November is National Assistive Technology Awareness Month. What comes to mind at the phrase “assistive technology”? By formal definition, assistive technology is “any item, piece of equipment, or product system—whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized—that is used…
Ever hear of “inspiration porn”? It’s a cultural phenomenon that has made “inspiration” a dirty word to some people with disabilities. Typically, it involves highlighting someone who has accomplished something noteworthy and who also uses a wheelchair or has another…
November is National Family Caregiver Month. In a multi-person household, keeping track of everyone’s needs and schedules is rarely easy. When one or more family members have disabilities, things get even more complicated. Besides generating expenses, appointments, and paperwork that…
To close out National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a salute to the professionals who help people with disabilities find paid work (and personal independence). Thirty-two years after the Americans with Disabilities Act guaranteed equal rights to employment—with accommodations and without…
Thanks to BridgingApps team members, Cathy Foreman (Special Projects) and Marjorie Reichard (Project Manager), for contributing personal perspectives to the following article. Over 9 percent of people in the U.S. have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which is a challenge…
Halloween is traditionally a time for sweet snacks, dressing up, staying out late, and pretending to believe in ghosts. But for many kids with disabilities, such activities are the opposite of a good time. Especially when mixed with noisy crowds…
You may have heard of “high-functioning alcoholics”—people who work steady jobs and seem immaculate in public, but become cranky and ill at home if they miss a regular dose of wine. If someone hints their drinking is “a bit much,”…
Not that long ago, bullying among kids was treated as just one of those things you have to “learn to live with.” Kids who complained were called oversensitive. Parents who complained on their children’s behalf were labeled overprotective. And for…
This post is dedicated to October as Fire Prevention Month. Emergency preparation is an essential that too few people are proactive about. One Liberty Mutual survey found that fewer than 3 in 10 families had ever had a home fire…
For the disability-affected person who seeks companionship along with practical assistance, the service dog is far superior to any inanimate tool. But though it’s a hard fact to face with any companion animal, a service dog is also likely to…
