Milestone HCQU West Blog - News, Resources, and Innovative Ideas & Supports

May 20, 2026

Competing in Comfort: Adidas unveils a new shoe made for everyone

Chris Nikic set a Guiness World Record by becoming the first person with Down Syndrome to complete an Ironman in 2020. Throughout his training, Chris continued to struggle with finding a shoe that fit the unique anatomy of his foot. Down Syndrome, the most common genetic condition, can include different physical characteristics like foot issues. The issues can fall into...

General

May 13, 2026

Water Matters: Why Hydration Makes a Big Splash

Summer is just about here with all of its beauty of bright skies and sunshine. However, it also brings high temperatures and humidity! Did You Know… Did you know our bodies are made up of 60% water and we can use up about 2 liters of that water a day! Older adults are more likely to experience dehydration. This is...

Everyday Life/General

May 6, 2026

Password Recycling is Hazardous to Your Security

World Password Day (May 7) might not be a holiday you celebrate with family and friends, but maybe it should be! It’s a great reminder of how critical password hygiene is for protecting your identity and your finances. Strong authentication means not only using complex passwords, but also not reusing those passwords for multiple accounts. Why Reusing Passwords Is Risky...

Community/Technology

April 29, 2026

Shifting Perspectives: A World of Endless Possibilities

Have you seen Pixar’s short film titled “Loop”? It came out on Disney + back in January 2020. In this short film a young lady with autism navigates the world around her. She also teaches her acquaintance that not everything in this world is as it seems. Sometimes if we just slow down and accept someone for who they are,...

Community/General

April 22, 2026

Vaping: Clear the Smoke Screen

Everywhere you look, someone’s vaping. Is it the cool new fad, a safer alternative, or a hidden health risk? Time to uncover what’s really behind the vape cloud. The Stats According to U.S. National Health Interview Survey (2019–2023) Vaping prevalence dropped from 4.5% (2019) to 3.7% (2020) then rose sharply to 6.5% in 2023. In both 2019 and 2023, men...

General

April 15, 2026

Say Hello to Your Personal Guide: MagnusCards

The Challenges of Navigating Life Figuring out the nuances of day to day life, from interacting with others to navigating local stores, can be confusing for many of us. For example, my shopping situation. My local grocery store decided to remodel. Since I’ve lived in the same town for almost 20 years, I have gotten used to what items are...

General

April 8, 2026

From Chaos to Calm: Caregiving with a Side of Tech Magic

Practical Ways Voice Tech Can Simplify Your Daily Care Routine Caregiving isn’t just a job – it’s a full-contact sport. You’re managing medications, appointments, meals, and maybe even answering the age-old question: “What’s for dinner?” It’s a lot. But what if you had a helper who never gets tired, never takes a coffee break, and always listens (well, almost always)?...

General/Technology

April 1, 2026

Laughter: The Good Your Body and Soul Needs

In challenging times it is very easy to not see humor in anything. Certainly the anxiety from seeing people ill or the threat of becoming ill causes increased stress and nervousness. It is so important that we do laugh and keep a sense of humor in difficult times because as it turns out there is scientific evidence for saying: Laughter...

Community/General

March 25, 2026

Love, Home, and Other Four Legged Lessons

I have a child who has had an intense interest in animals for as long as I can remember. We have two dogs, two cats, two leopard geckos, one bunny, one hamster, and we also lease a horse. It is nothing to see a bunny hopping across the floor or the dogs chasing the cats to the basement. If you...

General

March 18, 2026

Make that Dinner Bell Ring with Accessible Chef

Why is cooking important? We know that as providers and caregivers our goal is to give people with disabilities an everyday life. But what is an everyday life? “An everyday life is about opportunities, relationships, rights, and responsibilities. It is about being a member of the community, having a valued role, making a contribution to society, and having one’s rights...

Everyday Life/General