Seymour students help disabled man get back his freedom | The New Haven Register

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With only scrap lumber and a sketch, 19 carpentry students from Wilcox Technical High School in Meriden constructed a new wheelchair accessible kitchen for Joe Luciano, 74, who lost the use of his left leg and arm following a stroke in 2005.

Prior to his stroke, Luciano said he had no idea about the significant problems disabled people faced, especially at home.

Luciano is part of the “Money Follows the Person” program, a plan administered by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy that looks to transition 5,200 elderly and disabled individuals to independent living housing by 2016.

Luciano made the move from a nursing home to Fallview Apartments on Deforest Street, where his kitchen window overlooks a small waterfall on the Naugatuck River. Plans to construct a gazebo and a wheelchair accessible walking route beside the falls are also in the works, Luciano said.

For more on this story, visit: Seymour students help disabled man get back his freedom- The New Haven Register – Serving New Haven, Connecticut.

A day in the life: crossing the United States by wheelchair | guardian.co.uk

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Paralympian Ryan Chalmers has spent the past 10 weeks pushing his way across the United States in a wheelchair in an attempt to become the first recorded person to complete the challenge.

Chalmers endured early mornings, inclement weather and an errant heckler during his more than 3,500-mile journey across the country. He is set to complete the trek the morning of 15 June in Central Park. Read more about his trip here

For more on this story, visit: A day in the life: crossing the United States by wheelchair | Sport | guardian.co.uk.

Guide dog saves man and woman from swerving vehicle (video) | Yahoo! News

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An alert guide dog saved a California man and woman on Monday from an out-of-control vehicle swerving backward down a public sidewalk at high speed.

Todd Jurek and Danielle Alvarado are both employees of Guide Dogs for the Blind, a company that trains service dogs to assist visually impaired individuals. They were taking a O’Neil, an 18-month-old Labrador retriever, out for a training walk in San Rafael, Calif., on Monday morning when the near-death experience occurred.

The San Jose Mercury News reports that a 93-year-old woman was reportedly trying to parallel park her vehicle when she lost control and began driving the car in reverse, smashing a store window.

For more on this story, visit: Guide dog saves man and woman from swerving vehicle (VIDEO) | The Sideshow – Yahoo! News.

DOJ agreement requires New Haven to provide services to hearing impaired | New Haven Register

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The U.S. Department of Justice and the city have reached a settlement agreement that will ensure the city provides adequate services to individuals who are deaf or have difficulty hearing, according to a Justice Department statement.

The agreement comes after two complaints alleged that the Livable City Initiative and New Haven Police Department failed to provide interpreters for individuals who are deaf or have difficulty hearing, during investigations, arrests or other actions, from 2008 to 2011, the release said. The Livable City Initiative is an agency focused on neighborhood enhancement and improvement through the enforcement of codes and space requirements.

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires local governments and police departments to provide adequate services for persons with disabilities. The ADA also requires adequate training for staff.

For more on this story, visit: DOJ agreement requires New Haven to provide services to hearing impaired- The New Haven Register – Serving New Haven, Connecticut.

The Watermark at 3030 Park in Bridgeport Hosts Parkinson’s Support Group

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On Thursday, June 13, The Watermark at 3030 Park will host its monthly Parkinson’s Support Group meeting. The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. at the retirement community located at 3030 Park Avenue on the Bridgeport-Fairfield town line.

June’s guest speaker will be Michael Hahn, a sales representative from Medtronic. He will discuss Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Therapy and how it can help reduce symptoms for people who suffer from Parkinson’s disease.

DBS Therapy is a surgical procedure recommended by the American Academy of Neuroscience to treat the symptoms of mid-to-late stage Parkinson’s. The innovative technique uses a flexible wire, along with a device similar to a pacemaker to stimulate parts of the brain associated with triggering Parkinson’s symptoms. Hahn will discuss the stage of Parkinson’s in which a patient should appropriately consider DBS surgery, how the procedure is done, and the post-operative system maintenance.

“DBS Therapy is a relatively new technology that many people may not know about,” said Marlane Argianas, Resident Services Coordinator at The Watermark at 3030 Park. “Our goal by bringing in experts such as Michael is to provide our residents and members of the community with the newest information so that they can help people who suffer from Parkinson’s live a more fulfilling and active life.”

