In Gear

April 2006

Hush, Hush, Sweet Advocacy

I woke up one Sunday morning and, while getting ready for church, I wondered what would be in store for today. I had a feeling something good would happen.

I hoped there would be a miracle!

As I arrive at church, I noticed there were only a few accessible (handicapped) spaces in the church parking lot. I turned to my wife, Michelle, expressing to her that the church should have more spaces for people with disabilities to park. Didn’t they know this sends a message of not being sensitive to us?

My wife looked at me and said in a calm voice: “Michael, could it possibility be that they are not aware of this situation? Why don’t you talk to the Pastor?”

As I calmed myself down, I thought about what she said. If people are not aware, how can I expect them to understand the problem when the issue has not been brought to their attention?

I could not wait until church was over to talk to the Pastor, Dr. LaFayette Scales.

As I waited in line after the service, I was preparing what and how to say what was on my mind. Would I be calm, or would I be angry? I had to remember that saying “you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”

Finally, the moment of truth was about to happen - I was next in line. Sweat was forming on my face, my knees were knocking, and my mouth was as dry as the Sahara Desert. I had no idea how this was going to turn out.

The Pastor smiled at me, shook my hand, and said: “How are you today, Brother Michael?”

When he did that, it put me at ease. I humbly pointed out that more accessible parking spaces would make more people with disabilities feel welcomed and comfortable to worship.

The Pastor smiled and thanked me for bringing this matter to his attention. He said he would take immediate action. Now, I’m thinking it’s going to take a long time to move on this situation.

The next Sunday, low and behold, hallelujah, a miracle had happened! There was more than twice the number of parking spaces for people with disabilities. I thanked the Pastor for his prompt response.

He then thanked me for bringing this matter to his attention.

It didn’t take quoting the Americans with Disabilities Act or staging a protest outside the church. Sometimes it just takes asking people to be more sensitive to your needs and making them aware of the issues that concern you.

That, my friends, is advocacy working at its best. When both persons are listening and sharing concerns with respect for one another, much can be accomplished.

Thanks again, Pastor Scales!

Postscript: Cars driven by people with disabilities have filled all the accessible spaces every Sunday since the additional parking places were added.

Legal Aid to the Rescue

Jim and Valerie are married and live in a subsidized housing complex. Both have physical problems. Valerie is also developmentally disabled. The household’s sole source of income is Valerie’s SSI. The pair went to the Legal Aid Society of Columbus because the complex filed an eviction based on a complaint from their neighbor. Valerie’s caseworker from the Franklin County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disability brought the couple to Legal Aid, knowing they could receive help.

After the eviction was filed, Legal Aid attorney Molly Hennessey deposed the property manager and a police officer who did private security work at the complex. It became apparent that Jim and Valerie and the neighbor had been having minor disputes for several months. The property manager simply grew tired of dealing with the matter and decided that one of the households had to go. Jim and Valerie lost the coin toss.

As a result of the depositions, the complex’s attorney voluntarily dismissed the case. Without representation, this vulnerable couple would have been evicted even though there was no material violation of the lease, as required in subsidized housing. If they were evicted from subsidized housing, it would be quite some time before they could re-enter the subsidized housing market.

Reprinted from the Legal Aid Society’s Legal Eagle Gazette with permission.

OSU to Offer Graduate Program in Disability Studies

The Ohio State University (OSU) announced that an interdisciplinary graduate program in disability studies received final approval and classes will start this summer.

This is the first truly inter-disciplinary program on disabilities in the country, according to Associate Professor Brenda Brueggemann, Ph.D.

The graduate program will provide core experiences in and out of the classroom to bring coherence to the broad and flexible curriculum.

Visiting scholars and community leaders will hold student workshops and public lectures to explore the perceptions that surround the concept of “disability” and the actual experience of living with a disability in the contemporary world.

OSU currently offers an undergraduate minor in disability studies and American Sign Language programs.

Are You Prepared for Emergencies?

Part 2

The previous article of this series reviewed different types of kits to consider for keeping track of medications, important documents, and basic needs. This article will further explore basic needs such as food, water, etc.

If the electricity is off and you know it will be off for several days, use perishable food from the refrigerator first. Then use the food from the freezer. To keep food cold longer in the freezer make a list of contents and tape it to the door. If the freezer is well stocked and well insulated food should be safe to eat for at least three days. Only after perishable foods and frozen foods are gone should you begin to use non-perishable foods.

