In my former life I was a director at a large non-profit organization that served individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities. I arrived one Wednesday morning to find a voice mail from one of my program supervisors informing me that “Mrs. Harris was going...
How many times have we been out in the community and someone walks up to our friend with down syndrome and speaks to them in an extremely slow and loud manner? How many of us have observed someone in the community congratulating someone with a disability on doing...
Living a quality life depends on autonomy and independence, which contribute to happiness and self-worth. For many with intellectual or developmental disabilities, these aspects are often restricted by their disabilities or others' perceptions of their care needs....
I have always found that modeling is extremely important as a teaching tool when working with our friends with intellectual or developmental disabilities. As a former male model and now a plus sized model, I have some experience in the concept of modeling; however,...
Too often, one’s disability often leads the nondisabled community to view disabled individuals as different. This categorization focuses on the individual’s disability rather than other qualities, equating the person with their disability and ignoring the many...
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities often live in a world that has limited understanding of their differences. This misinformation or lack of understanding can create a sense of stigma that can limit social inclusion and increase disparities with...
Although challenging for many in this country, accessing health care should be a basic human right, yet for individuals with developmental disabilities, it often feels like navigating a labyrinth. Despite advancements in medicine and policies advocating inclusivity,...
When we talked about assistive technologies in the past, we often referred to items such as adaptive utensils to assist with eating or mobility devices custom designed to the needs of the individual. Although these are all important to the lives of individuals with...
Staff were perplexed by Michael’s reaction every time he sat down in the lunchroom. Once his friends sat down across from him, he would begin to rock and often cry. Initially, staff would sit with him and try to calm him or sometimes tell him that he needed to behave...