top picture of an elderly black gentlemen with headphones on and an expressive expression and the bottom a latina older woman with the same look

Music & Memory

by Samantha Garcia, Office & Logistics Coordinator Henry lives in a nursing home. He has dementia, rarely speaks and rarely moves. But when he is given headphones attached to an iPod with music specific to his age and known memories, he is moved – to dance, to sing, to speak about what it has given…

Posterized style acrylic painting titled - Unsung Hero

The New Aged Veteran

by Jose Guerrero, CFILC Creative Designer & Web Developer Re-integrating into civilian society is not an easy task for any veteran, let alone a veteran with a disability. Fortunately through programs, benefits, and support groups, this veteran managed a moderately successful transition. One might ask – why only moderately?  Well, for as many programs as…

Olivia using her light box wearing pink glasses and looking at different colors and shpaes of blocks on the box

Blurry Beginnings

by Christina Mills, Deputy Director of CFILC I’ve been around a number of people with all sorts of different disabilities. When I served on the State Independent Living Council,  I had a colleague, Loretta Moore, who was blind. Loretta became a dear friend of mine.  Loretta and I both lived in San Diego and since…

picture of a large handled spoon

Liftware for Hand Tremors

by Nubyaan Scott, Program Coordinator for Ability Tools Tremors are involuntary movements that can make it harder to perform daily tasks. The most common of all involuntary movements, tremors can affect the hands, arms, head, face, voice, trunk, and legs. However, most tremors occur in the hands. While some people take medication in order to…