“If the autism gene was eliminated from the gene pool, you would have a bunch of people standing around in a cave, chatting and socializing and not getting anything done.” –Dr. Temple Grandin “Autism Awareness Month” (April) has roots reaching…
Author: Katherine Swarts (page 2)
Five Things to Know About Disability and Home Delivery
“They just put the package on the porch and left, without even ringing the doorbell. It was hours before I checked my email and learned my order was waiting outside.” –Amazon customer “I missed a meal because they insisted that…
BridgingApps Tech Tools Expand to Easterseals Affiliates
Q: What do the following activities have in common? A: You can find recommended tools for doing all the above in the BridgingApps database, aka the “App Search Tool!” And those are just a few examples. Everyone’s heard “there’s an…
Smart Screens and Smart Speakers: 4 Ways You Can Use Them at Home
Smart screen: Audiovisual technology that connects all smart devices in a home or other building/facility. Can be operated by touch or voice. Also called a “smart display.” Smart speaker: A voice-operated audio system that can also connect smart devices. A…
Building a Well-Connected World for Senior Adults
BridgingApps’ programs for senior adults include “Well Connected” presentations for our local Front Porch affiliate. Usually there is one Well Connected event each quarter, in either English or Spanish, with a dozen or so attendees. The most recent (in Spanish)…
Avoiding Digital Scams: 5 Things Everyone Should Know
This post is dedicated to everyone working to expose and stop scams, including: What would you do if: In every case, the first thing to do is not follow the message’s instructions—or, for item (d), not text back to tell…
World Down Syndrome Day: Celebrating Opportunities for People with Down Syndrome
[In 1999, a genetics counselor told us] that our child would never be able to read, write, or count change. –Mother of a young adult with Down syndrome I was completely frightened when I was given the news, [but our son…
Reading Comes in Many Forms
Today’s post recognizes March as National Reading Month. We also salute two recent “reading days”: Read Across America Day (Dr. Seuss’ birthday, March 2) and World Read Aloud Day (the first Wednesday in February, or February 5 in 2025). According…
Five Ways to Encourage Children to Read
March is National Reading Month. Any time is a good time to teach the joys of reading. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, one in five U.S. adults is “functionally illiterate” and cannot: What Does It Mean to…
Walk With Me 2025: Wayfinding, the Afterparty, and Other Things New Participants Should Know
ESGH’s annual Walk With Me (WWM) fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, April 12, at the Houston Zoo. If this is your first time joining WWM (or visiting the Zoo), here’s what you should know. Getting Around What’s This “Afterparty,” Anyway?…