EnableLink: Family Life: Articles

April 2^nd, 2008

Family Life: Articles

Abilities Magazine Archive

It's Playtime! Variety in Ontario Introduces Children in Motion in Vaughan: By Markus Stadelmann-Elder

Children in Motion is an activity class that incorporates recreational and sports activities for young people between the ages of three and 12. Classes are adapted to the abilities of the children ...
73 Winter, 2007
The Registered Disability Savings Plan: Next Steps: By Jack Styan

News about the registered disablity savings plan ...
72 Fall, 2007
The Caregiver's Gift Seeking Balance Along the Caregiver’s Journey: By Jon Temme

The road to a balanced life for any caregiver begins with recognizing signs that you may be ...
68 Fall, 2006
Education: Making a Difference Creating Full Lives for All the Children—All Means All: By Lynda D. Khan, Jack Pearpoint

The Marsha Forest Centre (MFC) collaborates to build a society where contribution, membership and belonging bring meaning and quality to each of our ...
68 Fall, 2006
Healing Hands Wound Care is a Key Part of Serious Injury Care: Serious injury care often involves the treatment and prevention of wounds, particularly for people who have suffered tissue and spinal cord injuries in workplace and auto ...
67 Summer, 2006
When Something's Wrong Helping Children and Youth with Mental Health Issues: By Krista Saleh

The CPRF has launched publications to educate about youth mental ...
66 Spring, 2006
Book Smarts Breaking Stereotypes with Children’s Fiction: By Beverley A. Brenna

The author, a teacher, discusses positive books for and about children with ...
66 Spring, 2006
Fighting Spirit: For more than 28 years, Grandmaster Tae Eun Lee has provided Taekwondo instruction to children with disabilities in ...
65 Winter, 2005
MS in the Family Supporting Children of Parents with MS: By Cristina Toporas

Multiple sclerosis affects not just the person diagnosed with the disease, but the entire ...
65 Winter, 2005
Family Harmony Meeting the Needs of Siblings of Kids with Disabilities: By Ruth Zive

Parents of kids with disabilities devote immeasurable resources attending to their children’s needs. In doing so, they may inadvertently sideline the needs of their other ...
65 Winter, 2005
"My son has been brought back to me" Applied Behaviour Analysis Program Helps Mother, Child Reconnent: By Claudine Gervais

Applied Behaviour Analysis can help families cope with ...
64 Fall, 2005
Hands-on Learning for Kids: A disability awareness exhibit produced by the Boston Children’s Museum is on display until April 24 at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, ...
62 Spring, 2005
The Fathering of a Preemie One Parent's Story: By Jeff Stimpson

Born two and a half months premature, baby Alex was not the pink, eight-pound bouncing boy his parents had planned for. Yet despite the challenges of round-the-clock nursing, drugs and therapy, his ...
62 Spring, 2005
Beauty is in the Eye I've Always Known My Son was Perfect: By Cheryl Hines

I'm leafing through a back issue of a popular Canadian women's magazine... and right there! On page 14 is a picture of a rather striking woman. Yes, she’s a model, but there’s something more. One of ...
62 Spring, 2005
Battling Bullying A Toolkit for Children with Disabilities: By Lisa Richardson

Not all children with disabilities are bullied, but for those who are, it can be a source of heartache and distress. Bullying is an issue that requires the engagement of everyone in a community. This ...
62 Spring, 2005
Dr. Mickey Milner Receives Honourary Doctorate: Congratulations to Dr. Mickey Milner of Toronto, who this year received an honourary Doctor of Science from Queen’s University. Morris (Mickey) Milner, Ph.D., P.Eng., C.C.E., is a board member of ...
61 Winter, 2004
Strategies for Staying Safe Defend Yourself from Crime: By Anna Quon

While it may be true that people with disabilities get targeted for abuse and crime more often than the general population, you should not feel helpless. There are many practical strategies you can ...
60 Fall, 2004
Delighted Dad Now I Know I'm Not Chopped Liver: By Ken Davis

