2008
Yearly Archive
Disability Etiquette – Tip #5
admin 10 Oct 2008 | : Disability Etiquette
Tip #5 – Use Empowering Terminology
Always use person first language when referring to someone with a disability. Say “person with a disability” not “disabled person”. Avoid negative disempowering words which focus on the impairment rather than the individual – such as “wheelchair bound”, “crippled” or “handicapped”. Some persons with disabilities dislike jargony euphemistic terms like “physically challenged” or “differently abled”. If you are unsure of which words to use – ask.
Disability Etiquette – Tip #4
admin 07 Oct 2008 | : Disability Etiquette
Tip #4 – Communicate Effectively
Always address a person with a disability directly. Don’t speak to his companion, assistant or sign language interpreter. The use of common expressions such as “see you later” or “it was good to hear from you” are also perfectly acceptable. When communicating with a person who is blind, make sure you keep them well oriented. If you are providing directions, be specific. If you are in a group, verbally introduce everyone so that the person can take part in the conversation and always let them know before you leave their side.
When speaking to a person utilizing a wheelchair or to a person of short stature, the conversation will be much more comfortable if you face them on the same level. You can pull up a chair for longer conversations or kneel down.
A person who is deaf or hard of hearing may use a combination of lip reading and / or American Sign Language (ASL). While many individuals who are Deaf utilize ASL, it is not used by everyone and is not universal across cultures. For instance, someone in Mexico may utilize a different type of sign language than someone in the United States. When speaking, make sure to face the person during a conversation. Speak clearly and be sure not to cover your mouth or shout.. If the person is hard of hearing, their hearing aid will be calibrated to normal voice level. Your shout will only distort it and also make you look foolish. If a sign language interpreter is not available or the person is not a native signer, a low cost and immediate alternative, if the customer is comfortable, is to type back and forth on a computer or to use instant messaging.
For those individuals that have difficulty speaking, never pretend to understand what someone is saying. Ask them to repeat their sentence. Most people won’t mind and will appreciate your effort to listen.
Disability Etiquette – Tip #3
admin 03 Oct 2008 | : Disability Etiquette
Tip #3 – Respect Private Space
Persons with disabilities consider their equipment part of their personal space. Don’t touch any assistive device or push a wheelchair without permission. If a person uses a guide dog, don’t pet or distract the animal. Remember, the animal is working. If you need to make physical contact in order to assist a person, always ask first. Never grab a person without warning as this may cause them to lose their balance. In the case of a person who is blind – offer your arm rather than taking his.
Disability Etiquette – Tip #2
admin 30 Sep 2008 | : Disability Etiquette
Tip #2 – Always Ask, Never Assume
Ask before you help. If a setting is accessible, persons with disabilities can usually get along on their own. If you are uncertain in any situation – just ask. Don’t assume. Persons with disabilities are the best judge of what they can or cannot do and will also be able to let you know how you can be of assistance.
Disability Etiquette – Tip #1
admin 26 Sep 2008 | : Disability Etiquette
Following proper disability etiquette is one of the best ways to make persons with disabilities feel welcome and comfortable in any setting. Disability etiquette also makes good business sense – helping you to expand your practice and effectively serve your customers. The following 7 posts will provides specific tips on disability etiquette.
Tip #1 – Respect the Individual
Persons with disabilities have families, jobs, hobbies, hopes and fears. They are people first and even though their disability is an integral part of who they are, it is not what defines them. Don’t turn persons with disabilities into heroes or a faceless “they,” but respect them as individuals who have much to offer.
Disability Resource – Job Accommodation Network
admin 15 Sep 2008 | : Reasonable Accommodations, Resources
I recently did a training on job retention with my colleague Laura Ware from Corporation for Supportive Housing. I was amazed to find out that so many people don’t know about the Job Accommodation Network – affectionately known as JAN. The JAN website is your one-stop shop for reasonable accommodation solutions. They have information for both individuals and employers. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to check it out. I’ve used both their website and their toll free number on a variety of occasions and have found both to be extremely helpful.
You can visit JAN at: www.jan.wvu.edu or call them toll free at: (800)526-7234 (Voice), (877)781-9403 (TTY), or (304)293-7186 if you’re calling locally or outside the United States.
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Disability Resource: Disability Benefits 101
admin 15 Aug 2008 | : Social Security Benefits
For the last 4 years, I’ve been providing Social Security work incentives training to agencies statewide and to clients in the Los Angeles area. If you live in the State of California (and even if you don’t!), I wanted to share a resource that I make a point of sharing EVERY place I go.
The website: www.db101.org is all about working with disability in California. One of the key features (or my favorite part) of this site is its Benefits Calculator. There are actually 5 separate calculators: Benefits to Work, Job to Job, School to Work, Medi-Cal for the Working Disabled, and PASS Fund Your Career. If you or someone you’re working with is receiving Social Security benefits, I encourage you to take a look at this site. All of the sections of the site are written in an easy to understand format. There are even sections of the site translated in to Spanish. Take a look! I know you’ll be glad you did.
Disability Tip #6: Avoiding Job Burnout
admin 22 Jul 2008 | : Staff Development
6. Relax. Plan a vacation at least once a year, preferably twice! Having 45 days of vacation on the books isn’t something to be proud of. Use it! If you can’t afford to go away, use the time to do some things around the house – read a book, paint a room, or visit a local museum. The possibilities are endless. Force yourself to do it. You’ll be glad that you did.
This concludes our tips on Avoiding Job Burnout. There are many great resources on the web about work/life balance. CNN.com has a work/life balance calculator that allows you to visually see how you’re spending your time each week on a pie chart. You can even plot out how you’d like to spend your time in the future when you’ve made some neede changes to your schedule. You can visit the calculator at: http://snipurl.com/3fea0.
Disability Tip #5: Avoiding Job Burnout
admin 15 Jul 2008 | : Staff Development
5. Take a Break. Throughout the day, take a few minutes to clear your mind, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Don’t forget to take your lunch break. Make sure you actually use it to do something for yourself, not to do more work. Take a walk, exercise, do some type of activity that removes you physically and mentally from work and don’t feel guilty. Stick to it, and do it now – right now!
Disability Tip #4: Avoiding Job Burnout
admin 11 Jul 2008 | : Staff Development
4. Say NO. Learn to say NO or not right now to items that are not a necessary part of your job. If saying no isn’t an option, be sure to let the person know who assigned you the task how long it will take to complete and when you will be able to fit it into your schedule. Do not promise anything you can’t deliver on – this will create more stress! If time is limited, do the best job possible. Sometimes it doesn’t have to be perfect to still be a job well done.
