Catherine,
Thank you for your kind words regarding my article. Really appreciate it.
Personally speaking, I totally agree with your comments about the conference. I've been to three or four and have thought that every time. However, I understand that the conference is for people with all abilities, so there has to be a wide range of activities. I'd imagine it's a difficult thing to plan.
That's an interesting take on it. Personally, i wasn't too keen on the theme; I always consider attending conferences as professional opportunities (meaning dress, act, etc... professional) , but that's just me. I realize there's a wide range of people who have different abilities attending the conference, so there has to be things for everybody.
As I said, I thought the sessions on ABLE accounts was pretty good. There were no handouts, though. It would have been nice to have something listing the resources that the presenter recommended. Most people were taking notes though.
What do others think?
I thought the conference was excellent this year. I really enjoined seeing friends and networking with people. Because I worked a booth, i only attended one session, but I thought it was very informative. It was the one about ABLE accounts, and, although the presenter didn't have answers for many of the questions people had, she was able to direct them where to get the answers. I know my family and I plan to look into ABLE accounts more.
One suggestion or thought I had was maybe next year there could be a session on the caregiver shortage. I know many people, including myself, are trying to figure out what we, as clients, can do to help solve this problem. i know nobody has the exact answer, but maybe there could be a session where people could brainstorm ideas. Just a suggestion.
I'm interested to hear what thoughts and ideas other people have!
For me, self-direction was never really a second thought. From early on, my parents always gave me choices. Everything from choosing what I was going to wear everyday to choosing to take a big leap and go to UW-Whitewater, I have always self-directed my life. After college, when I learned about the care/support options that were available, there wasn't really much consideration about what was best for me. I wanted to have control over as much of my life as possible. It's so important to me to have choice of service providers and how funds are spent. Obviously, now that i'm organizing all of my cares myself, self-direction has been taken to a whole new level. I can truly say I feel I'm independent as I possibly can be!
For those just starting to use self-direction, I would say don't be afraid to ask questions. Self-directing doesn't necessarily mean you have to handle everything by yourself. Take advantage of the resources available. I believe everyone can self-direct!
I am anxious to see what others say..
For me, personally, finding employment in the community was a struggle which is why I became self-employed. My team (DVR, Customized Employment Services, Vocational Futures Planning, etc...) and I tried at great lengths to find employment in the community, but, in the end, it just wasn't feasible in my situation. There were too many factors (cares, transportation, equipment, etc...) to deal with. Even with being self-employed, though, self-direction was key to getting to where I am.
I'm interested to hear stories from others.
For me, I've really moved into my own place once and that's where I currently live.. I lived in the dorms and at my parents before moving here. I live in subsidized housing complex specifically meant for people with disabilities. For now it's the best option for me. I'm on the waiting list for accessible subsidized housing in Madison, but it's like a three year wait. I wish there were more options for people with disabilities. I'm interested to hear what resources or thoughts others might have.
I totally agree, Mary. I've been following the evolution of self-driving vehicles for myself. I too wish I had a connection to Google. In my situation, unfortunately I think it'll be many years before we see a wheelchair accessible self-driving vehicle, but I know down the road it will be a reality!
Thanks so much for sharing, Kurt! This is great info.. Could you put this on a blog (news) on your page so we can make sure everyone sees it?
I'll start it again. As I've discussed in a past journal entry, transportation is indeed one of my biggest barriers. Honestly, normally, I get out of that my apartment one afternoon per week. I grocery shop on Thursday afternoons. I schedule staff and an accessible cab.. It's a standing appointment so I don't have to have somebody call every week. The cab fares are reasonable as long as you go during "normal" hours. However, if I wanted to go anywhere "after" hours or outside city limits, the rates skyrocket. Scheduling staff and other logistics also factor into transportation for me. I'd love to get out and about more, but currently that just isn't possible. I'm wondering how others do it.
