October is #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth, but every month (and day) is a time to stay aware of women’s health concerns. While no age or gender is immune to the self-neglect habit, mothers and working women face unique pressures to focus on responsibility…
Author: Katherine Swarts (page 19)
The World of Adaptive Fitness
Can intellectual disability place anyone at risk for obesity? Unfortunately, statistics say yes. In the U.S., 39 percent of youngsters are overweight or obese (which is certainly bad enough); but among those with Down syndrome, the rate is 49 percent.…
How to Avoid Unconscious Hiring Biases
This article is dedicated to Disability Employment Awareness Month, Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and everyone working for progress in disability employment. Check our BridgingApps for Employment list of apps that can help job seekers find opportunities, practice social skills, and…
Texas Youth2Adult Resources: Colleges with IDD Programs
Disorders such as Down syndrome or autism needn’t mean a lifetime of dependence. Many people with such disabilities can be employed and self-supporting—and there have never been more options available. Higher education, for instance, is no longer reserved for academic…
How Many Disabilities Are There?
Ever heard Down syndrome called a “spectrum disorder”? While “spectrum” in a disability context typically refers to autism, “spectrum disorder” could mean any condition that covers different types and levels of impairment. With autism, these typically include: With Down syndrome,…
It Sounds Just Like You: The World of Text-to-Speech
October is Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Awareness Month. AAC is assistive technology that provides audible voices for people who have disabilities impairing physical speech. There are many reasons a person may not be able to speak physically: The Evolution…
Disability and Extreme-Weather Concerns
See also: Whoever you are and wherever you live, extreme-weather chances run high these days. And when extreme weather strikes, people with disabilities are in a high-risk bracket for serious injury. The best protection is advance preparation. Recommended apps for…
TexasYouth2Adult: Recommended Resources for Medical Needs
A product of BridgingApps and Easter Seals Greater Houston, the TexasYouth2Adult (TY2A) website is an online resource library aimed at young adults who are transitioning to independent living with a disability. Resources are sorted into seven categories: Over the next…
Assistive Technology, Reasonable Accommodations, and Carbon Footprints
It’s much better to do something small than to do nothing at all. Perhaps all the more so when it comes to large-scale problems such as environmental issues. Big change begins with “ordinary” people making “little” changes on their own…
National Digital Inclusion Week 2023
By the time you read this, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance will be wrapping up its annual Digital Inclusion Week, observed during the first work week in October. The 2023 theme was “Building Connected Communities”: expanding digital literacy and accessibility…