It’s challenging to be a new dad at the best of times. But to be a new dad to an adopted toddler who has had very little exposure to men – not to mention men in a wheelchairs – can be even trickier. ...
60 Fall, 2004
Weeping Man at Weeping Rock: By Brice Carroll

While visiting a national park, this author is certain he is headed for disaster when his wheelchair skids uncontrollably toward a cliff. But his nail-biting horror turns quickly into hilarity as he ...
59 Summer, 2004
Planning for the Future Henson Trusts are Now Better than Ever: By Kenneth C. Pope

New legislation makes it even easier for people on provincial disability pensions to inherit an estate without losing their benefits. If you are interested in estate planning for your relative with a ...
57 Winter, 2003
Inspiring a Best-Selling Author: Lauretta Reid, 11, of Orillia, Ontario, has inspired one of Canada’s best-selling authors to write his latest children’s book. Youngsters the world over love the funny and whimsical stories of ...
56 Fall, 2003
Tips for Tots Parenting with a Vision Disability: By Elaine Carty, Tali Conine, Leah Dobell, Angela Holbrook, Chris Seminuk

When parents with disabilities network with each other, one of the most common questions they ask their peers is: “How?” What are some effective ways for a parent who is blind to feed, change and ...
55 Summer, 2003
The Genetics Genie A Troubling Diagnosis of Prenatal Testing: By Jane Foy

Publicly, Canadians embrace and celebrate persons with disabilities, but behind the closed doors of doctors’ offices, a different and troubling scenario is being played out. Every day, routine ...
53 Winter, 2002
Right By Your Side Legal Rights and Resources for Parents of Children with Disabilities: By Catherine Tse

As parents care for their children with disabilities, they have a right to supports themselves. In this feature, read one family’s story of workplace discrimination, and find out how to access the ...
52 Fall, 2002
All in the Family Parenting with a Disability: By Lisa Bendall

At an international conference for parents who have disabilities, adorable family snapshots are exchanged… and indispensable tips and strategies are shared. For parents with disabilities, this ...
52 Fall, 2002
The "D" Word A Small Boy Marks a Milestone: By Jeff Stimpson

As a father contemplates the future of his three-year-old son, born premature with a range of disabilities, his son continues to surprise him. The future may be uncertain, but in the here and now, ...
52 Fall, 2002
Childrenâ€™s Aid Society Removes Baby: In March, a three-week-old baby was apprehended and removed from the care of his mother by the Toronto Children’s Aid Society (CAS) without warning. The 27-year-old single mother is deaf. Her ...
51 Summer, 2002
Good Lifetimes News, Ideas and Inspiration for Families and Their Relatives with Disabilities: By Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network

A special section of news, ideas and inspiration for families and their relatives. This issue: a child teaches the value of friendship; a dream for one son’s future; shaping policy on social ...
51 Summer, 2002
Caregiver of the Year Awards: Five people who have dedicated their lives to helping others were recognized by insurance company Allianz Canada as it announced its Caregiver of the Year Awards recipients for 2001 late last year. ...
50 Spring, 2002
Dick Sobsey Receives American Spirit Award: Dr. Dick Sobsey, director of the J.P. Das Developmental Disabilities Centre at the University of Alberta, has been selected to receive the Joseph Werner American Spirit Award. New York humanitarian ...
50 Spring, 2002
Good Lifetimes News, Ideas and Inspiration for Families and Their Relatives with Disabilities: By Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network

A special section of news, ideas and inspiration for families and their relatives. This issue: John Ralston Saul is the National Patron of PLAN; taking advantage of the disability tax credit; ...
50 Spring, 2002
The Person Within Preventing the Abuse of Children and Youth with Disabilities: By Marc Gushue

Abuse of persons with disabilities occurs every day, in every part of Canada. While a good many of these acts of abuse are crimes, few are ever reported to the police. When these crimes are committed ...
50 Spring, 2002
Good Lifetimes News, Ideas and Inspiration for Families and Their Relatives with Disabilities: By Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network