Hahn has worked for many years in the health system and medical consulting business. Prior to his tenure with Medtronic, he served as a Health Systems Manager for Allergan’s Neuroscience Division. Hahn has also served on the boards of directors for the Connecticut Allied Health Workers Association and the Connecticut Student Loan Foundation.

This event is free of charge and open to the public. For more information or to RSVP please contact The Watermark at 3030 Park at 203-373-6288.

For more on this story, visit: ConnecticutPlus.com News – The Watermark at 3030 Park Hosts Parkinson’s Support Group.

FEMA refuses Hurricane Sandy aid to elderly US Army veteran — RT USA

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As New York City continues to rebuild and reimburse those residents displaced by Hurricane Sandy at least one man, a US Army veteran, was refused help because of a strict federal law that prevents someone from collecting aid on their property.

Vito Colucci Sr., a Staten Island resident who served in the Korean War, was living with his son’s family in New Jersey when Hurricane Sandy hit at the end of October. Colucci was diagnosed with dementia two years ago and submitted an application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA three days after the storm ravaged his Staten Island home, according to the New York Daily News.

Colucci owns the damaged home, but FEMA rejected his application because Colucci had taken residence with his son.

For more on this story, visit: FEMA refuses Hurricane Sandy aid to elderly US Army veteran — RT USA.

Gov. Malloy hails bill establishing Connecticut Department on Aging

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(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy released the following statement regarding the final legislative passage today of Senate Bill 837, An Act Concerning the Department on Aging. The State Department on Aging (SDA) will ensure that Connecticut’s seniors have access to the supportive services necessary to live with dignity, security, and independence.

“With the senior population expected to grow in Connecticut, it is imperative that we have an office that can coordinate programs, services, and care for these residents,” Governor Malloy said. “Under the leadership of Commissioner Edith Prague, the Department on Aging will better protect our seniors, improve the quality of care provided in nursing homes and residential care, and assist older residents in accessing the programs and services they need.”

The SDA will be responsible for administering a variety of federally-funded programs under the Older American’s Act. All appropriate functions, programs, and duties within the Department of Social Services’ State Unit on Aging and Office of Long Term Care Ombudsman will be transferred to SDA.

Rent help on the way for the disabled | Greenwich Post

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If you’re an elderly or disabled Greenwich resident, rent assistance may be on the way.

Connecticut’s Renter’s Rebate Program is now allowing for eligible Greenwich residents who are 65 or older, or disabled and under age 65, and receiving disability payments, to receive a rent rebate from the state.

State law provides a reimbursement program for Connecticut renters who are elderly or totally disabled, and whose incomes do not exceed certain limits. Persons renting an apartment or room, or living in cooperative housing or a mobile home may be eligible for this program.

For more on this story, visit: Rent help on the way for the disabled | Greenwich Post.

Mission of Mercy To Host Free Dental Clinic In Bridgeport | CT News Junkie

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The Connecticut Mission of Mercy will host its sixth annual free dental service clinic in Bridgeport on June 7 and 8 to serve the state’s uninsured and underserved population.

For the past five years, Connecticut residents in need of dental care have flocked to Mission of Mercy’s free dental clinic where patients wait hours in line for care. Each year the queue of 1,000 patients per day has filled up before the clinic’s doors have opened at 6 a.m.

The clinic’s co-chairman Dr. Ernie Spira said volunteers come from “all walks of life” and include students from educational programs throughout the state as well as AmeriCorps, a federal community service program. This year more than 1,500 volunteers are expected to work at the Bridgeport clinic.

For more on this story, visit: CT News Junkie | Mission of Mercy To Host Free Dental Clinic In Bridgeport.

Revolution, in the shape of a wheelchair | CNN.com

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Sometimes, implementing wide-reaching social change takes surprisingly few materials. With just a handful of bike gears, MIT professor Amos Winter is hoping to change the developing world forever.

Screenshot from the video on the CNN page. Click for more on this story.

Screenshot from the video on the CNN page. Click for more on this story.

Winter is the inventor of the Leveraged Freedom Chair (LFC). It is a low-cost wheelchair powered by two hand levers that function in a similar manner to gears on a bike. The higher you grab it, the more leverage you get when traversing over rough terrain like sand, mud, or unpaved road.

Grab down lower, and the machine can cruise along tarmac at five miles-an-hour. It is one of the most versatile wheelchairs on the market, and for the time being, it is aimed solely for disabled communities in the developing world.

For more on this story, visit: Revolution, in the shape of a wheelchair – CNN.com.