In cases where there has been a disaster and foods are running low there are edible leaves, plants and flowers that may be around your neighborhood that you can consider in an emergency. According to the website http://whatscookingamerica.net/EdibleFlowers/EdibleFlowersMain.htm. Chrysanthemums, English Marigolds, Roses, wild garlic, red clover, honeysuckle flowers, dandelion leaves, Columbine and Daylilies are all edible and can be used with other greens to make salads. Also, the Rose of Sharon shrub’s young leaves may be eaten raw or cooked and has a nutty flavor. The seeds of sunflowers are actually considered a health food and mushrooms grow wild - just make sure you know the difference between a mushroom and a toadstool, which are poisonous.

There are other plants and tubers that may be found growing wild, such as wild onions, rhubarb (don’t eat the leaves as they are poison), wild garlic, and rutabagas (similar to potatoes). Also, don’t forget nuts, fruits and berries. A good rule of thumb is if a bird or other animal eats it, people can eat it, too. If in doubt, don’t eat it.

When water supplies become a problem, use regular Clorox Bleach to purify drinking water. According to the web page www.thefarm.org/charities/j4at/surv/bleach.htm you will need several containers, some sanitized, regular Clorox Bleach and an eye dropper. First let water stand until particles settle to the bottom of the container, then pour the clear water into an uncontaminated container and add 2 drops of regular Clorox Bleach per quart of water, 8 drops per gallon of water, ½ teaspoon to 5 gallons of water.

Mix bleach and water well, wait 30 minutes; water should have a slight bleach odor. If it does not smell of bleach repeat the dosage. Wait another 15 minutes, smell it again. Don’t pour purified water into contaminated containers, sanitize water jugs first. If hot water is in short supply, you can also use bleach to sanitize dishes.

Sources of water outside the home are rainwater, streams, rivers and other moving bodies of water, ponds and lakes, natural springs. Avoid water with floating materials, bad odors, or a dark color. You should not drink flood water. Rainwater is usually the best and is easily caught in pots and buckets under down spouting.

Water can be heated on grills, or if you are careful you can build a small camp fire outside - do not start fires in the house, except in fire places that have been used in the past - stopped up ventilation could result in asphyxiation. Save drinking water and find an outside source for water to heat for washing and sanitation. Clear, untreated water can be used to fill toilet tanks.

If building a fire outside, start with a ring of rock to help contain it, and never leave the fire unattended. Use paper and twigs to start a fire, under larger limbs or pieces of wood. Keep water on hand in case an ember would start surrounding grass fire. When done, put the fire out with dirt or water.

Better Safe than Sorry

Officer John Marshall recently visited MOBILE to educate staff and consumers on personal safety and protection issues. Officer Marshall is a 17-year veteran with the Columbus Division of Police and presently assigned to the Strategic Response Unit - Community Liaison Section. Marshall advises everyone can protect themselves from being an easy target for theft or other victimization by following these simple crime prevention tips:

• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Carry only the identification you will need on a particular outing. Never carry all of your identification with you unless absolutely necessary.
• Remember to limit the amount of money your carry or carry only one credit card.
• Keep family or friends informed of your plans, especially if you are going out at night.
• Take a friend. There is truth in the axiom “there is safety in numbers.” Travel with others when possible.
• Avoid shopping at night.
• When using an ATM machine, be aware of other individuals there. If you feel someone is acting suspicious, wait in the safety of your car until you feel safe or go to another ATM.
• Do not give to panhandlers. “Your money is only going toward beer, wine, cigarettes, crack or marijuana,” says Marshall.
• Carry a cell phone and consider having 911 and an emergency contact programmed into your speed dial feature.
• When traveling, avoid using side routes or low-traffic areas. Stay in well-lit areas where possible.
• Remember, your home really is your castle. “One of the biggest things, particularly with senior citizens, is that they think they have to answer the door. It’s your home, it’s your apartment and you don’t have to answer the door,” said Marshall.
• If someone says they have been sent to your home to provide repairs, ask them to show proper identification. If you are still in doubt, call the business they supposedly work for and verify the work order. If you did not call for repairs, ask for the name of the person who did and verify this information, as well. Remember to visually review any identification through the safety of your door’s eyehole before opening the door.

Should the worst case scenario happen and you find yourself a victim of crime, following the advice below will increase the odds for your physical safety and chances for police to capture your attacker.

Marshall’s #1 rule, “be aware of your surroundings,” includes being able to provide a suspect description if victimization occurs. “One of the hardest things for people to do is really inform us about suspects,” Marshall laments. Take mental notes of the perpetrator’s race, sex, height, and a clothing description. If possible, note complexion or any unique identifying marks such as scars or tattoos. “The better details you can give us, the better off we are to get a suspect,” he said.

Comply with any demands for possessions, money, or other material goods. Nothing is worth your life. NEVER go anywhere with the perpetrator. Think fast, or better yet, preplan for this eventuality by having ready-made excuses to avoid compliance here: “I have to use the restroom” or “my friend will be right back,” or any other excuse. Those who use wheelchairs should hold on to them. The extra weight and bulk make it hard for the criminal to take you.