A special section of news, ideas and inspiration for families and their relatives. This issue: offering hope; a special evening honours and appreciates a community member; author Guy Vanderhaeghe ...
49 Winter, 2001
Creating a Magic Kingdom Fairy Tales Do Come True: By Michelle Amerie

The morning of September 11, Walt Disney World closed its gates. But a group of almost 100 children with disabilities and illnesses had flown here from Canada for a day of adventure, and they could ...
49 Winter, 2001
Good Lifetimes News, Ideas and Inspiration for Families and Their Relatives with Disabilities: By Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network

A special section of news, ideas and inspiration for families and their relatives. This issue: a personal support network enriches an Alberta church community; tips for wills and estate planning; ...
48 Fall, 2001
Up in Arms Why Gun Control is Critical for Canada: By Barbara Turnbull

Many Canadians assume the fight for gun control has been won, but opposition to the Firearms Act is unrelenting. Meanwhile, thousands of people in this country have died or have disabilities because ...
48 Fall, 2001
Violence Prevention New Resource Guide for Women is in Your Community: Women with disabilities have an increased risk of abuse. However, the number of violence prevention resources available to support women is steadily growing, and more and more of these are accessible ...
47 Summer, 2001
Good Lifetimes News, Ideas and Inspiration for Families and Their Relatives with Disabilities: By Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network

A special section of news, ideas and inspiration for families and their relatives. This issue: acknowledging the gifts that all individuals have to offer; novelist Gail Bowen speaks out; news from ...
47 Summer, 2001
Play Haven is Heaven for Families: Joeie Schwartz, like any three-year-old girl, loves playtime. But Joeie has a serious heart condition that makes any infection life threatening. A simple cold could cause her heart to stop. As a ...
47 Summer, 2001
Can We Make It Inclusive? The Early Childhood Development Agreement: By Michael Bach

In September, 2000, the federal and provincial/territorial governments (excluding Quebec -- for constitutional reasons) launched the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Initiative to strengthen ...
47 Summer, 2001
Playability Every Childâ€™s Right to Play: No one would think of telling kids that they can’t play on swings in the park because their hair is the wrong colour or because they haven’t got the right shoes. Yet many children cannot play in ...
47 Summer, 2001
Good Lifetimes News, Ideas and Inspiration for Families and Their Relatives with Disabilities: By Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network

A special section of news, ideas and inspiration for families and their relatives. This issue: tax tips for parents; a young man prepares for his future; news from groups across ...
46 Spring, 2001
Sticks and Stones Parenting a Child with a Facial Difference: By Lorra Garrick

Children who look different often endure devastating teasing from their peers. Yet many children with facial differences are confident and popular. This primer for parents explains how to bolster the ...
46 Spring, 2001
Iâ€™ll Second That Devotion Caring for an Aging Parent when You have a Disability: By Lynne Swanson

Sometimes, people with disabilities find themselves caught between their own needs and those of their aging parents. But many cherish the opportunity to give something back to their mom or dad, and ...
46 Spring, 2001
Childâ€™s Play Toys for Children with Disabilities: By Lynne Swanson

Play is the most important thing you can do with your child, says one occupational therapist. This feature explains the significance of play, especially for children with disabilities, and offers ...
45 Winter, 2000
Bear, With Me Spinoza the Teddy Bear Enhances Lives of Kids: By Pat Tesan

Meet Spinoza, a cuddly plush bear who sings, talks and loves his way into the heart of children with disabilities. Spinoza is a special gift whose messages help to build positive self- concept and ...
45 Winter, 2000
Good Lifetimes News, Ideas and Inspiration for Families and Their Relatives: By Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network

A special section of news, ideas and inspiration for families and their relatives. This issue: Betty Jane Wylie speaks of her sonâ€™s success; a young woman yearns for a place of her own; news ...
45 Winter, 2000
Keeping Your Marriage Sound The Challenges of Hearing Loss in Relationships: By Gael Hannan

The key to a successful relationship is good communication. So what happens if one of the partners develops a hearing disability? Couples who have been there share their experiences and their ...
45 Winter, 2000
Hope for the Worldâ€™s Children An Agenda for Action for Children with Disabilities and their Families: By Michael Bach

