Do YOU still play with blocks?

By Connie Horn Activity’s purpose is not to kill time, but to keep time alive, not to keep a person occupied, but to keep him refreshed, not to offer an escape from life, but to provide discovery of life.   -Unknown author

Everyone Has Barriers to Learning – So What Do You Do?

By Ellen Hierl Recently, the Bethesda Institute presented its first webinar, Teacher Growth Series: Who Are The Learners? Part 1. This webinar focused on assisting teachers in serving people with intellectual disabilities. For this first session, we addressed several common barriers to learning and how to teach when these barriers are present. As I prepared [...]

Equal Access for People with Disabilities

By Connie Horn Accessibility is a very important part of inclusion of people with disabilities. An accessible barrier free environment is the first step toward fulfilling the right of people with disabilities to participate in all areas of community life. Accessibility is a broad term covering all aspects of assuring that people with disabilities can [...]

A Few Basic Things

 By David Morstad Last week in Pittsburgh, Lutheran Services in America held their annual conference.  On Tuesday afternoon, the Disability Network of that group sponsored an open forum titled “Long Term Supports and Services,” featuring Dr. Charlie Lakin, director of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.

Listen, or Walk Away?

By Connie Horn As I was getting ready for work this morning I was listening as my grandson was trying to ask my daughter something. My daughter did not understand what he was trying to say. He kept saying it over and over again, with more frustration in his voice each time. In the end, [...]

Realities of Dementia

By Connie Horn It is incredibly difficult to watch someone age, especially when they begin to have health issues.  I think one of the worst issues to have to deal with is when someone has dementia. I can say this with complete certainty, because my mom had dementia. Dementia is such a gradual disease, which, [...]

Beyond Social Capital – Civic Wellness and Personal Sustainability

By Albert Van Kleeck CEO, Van Kleeck and Associates, LLC During the past several years I have dedicated a considerable amount of time to thinking about and developing different approaches to how we think about our lives and the lives of those we impact and support. I’ve thought about how moving through life one day [...]

Equal But Different?

By Ellen Hierl It is great to get a discount, just ask any senior who gets their meal at a discount or the AAA member who benefits with reduced admission when on vacation. We like to find bargains when we are shopping and often brag about the deal we got. In some instances, the people [...]

Look For The Meaning

By Connie Horn I remember the day my daughter came home from school and announced she was “going out” with Brian. The conversation we had afterwards went something like this: “Going out? Where are you going?” “Nowhere.” “I thought you just said you were going out with Brian?” “I am.” “So where are you going?” [...]

Restraining Human Rights

By Connie Horn Restraint and seclusion practices are happening in homes where people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live, and also in our schools. Advocates and their families are starting to speak up and demanding restraint and seclusion practices come to an end.