What Is Your Mental Health IQ?

Take this short true/false quiz and have some fun challenging your knowledge of mental health topics.

The answers may surprise you!

1 Regular exercise can greatly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders. True or False

2 Treatment success rates for disorders such as depression surpass those for other medical
conditions like heart disease. True or False

3 People who have schizophrenia don’t usually recover from the disorder. True or False

4 Work-related stress can double a person’s risk of dying from heart disease. True or False

5 The number of hours a person works causes more stress at work than the office environment. True or False

6 Workplace stress causes about 1 million U.S. employees to miss work each day. True or False

7 Depression is a normal part of aging. True or False

8 People who have mental disorders are more dangerous than people in the general population. True or False

9 About every two hours, a young person kills himself or herself. True or False

10 One in five Americans experiences a mental health disorder in any given year, but only one-third seek care due to the stigma and misperceptions surrounding mental disorders and their treatment. True or False

Answers

1. True! In fact, a recent study showed that about 60 percent of people with such disorders significantly reduced their symptoms with regular exercise.

2. True! In fact, the treatment success rate for depression is more than 80 percent, whereas the rate for heart disease is 45-50 percent.

3. This common myth is actually false. Up to two-thirds of people who are diagnosed with schizophrenia recover significantly.

4. This sad fact is true.

5. This is false. A recent study shows that job environment has a far greater impact on stress at the office than the number if hours workers put in. A positive work environment can go a long way to relive stress and increase productivity.

6. True.

7. False. Depression is not a normal part of the aging process that we need to “grin and bear.” Older people who have symptoms of depression should address the issue with their physician.

8. False! This common distortion gets perpetuated by the rare incidents that make the headlines. Statistics show, however, that people who have mental disorders are no more likely to be dangerous than people without such disorders.

9. Sadly, this is true. Three million teenagers have either considered or attempted suicide in the past year, but only one-fifth of kids who need mental health services actually receive help.

10. This is true. Unfortunately, people often let shame or a belief that they can “handle it on their own” keep him or her from getting care. The truth is, mental illnesses are real, common and treatable. No one should let stigma stand in the way of getting care that can lead to a happier, healthier, more productive life.

For information on mental health disorders, visit the Mental Health Association of Franklin County website at www.mhafc.org or call 614-221-1441.

Reprinted from the Advocate with permission.

Peer Corner

Spring Fever

Recently I began locating my fishing gear and proceeding to Wal-Mart to get my fishing license. Looking at the calendar I became excited to see that the first day of spring would soon be here. I had things on my mind: the tomato garden, the smell of fresh cut grass, and freshly caught fish. The first day of spring and all would be a go. Then the second day of spring and it snowed. This could get a person discouraged. Not this year. Spring was still here and light was at the end of the tunnel. I called my fishing buddy who also happens to be one of my peers. We talked about so many things that I forgot all about the weather on the first days of spring.

This brings me to a great point. Peer Support! With this in mind I would like to announce a peer program now forming, for people who have gotten out, or are currently waiting to get out of a nursing home. We would like to form a network of people to work with each other that have experience with the process of gaining independence from life inside of a nursing home.

If you know someone expressing interest in getting out we could help “spring” them! Call us at the Center to get involved.

Direct Deposit: Safe, Easy

If you receive your Social Security, SSDI or other Federal benefit by check, you should consider using direct deposit. It’s safer, easier, and gives you more control over your money.

MOBILE is partnering with Go Direct, a national campaign sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Bank, to encourage people who receive Federal payments by check to switch to direct deposit.

With direct deposit, your payment goes straight into your checking or savings account, so your money is there on your payment day - on time, every time. Direct deposit also protects you from fraud, lost checks, and identity theft. In fact, no direct deposit payment has ever been lost or stolen.

Direct deposit also saves taxpayers millions of dollars. If every current Federal benefit check recipient switched to direct deposit, it would save taxpayers about $120 million a year. Almost all money saved remains in the Social Security Trust Fund - a benefit to all Americans for years to come.

MOBILE is pleased to support this important initiative to help ensure people’s finances are safe and secure - and accessible, said Beverly J. Rackett, Executive Director.

For more information about Go Direct, visit the website at www.godirect.org (English) or www.directoasucuenta.org (Spanish) - or call 800-333-1795 (English) or 800-333-1972 (Spanish).

Parking Correction and Clarification

The minimum width of an accessible (handicapped) parking space is 96 inches with an adjacent access aisle with a minimum width of 60 inches. The minimum width of a van accessible parking space is 96 inches with an adjacent access aisle with a minimum width of 96 inches.