Governments in Canada and around the world are bringing renewed focus to childrenâ€™s issues. Heads of state from around the world will convene at the United Nations in September, 2001, for a ...
45 Winter, 2000
Do You Believe in Magic? Connecting Children to a Community of Friendship: Imagine a magic electronic window, through which children and youth with disabilities or illness come to share stories, friendships and experiences. To be inspired to rise above their limitations. To ...
45 Winter, 2000
A Salute to Fathers Maybe Not Heroes, but Doing All Right!: By Dick Sobsey

As Robert Latimerâ€™s murder conviction comes before the Supreme Court of Canada, this author delivers a message from the heart to other fathers of children with disabilities. Maybe these dads ...
44 Fall, 2000
Find a Friend, Be a Friend Computer Friendship Network Helps People Connect: There is a special place where a modem and a computer give wings to a child or youth who is ill or has special needs. A place where people think with their hearts and listen with their eyes. A ...
44 Fall, 2000
Being in Control -- Freedom from Abuse CAILC Introduces Website Development Initiative: The Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres (CAILC) is pleased to announce a project that will provide much-needed information and resources to women with disabilities who may be ...
43 Summer, 2000
Ending the Cycle of Abuse The Victimization of Canadians with Intellectual Disabilities: By Marc Gushue

Imagine the pain, fear and confusion that is felt by victims of violent crime who have intellectual disabilities. These individuals may not understand the circumstances which precipitate the violent ...
43 Summer, 2000
Child Tax Benefit: People with disabilities know all too well that because of their disability they face enormous expenses -- mobility, equipment, supplies, medications -- that the able-bodied population does not have ...
43 Summer, 2000
Whatâ€™s Your Sign?: By Kate George

"Get your fingers loosened up for another fast-paced episode of â€™Whatâ€™s Your Sign,â€™ the game show for Deaf and hearing kids." With these words (naturally, signed as ...
43 Summer, 2000
Kids in Motion Summer Family Camp: Summer is approaching and once again the University of Saskatchewan, College of Kinesiology, is gearing up to partner with Celebrate Abilities for their Kids in Motion Summer Family Camp, taking ...
43 Summer, 2000
A Journey to Motherhood My Pregnancy and Childbirth Experience: By Trish Day

She was married, owned a house and worked at a good job. Motherhood seemed the logical next step... but with cerebral palsy, there were a few more details to figure out, both through the pregnancy ...
42 Spring, 2000
Hero Joy Nightingale Soul Winging Free: By Lisa Bendall

Sheâ€™s only 13, and sheâ€™s already a composer of music and ballets, a poet, an artist, a disability advocate, and editor and founder of an award-winning Internet magazine. Hero Joy ...
42 Spring, 2000
Aurora Highview Community Millenium Project (AHCMP): There is momentum building in the movement to develop standards for accessible playgrounds and playspaces in Canada. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has addressed this issue in the U.S. and ...
41 Winter, 1999
Preventing Violence Against People With Disabilities: This is the third in a series of four articles that discuss the issues of crime prevention and persons with disabilities. The first two articles examined the Community Mobilization Program of the ...
41 Winter, 1999
The Parenting Book for Persons with a Disability: From Planning Your Family to Raising Adolescents Available December, 1999: By Lenka Petric, Heather Stonehouse

The Centre for Independent Living in Toronto (CILT) is pleased to announce the publication of a unique resource for parents and prospective parents with a disability. The Parenting Book for Persons ...
41 Winter, 1999
Snow Kids: The Empowerment Zone An Online Playground for Kids with Disabilities: By Nancy Sicchia

What do kids with special needs and the Internet have in common? The answer is SNOW Kids Empowerment Zone. If you havenâ€™t already done so, why donâ€™t you visit us online ...
40 Fall, 1999
Community Crime Prevention Focusing on High Risk Groups: In our article in the Summer 1999 issue of ABILITIES, we discussed the Community Mobilization Program (CMP) of the National Strategy on Community Safety and Crime Prevention. CMP was designed by ...
40 Fall, 1999
A Day With Disney 70 Kids from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Spend a Day in Orlando, Florida: By Sarah Yates

