Among the hundreds of thousands of pets adopted from U.S. animal shelters each year, are an unfortunate minority who are eventually returned to the shelters because they required more money, time, or responsibility than anticipated. The “return” problem got substantial…
Category: Special Needs Family (page 8)
Family Travel Can Be Fun: BridgingApps Best Summer Road Trip Apps
Cynic’s definition of “vacation”: Something everyone looks forward to and no one enjoys. Particularly those “ones” traveling in family groups that include children under 8, or kids of any age with autism or sensory processing disorder. And particularly if you’re…
Siblings Have Needs, Too: “Typical” Children in Special-Needs Families
“Siblings of individuals with disabilities face unique challenges, and the sibling experience tends to change over time as siblings age.” -Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, UMass Chan Medical School Of all people whose lives are affected by special needs…
Not Just for Kids Anymore: Joy for All Robotic Companion Pets for Seniors
You could say they “aren’t your grandmother’s toy dog,” except that Joy for All robotic pets are designed for grandmothers and other seniors. These amazingly lifelike toy animals are made to provide some of the benefits of pet ownership, where…
Choosing a Summer Camp for 2024
While July 2023 may seem early to be thinking about summer 2024, many camps fill their registration lists months in advance—especially with well-known or specialized programs. And it’s often easier to start the planning momentum when summer activities are already…
Assistive Technology for Hearing and Vision Impairments
In recognition of Deafblind Awareness Week this June 25–July 1, today we look at assistive technology for people with impaired hearing and/or vision. Worldwide, over 1.5 billion people have hearing loss; at least 175 million have blindness or low vision;…
Special Needs and Safe Homes
In recognition of June as National Safety Month and Alzheimer’s/Brain Awareness Month, today’s post looks at safety concerns for homes where someone has a disability—especially a disability related to aging or otherwise likely to worsen with time. Every parent knows…
Fathers and Kids: Bringing Disability Awareness to the Public
Our annual Father’s Day highlight features country musician Cooper Wade and his daughter Anna Kate. Anna is turning 21 and, despite cerebral palsy that severely limits her speech, excels as a Chick-Fil-A greeter, using a BIGmack recorder for assistive technology.…
Business Etiquette and Autistic Employees
A nod to National Business Etiquette Week, the first full week in June. Most workers who succeed in their professions are experts in the rules of business etiquette: If you’re on the autism spectrum or have an adult child who…
What’s a “Summer Bridge”?
As defined by the U.S. Department of Education, a “summer bridge program” is an organized program “designed to ease the transition to college and support postsecondary success by providing students with the academic skills and social resources needed to succeed…