least once a year; but you must be careful where you request it. If you request it online, I recommend you go to www.creditreport.com. or to www.annualcreditreport.com. You will need to save money for the down payment and other expenses involved in buying a house; a good idea is to open a savings account with your bank or credit union. That way you can provide evidence of the origin of your funds and in many occasions there are programs that provide credit as incentive to save your money. These funds have to be in the bank for at least three months. Save your pay stubs, bank statements and income tax forms. Following these tips will help you move in the right direction to become a home owner. Sign Language Club Ice Cream Social - A Success! On Wednesday, May 20, 2009 the Sign Language Club held an ice cream social at the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living. Forty people attended the event and many had not seen each other in some time. Additionally, the program saw some new faces! Sign Language Club will not meet during the summer. The next ASL Club date will be Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at Borders Books and Music in Whitehall, PA. Meet Maribel Maribel Escarfullery is a junior at Bloomsburg University and an intern for the Sign Language Interpreter Referral Service (SLIRS). Throughout her time in the SLIRS department, Maribel has job shadowed interpreters on assignments and helped out with calls and scheduling in the office. She will also have a Deaf social event quota to meet for her requirements. Maribel is part of Bloomsburg’s brand-new Agency Internship program, which in addition to interpreter observation, gives students the experience of working in an agency setting. Summer Sun Safety By Corrina Passaro I will admit it – I used to be tanorexic. When summer rolled around I would exploit my Italian heritage and soak up the rays so that I would be tan far into March. Any outdoor event from a trip to an amusement park to rock concerts would allow me to utilize the sun’s UV rays. And the annual summer beach vacation – watch out! That was where I would go from tan to burn in sixty seconds. All the while ignoring both SPF levels and sometimes suntan lotion altogether. One summer, the effects of my tanning became serious. I had burned at the beach and was peeling when I attended an outdoor concert. While I was rocking out to the tunes, I managed to re-burn the same area. Not long after I noticed new marks on my body that looked like they were left by a Sharpie marker. It was at the same time when a friend outlined, through personal experiences, the dangers of skin cancer. With both of these things in mind, my new spots and his story, I vowed to stop damaging my skin. The following summer there was no burn and I had started using the highest level of SPF that I could find. My current bottle is SPF 75; a rare find that I snatched up at the shore last year. How can you keep your skin healthy this summer? Here are a few tips from the American Cancer Society: • Always wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. • Be sure to reapply sunscreen frequently, especially after swimming, perspiring heavily or drying off with a towel. • When you are out, cover up as much skin as possible. If you can see light through the fabric, then UV rays can get through to the skin. • Limit sun exposure during the day. The hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. are when UV Rays are most intense. You can determine this with the shadow test. If your shadow is shorter than you, then the sun’s rays are at their strongest. • Some medications, such as antibiotics, can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about the medicines you take and learn more about extra precautions. For additional information, you can check out the American Cancer Society’s website at www.cancer.org. Preparing for the Unexpected By Annette Drobil Stop reading this and pretend that right now, you are alone and taken away from your home. No one who cares about you knows where you are. Your pet is left alone. Eventually, your mail piles up and phone messages go unanswered. This can happen to anyone at any time – it’s called an emergency! It is likely to be a medical problem and you may be unconscious and unable to express your needs. Don’t panic because there are things you can do now to give you confidence that your personal needs are considered and your home life is not too disrupted in this type of situation. There are a few key things to think about, most importantly, your care. Make a list of your medications including the dose, frequency they are taken and the reason you take the medicine. On the same paper, put the name of your primary care physician, your blood type, and allergies to medicines or other things like latex. Keep this paper with you! Also keep a copy near the entrance to your home so that emergency personnel can take it when they start your medical care. Write on this paper, in big print “FOR EMERGENCY PERSONNEL.” You never know when you may be away from your home for a long time. It’s great to have someone who checks in regularly to be sure you’re ok, but it’s up to you to arrange to have information available so that the people YOU want to care for your affairs are in charge. There are easy, inexpensive steps you can take to assign a Power of Attorney. You can designate someone to take over all your personal affairs as much or little as you want. This may include managing your finances or making decisions about your medical treatment when you cannot. North Penn Legal Services specializes in helping people think about your rights and how to assign a Power of Attorney. (www.northpennlegal.org or 877-953-4250). It’s also important to be sure that your everyday affairs are managed. This includes someone to care for your pet, take in your mail, inform your loved ones about your situation, and to cancel delivery of things like the newspaper or oxygen. You may also need someone to come into your home and water plants, listen to messages on your phone or be sure the computer or other electronics are turned off. When you designate someone to help you in case of an emergency, ask them first to be sure they are willing to take on this responsibility. But what’s really important – your pet! We all worry about our beloved pets even more when we’re not there to see for ourselves that they are content and safe. Think about all the crazy personal stuff we do for our pets like special treats and games. We know what foods they can and can’t have and all their special routines. Be sure to write this information out clearly and give it to someone (with a key to your home) who can care for your pet in your absence. Also, keep a copy of the instructions in an obvious place in your home, like on the fridge, so that anyone can keep your pet healthy and happy. If you would like to get documents to help you record the information listed in this article call Annette Drobil at 610-770-9781 or email at annettedrobil@lvcil.org. It’s miserable enough to be hospitalized so be prepared to NOT worry about what’s going on at home. S2L - The 311 By Seth Hoderewski The S2L, Transition: School to Adult Life program continues to grow. All of the work promoting the program is paying off as we have done numerous interviews with prospective participants and their families. So far the young adults that have interviewed for the program have been amazing! They will be a diverse group with many different strengths and talents. The one thing that they have all had in common is the fact they all have a very strong base of support. You can tell family and friends are important to all of them. That will certainly help as they progress through the program. We are gearing up for the summer program that we are calling “Real World Lehigh Valley”. It is going to be an intensive program that teaches and promotes independent living skills. There will be a number of seminars surrounding independent living including budgeting, nutrition, and safety. There will be many hands on type activities to help promote the skills that have been learned including computer skills, team building, and a cook-off challenge. There will also be a number of community related activities including sitting in on a college class and job shadowing. We are even looking to put a tent out back for our version of “CIL-platz.” We are very excited for the summer and looking for the young adults to learn, have fun and build friendships. For more information about S2L or the Real World Lehigh Valley please call Seth Hoderewski @ 610-770-9781.