Itâ€™s 5:30 on an April morning in Winnipeg, MB. The sky is growing light. With 70 children and 50 adults, weâ€™re preparing to board Flight AC6091 for a day at Walt Disney World in Orlando, ...
40 Fall, 1999
Enhanced Legal Aid: Raymond Kerim recently surmounted major obstacles to accessing the legal system in his fight to gain shared custody of his daughters. Kerim has learning disabilities that interfere with ...
39 Summer, 1999
Aftermath Domestic Abuse Leaves Destruction in Its Wake: By Catherine Frazee, Patricia Seeley

"[We are] mortally wounded, but not about to expire. We will get back on our feet... Our capacity for suffering and pain was never before put to such a hard test." - Honduras President ...
39 Summer, 1999
All I Really Need Safeguarding Children at Risk of Abuse: By Catherine Frazee, Patricia Seeley

All I really need is a song in my heart / Food in my belly, and love in my family / Yes all I really need is a song in my heart / And love in my family. - Childrenâ€™s singalong song performed ...
38 Spring, 1999
Mother Charged with Child Endangering: Kelly Dillery of Sandusky, Ohio, was charged with child endangering last July after she drove her power wheelchair in the street with her daughter strapped onto her lap. Dillery, who has muscular ...
38 Spring, 1999
Answering The Call InfoAbility Provides Information and Referral: As the millennium approaches, the number of elderly persons in the world is rising steadily. The United Nations initiative to declare 1999 International Year of Older Persons reflects an increasing ...
38 Spring, 1999
Silver Linings There is a Way Out of Senior Abuse: By Lisa Bendall

On one of last season’s episodes of "ER," a popular prime-time drama, an elderly man was brought to the hospital with obvious signs of neglect. The man, who had age-related disabilities, ...
37 Winter, 1998
Parenting Pointers Hints for Transporting Your Child: By Elaine Carty, Tali Conine, Leah Dobell, Angela Holbrook, Chris Seminuck

For parents with disabilities, transporting or carrying your child safely and easily can sometimes be an issue. But often just one or two adaptations can make a tremendous difference. Here are a ...
37 Winter, 1998
Mark Nagler Yes, You Can Do It!: By Sarah Yates

Heâ€™s a small and smiling man whose self-confidence makes you feel comfortable immediately. But Dr. Mark Naglerâ€™s twinkling eyes belie the fierce spirit that motivates him. In private and ...
37 Winter, 1998
New Resources for Parents: People who are parenting with a disability know that, thus far, information and resources in Canada that address this issue have been limited. Now, two new resources are available. The Parenting ...
37 Winter, 1998
Body Language Do You Hear What I See?: By Robert S. Elkins

Like other people who are deaf, I observe my surroundings. There must be a connection between having broken ears and using eyes to pay attention. Since we are forced to miss conversations around us, ...
37 Winter, 1998
Just Another Part of the Family: By Mary Lee Gannon

"You are lucky to have a peer group built right into your family," a special education teacher told me shortly after my daughter started school. My daughter was three and was not talking ...
36 Fall, 1998
Solutions to Family Violence A National Resource for All Canadians: By Stephanie Wilson

Family violence affects all of us. It is not something that only happens to strangers -- it happens in our families, our communities, and among our friends and our co-workers. The National ...
36 Fall, 1998
Accessing Services and Justice Inter-Sectorial Workshops on Violence Against Women: The Roeher Institute and Education Wife Assault, at the request of the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation, are organizing a number of workshops in Ontario over the next year. ...
36 Fall, 1998
A Voice... and a Choice For Vulnerable Adults Across Ontario: What is InfoAbility? InfoAbility provides free, confidential, one-stop information and referral to vulnerable adults, their caregivers, family, friends and community professionals across Ontario. ...
36 Fall, 1998
Violence and Abuse Prevention in the Helping Relationship Information, Ideas and Resources: What is abuse? Abuse is defined generally as anything which causes harm to the individual. Abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional/psychological/verbal, based on neglect, or financial. Physical ...
35 Summer, 1998
Special Deliveries Options for Becoming a Parent: By Lisa Bendall

