By Kim Lathrop, Administrative Assistant, CFILC Those who know me know I am not too adventurous when it comes to the great outdoors. Of course, being born without any arms or legs, it goes without saying that being “adventurous” comes with some extra challenges. Now, don’t get me wrong. I enjoy swimming in our local…
The Amputee Coalition, along with many others in the prosthetic limb communities, are asking for help in raising awareness of a recent Medicare policy proposal released on July 16 that has the potential to drastically change prosthetic care for individuals with amputations. Keep in mind that even if you’re not currently a Medicare patient, private…
What are you doing on Wednesday, May 20th? Join us in Sacramento for the 12th annual Disability Capitol Action Day (DCAD)! DCAD is one of the nation’s largest and most diverse cross-disability annual days of unity. Recognizing the important issues facing people with disabilities and their allies and in honor of the 25th anniversary of…
by Alette Coble-Temple, PsyD As Ms. Wheelchair California 2015, I am honored that I have been asked to blog for Ability Tools. As a woman with cerebral palsy, interdependence is a foundational aspect of my life. I achieve interdependence by using assistive technology, devices, and personal assistants. While I consider myself successful in navigating life…
This post was reprinted with permission from disABILITY WORK TOOLS Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Tax Incentives can help offset the cost of accommodating a worker’s disability. With assistive technology and accommodations workers can keep doing their jobs instead of quitting their trade and applying for social security disability payments. Workers and employers often do…
by Emily Flynn, Program Coordinator I have recently started working for Ability Tools as the Program Coordinator for their Information and Referral line. I receive many questions every day and, most of the time, I am able to assist the individual with little to no problems by answering their questions and/ or giving them referrals…
Happy Cesar Chavez Day! Did you know that March 24th – 31st is Farmworker Awareness Week? CalAgrAbility and Ability Tools are celebrating – along with others in the state of California and across the country – the important jobs of farmworkers by sharing stories about their lives and livelihoods. The California AgrAbility Program (CalAgrAbility) is…
By Kim Cantrell, CFILC’s Program Director When Medi-Cal pays for durable medical equipment (DME), like a wheelchair or a scooter, the recipient actually gets the device from a DME vendor. Vendors are independent businesses that contract with the state of California to provide DME to Medi-Cal recipients. Sounds simple, right? It gets complicated when we…
Information compiled by: Rachel Anderson, Marketing & Communications Manager for Ability Tools Last Spring, the staff of Ability Tools had the chance to test drive this new personal mobility device – the WHILL – and listen to the founder explain why and how they invented this new design for a wheelchair. Check out our first…
Halloween is fun time for kids of all ages, but it is also an important time to think about making sure everyone is included, no matter what their disability might be… i.e. true inclusion. Inclusion is an important part of building a better community together by ensuring that everyone can participate fully and have a…