National Suicide Prevention Week
https://afsp.org/campaigns/national-suicide-prevention-week-2017/
https://youtu.be/hg_vurAHaUc
Disability backlog tops 1 million; thousands die on waitlist | ABC News
More than 1 million Americans await a hearing to see whether they qualify for disability benefits from Social Security, with the average wait nearly two years — longer than some of them will live. All have been denied benefits at least once, as most applications are initially rejected. But in a system where the outcome of a case often depends on who decides it, most people who complete the appeals process will eventually win benefits. The numbers come from data compiled by the Social Security Administration.
Aging Population Challenges Wisconsin Amid Worker Shortage | AP
Wisconsin’s health care industry is facing challenges from a growing worker shortage.
The Wisconsin State Journal reports that as baby boomers retire, there will be more health care consumers. However, the number of workers to provide those services is projected to remain the same. Analysts predict there’ll be almost 52,000 more job openings in the health care and social assistance industries in 2024. Demand is expected to rise for many positions including registered nurses, physical therapists and doctors.
Why older workers keep staying on the job | CBS News
Despite what some may think, older workers generally aren’t grumpy people who grudgingly hang on to their jobs because they can’t afford to retire, blocking the path to promotion for younger staff. A recent study by RAND shows that many older Americans stay in the workplace because they want to be there. Enjoying meaningful work is a key reason for delaying retirement. In the new American Working Conditions Survey (AWCS), older workers report having more meaningful work and more workplace flexibility than their younger peers. The AWCS compared responses to questions about workplace conditions and satisfaction among older workers (age 50+) and their prime-age peers (ages 35-49).
My Thoughts on Being a Grandparent with a Disability | Multiple Sclerosis Today
I had always envisioned that I would be an active and healthy grandparent when the time came — not one with a disability. I was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) in the summer of 2010, which also happened to be the same year my first grandchild was born.
I was ecstatic about being a grandma, yet apprehensive about how active I would be able to be. I also understood it meant that I might not be as helpful with the baby as I wanted to be. I would need to adapt my grandma skills to co-exist with my decreasing mobility and my increasing symptoms.
Aging and Advertising | The Huffington Post
The advertising industry is in the midst of growing turmoil, with signs like the 11% plunge in the share price of the world’s largest advertising company, WPP, or the threat from P&G’s chief brand officer to dramatically shift the company’s $2.4 billion in ad spend. But while many attribute this turmoil to “the rapid shift to digital” or the cyclical nature of the business, a far more profound cause has been overlooked: advertisers’ failure to pursue older consumers.
Driverless cars could help connect aging rural communities in Japan | Christian Science Monitor
Japan looks to driverless public transportation for its growing elderly populations in isolated areas. If successful, the trial run started this month could launch a nationwide network of driverless cars.
I’m Not the “Perfect” Disability Activist You Wanted | The Huffington Post
About three years ago, I found the disability advocacy community. As someone who identifies as both chronically ill and disabled, it has always been difficult to find where I fit in society. When I learned about the independent living movement and disability activism, I was thrilled. Finally, I found a community that embraced my differences not as something to pity or put on a pedestal, but as part of who I am.
Why Kansas and Missouri aren’t equipped to handle an aging population
Proof that our public policy hasn’t caught up to the needs our aging population abounds.
Oh sure, we all give lip service to respecting our wise elders and pay tribute to the “Greatest Generation.” We say that we should provide a safety net for our seniors. But our policies don’t match up with those platitudes.When it comes to measurable commitments, society often fails to value and care for people as they enter their later decades. In Missouri, a board managing senior services hasn’t met for at least three years and possibly far longer, said Randall Williams, director of Department of Health and Senior Services.
Will the US Weaken its Disability Laws? House to Vote on Bill Protecting Businesses Over Persons with Disabilities | Human Rights Watch
A bill that would very deliberately undermine the protections afforded under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) could come to a vote in the US House of Representatives soon.
The ADA requires owners of businesses open to the public – like restaurants, hospitals, and hotels – to make sure they were accessible for people with disabilities. If they fail to do so, a person with disabilities can enforce their rights either by taking the business to court, or by filing a complaint with the US Department of Justice. However, the dangerous ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017 (H.R. 620), which the House Judiciary Committee approved last week, would dramatically increase the burden on any person with a disability who seeks to vindicate their rights.
Instagram accused of discriminating against boy with disability after taking down pictures of him without prosthetic eye | The Telegraph
The mother of a 12-year-old boy has accused Instagram of discriminating against her son after an image of him without an eye was removed. Harry Beswick was born with Goldenhar syndrome and as a result, is missing an eye, nostril and ear from one side of his face.
His mother, Charlie Beswick, posted a photo on Monday of Harry without the prosthetic eye that he usually wears. But the social media giant removed the image for “breaching guidelines”.
The Deportation Fears of Immigrants With Disabled Children | The Atlantic
Every few minutes, Abril begins to choke. Diagnosed as a baby with severe cerebral palsy and epilepsy, the Santa Cruz, California, 8-year-old has never spoken, or walked or cleared her own throat. Dozens of times a day, her parents, Rafael and Sonia, use a special machine to suction out saliva and phlegm from their older daughter’s mouth. Because choking and seizures can strike Abril anytime, a parent is always by her side.
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