When Jennifer Roberts’ daughter outgrew her crib, Jennifer decided to store it at her parents’ house, rather than pass it on -- in case she ever became pregnant again. Her mother was aghast that ...
35 Summer, 1998
Saying No to Abuse Strategies for Safer Services: By Susan Forster, Linda Davis-Bonar

Recently, a young man with a physical disability committed suicide. The man had acquired his disability as an adult, but had never accepted it; rather, he had internalized society’s negative ...
35 Summer, 1998
Violence Against Women with Disabilities How to Escape Abuse: Women with disabilities must often depend on a variety of people to provide them with assistance in carrying out their everyday lives. These can include parents, husbands, boyfriends and other ...
35 Summer, 1998
Ralph Kleinâ€™s Bad "Political Sense" Day The Rights that Were Almost Removed: By Mel Graham

Between 1928 and 1972, 2,844 child and adult Albertans were forcibly sterilized under legislation called the Sexual Sterilization Act. Leilani Muir was a former resident of Red Deer’s Provincial ...
35 Summer, 1998
Empowering Vulnerable Adults Do You Know Somebody Who Needs Us?: In recent years, the mistreatment of vulnerable adults has emerged as a significant policy issue. The public is increasingly aware that vulnerable adults live in situations in which they may be ...
35 Summer, 1998
Safeguarding Your Self Women-Centred Agencies Learning to Support Women with Disabilities: By Laura Kovacic

"Women have been beaten, had their wheelchairs taken away and their phones smashed, and have been locked in their rooms without access to the bathroom. We have had our medications taken away or ...
34 Spring, 1998
One-Stop Information New Service Provides Safety Net for Vulnerable Adults: Ontario’s estimated 300,000 vulnerable adults and their supporters are finding it a lot easier these days to get the resources they need, thanks to InfoAbility. This unique, bilingual, one-stop ...
34 Spring, 1998
Planning for Child Care Hints for Parenting with a Disability: Planning for confident and safe child care begins before the birth of your baby. Parenting presents challenges for everyone. Parents with disabilities have had much pleasure and success raising ...
33 Winter, 1997
Getting Along with Parents Keeping the Relationship Healthy: By Catherine Steele

Winter is coming! For many of us, winter is officially kicked off by the holidays. Mention of the holidays brings memories of friends, food and celebrations but, most of all, of family and parents. ...
33 Winter, 1997
The Human Genome Project Its Impact on People with Disabilities: By Tanis Doe

Many people with disabilities are poor. Equipment and services for people with disabilities cost money. Despite some newly introduced tax breaks, there are widespread cutbacks in services to assist ...
32 Fall, 1997
Preserving Your Childâ€™s Inheritance Including a Henson Trust in Your Will: By Kenneth C. Pope

Jason had been in and out of psychiatric hospitals for much of his adult life. Sometimes he would be balanced and able to work for months. Then he would slip into a severe depression. At the age of ...
32 Fall, 1997
Doing a Cross-Canada Reality Check: The Reality Check campaign was conceived to raise awareness about abuse and disability, through the purchase of advertising space in The Globe and Mail. The campaign is a joint effort by Dick Sobsey, ...
32 Fall, 1997
Helping Kids "Feel" Colours: Hey, kids, do you have a friend who cannot see? Do you know that you can help your friend to see colours? Have a grown-up help you both understand. Put a mask on and have the grown-up give both of ...
31 Summer, 1997
Computerizing Kids Helping Children Access Computers For Learning and Play: By Irene Vrckovnik

Children are the fastest growing group of computer users. As children with and without disabilities are integrated in the classroom, some modifications may be necessary to enhance computer use among ...
31 Summer, 1997
Hints and Devices for Parents Who are Deaf: There is a real lack of visual resource materials which are closed captioned, and there are few childbirth and parenting courses available with interpreters or real-time conversion. Therefore, ...
27 Summer, 1996
Great Expectations When Parenting at a Distance Moves in Under the Same Roof.: By Karin Melberg Schwier

This must be how it feels to be expecting, a lady in waiting, with a bun in the oven, heavy with child. Not exactly that this kid is an infant, but in two weeks, our lives will change. My ...
27 Summer, 1996
The Issues of Daily Living Students learn About Disability at an Experiential Workshop: By Rhona Feldt-Stein

Daily living with a disability: That is just what the students of the York Region Board of Education have had the chance to experience the past two years during National Access Awareness Week (NAAW). ...
27 Summer, 1996
Escaping Violence In CAILCâ€™S New Video "Double Jeopardy," Women With Disabilities Speak Out on Their E: By Michael Horne

The airing of "Double Jeopardy on "The Disability Network" on CBC marked CAILCâ€™s first video production on violence issues, and further broadened our growing library of resources ...
27 Summer, 1996
"Iâ€™m Bored!" Technology offers many creative ways for your child to interact and be active. One girl tells her: By Jessica Javor

My name is Jessica Javor. I’m a grade six student with cerebral palsy. I have a Mac IISI and programmable keyboard with which I can type out words and even entire sentences with a push of a button! ...
26 Spring, 1996
Dare to Dream With the support of teams of volunteers, my daughter could reach far more than I ever thought possi: By Lorraine Bartlett

For most young adults and their families, graduation from high school is a time for rejoicing, dreaming, and looking forward to new adventures as they embark on a new phase of their lives. The whole ...
26 Spring, 1996
Challenging the Limits Parenting is the most profound commitment youâ€™ll make.: By Sujata Dey

Claire Mehtaâ€™s seven-year-old son, Arthur, is crying. "He was making fun of me," he weeps. Mehta calms him and promises that Mommy will phone his friend to find out what is ...
26 Spring, 1996
What About Grandparents? Having a Grandchild with a Disability May Mean Having Support and Information Needs: By Anita M. Unruh

- "Having a grandchild with a disability has given me a better understanding of all children with this issue. I feel the parents of my grandchild are doing a wonderful job and are doing ...
25 Winter, 1995
Kids and Keystrokes Technology "levels the playground" for children with disabilities: By Lisa Bendall

Twenty years ago there was a little boy with cerebral palsy growing up in Ireland. His disability prevented him from using his arms and legs or speaking. He could communicate only with his mother, to ...
24 Fall, 1995
A Romanian Dream I was determined to be allowed to be a mother: In the spring of 1991, my husband Jim and I adopted a little girl from Romania. From the time that we got the call to say that she was legally ours, we had less than a week to prepare for instant ...
23 Summer, 1995
"Totally Blind?" The Potential for Sight: By Caroline R. Birkholz

"Totally blind" -- this is a diagnosis that is heard often when receiving a referral to the Occupational Therapy -- Early Intervention program. This is, however, just the beginning of ...
23 Summer, 1995
Responding to Family Violence and Abuse An Independent Living Approach: By Traci Walters

In March, 1995, the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centresâ€™ (CAILC) National Family Violence project came to a close. The focus of the project was to develop community-based ...
23 Summer, 1995
The Risk of Physical and Sexual Assault: Over one million women in Canada have a disability. Over two-thirds of these women -- about 670,000 -- have been physically or sexually assaulted before they reach puberty. This figure is twice as ...
22 Spring, 1995
Mothering Women With Disabilities Have Much To Give To Their Children: By Ing Wong

It all started with a dream. Thatâ€™s how Lucy Costa found out that she was pregnant. Lucy was watching television with her husband, Haydn Nyman, one evening in their Etobicoke home, when ...
22 Spring, 1995
From Victim to Survivor Beyond the Cycle of Abuse: By Kim Miller

When I met Traci Walters in 1990, she was the Executive Director of the Niagara Centre for Independent Living (NCIL) in Welland, Ontario. Traci struck me as an articulate, approachable woman. ...
22 Spring, 1995
Decreasing the Demands A new research study shows how mothers can reduce their stress load.: By Sylvie Tetreault, Rhoda Weiss-Lambrou

Technological advances in medicine have had different impacts on the rehabilitation field. Today, many children who would have died some years ago are surviving. Recent statistics indicate an ...
22 Spring, 1995
The Writing is on the Wall Understanding and Addressing Social Policy Reform in Nova Scotia: It is difficult to know where to start sometimes. There are so many concerns we must address and deal with daily -- like a harrowing nightmare that wonâ€™t go away. These are ongoing, crucial ...
21 Winter, 1994
National Summer Training Institute on Abuse Prevention: By Deb Tomlinson

Prior to the commencement of the National Conference on Independent Living, 22 staff members from Independent Living Resource Centres (ILRCs) across Canada attended an intense and enriching five days ...
21 Winter, 1994
What about Brothers and Sisters?: By Anita M. Unruh, Joanne Gusella

When someone in a family has special needs, everyone in the family is affected in some way. Parents are often faced with many challenges in trying to provide their child with optimal life ...
20 Fall, 1994
Secure Benefit Program Securing the Future: By Anthony S. White

George Provident died last October, survived by his wife and four children. Some months before his death, George had reviewed his will, as had been his practice every four or five years, to make ...
19 Summer, 1994
Parenting with a Disability: By Hélèna Katz

This article looks at both the joys and challenges of parenting with a disability and individual strategies specific to a parentâ€™s unique disability are discussed. (Helena Katz is a ...
18 Spring, 1994
Abuse & Womenâ€™s Mental Health Recognizing the Long-Term Effects: By Hélèna Katz

This article looks at violence and abuse and how it relates to women with disabilities. (Hélèna Katz is a freelance writer and public relations consultant with Katz Communications in Montreal.) ...
18 Spring, 1994
Little Mountain A Motherâ€™s Story: By Donna Goodwater

I was born here in Vernon, British Columbia. My mom and dad are both from Okanagan in Band One; my grandparents are also from here. When Little Mountain first came home from the hospital, she ...
17 Winter, 1993
Parents As Partners Making Integration Work: By Pat Javor

As the parent of a nine-year-old child with a physical disability who is integrated in grade four, I firmly believe that the parents and the teacher form an important partnership in the childâ€™s ...
17 Winter, 1993
Neo-Nazis & Disability in Germany Never Again?...Once Again!: By Margaret Tuteur

The following contains summaries of selected articles that appeared in German journals in 1992-93. REVIEWED BY MARGARET TUTEUR In 1939 I had a choice: I could leave the country of my birth and ...
16 Fall, 1993
Action for Integration Day Care and After School Care Systems: (The following is excerpted from a summary prepared by the Roeher Institute, based on research undertaken by SpeciaLink and funded by the National Welfare Grants Division and the Disabled Persons ...
16 Fall, 1993
Family Violence & Abuse Independent Living Approach to Prevention: By Debra Tomlinson

People with disabilities experience an increased risk of being abused. Most incidents of abuse remain unreported, and most perpetrators are not charged or convicted. Even when the abuse is disclosed, ...
16 Fall, 1993
Violence Against Women With Disabilities: By Shirley Masuda

DisAbled Women’s Network Canada (DAWN Canada) began work on the issue of violence against women with disabilities in 1988. Our work started with a preliminary study on the needs of women with ...
12 Summer, 1992
Hey, Me Too!: By Carol Taiji

For parents of children with severe mobility restrictions, getting dressed can be a full-blown aerobic workout. Tom Burns and Deborah Cappos of Nelson, B.C. have decided to do something about this – ...
10 Winter, 1992
The Other New Kids On The Block: By Kim Miller

An expectant pause fills the room. The show has ended. The performers have sung the grand finale and taken their bows, yet they do not leave the stage. A tentative hand rises out of the audience of ...
9 Fall, 1991