Category: General

October 20, 2023

Hi, I’m here about the job…

Having a job is a basic human right. Aside from the ability to earn a paycheck, being employed keeps us busy, challenges us, and adds value and structure to our lives. It gives us a sense of pride, purpose, and personal achievement. In the United States, if you’re willing and able, society expects you to work and earn a living...

Categories Community/Employment/Everyday Life/General

October 18, 2023

Consider Long Covid in the Workforce

This flyer from the Department of Labor highlights what employers may need to do to support employees who have been diagnosed with Long Covid related to their specific symptoms. Click to access Working_with Long COVID.pdf Medical Concerns of Long Covid include: In a person with an intellectual disability or Autism these medical concerns may appear different or like a “behavior”.  They...

Categories Community/General/Resources

October 11, 2023

Wait Till You Taste Maddie’s Ausome Cre8ions. Dreams really can be delicious.

Meet Maddie, the owner of Maddie’s Ausome Cre8ions. Maddie has always loved art and baking. She was accepted into Edinboro for Art Animation but sadly it was 2020 and Covid stopped that. Doing half of her senior year in quarantine like everyone else, she slipped backwards in socializing. Edinboro would require she stay on campus. That was not doable for...

Categories General

October 4, 2023

What’s the Connection?

Do you have any guesses what might be the number one medical diagnosis for people with intellectual disabilities in our region?  If you guessed constipation, you are correct!  The people we support are more frequently diagnosed with constipation than anything else.  Take a moment to think about how many people you work with are on ducolax, miralax, or any other...

Categories General

September 20, 2023

Words Hit Like A Fist

In the past year, our HCQU team has been working with a young person with an intellectual disability that has experienced physical, verbal, and emotional abuse.  All of it has been documented and all of the right people have been informed to get this person help.  I just celebrated my twenty first year at the HCQU and twenty seventh year...

Categories General/Resources

September 13, 2023

A Tip Of The Hat

This week we celebrate Direct Support Professionals week.  I have seen many organizations proudly share their support for DSP’s.  We at the Milestone HCQU West also are thankful and grateful that DSP’s choose to continue on in this profession. I have worked Direct Care, but not in the last several decades, and I started to think about how different today’s...

Categories Community/General

September 6, 2023

How to Travel Successfully with Accessibility

Gabrielle deFiebre boarded a Delta Airlines flight to enjoy a fun girl’s weekend. Gabrielle has traverse myelitis and uses a wheelchair for mobility. Her wheelchair is measured for her body and to meet her specific needs, it is not easily replaced. Upon boarding, she gave the flight crew instructions on how to properly handle her wheelchair for it to be...

Categories General

August 30, 2023

It’s Buddy Walk Season!

The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) Buddy Walk in New York City is the flagship walk for the National Buddy Walk Program.  This event raises awareness and funds for programs that benefit people with Down Syndrome and their families. The Buddy Walk is the cornerstone of NDSS awareness and advocacy effort’s and it directly supports federal and state efforts to...

Categories Community/General/Resources

August 23, 2023

When the Chalk Dust Settles, Dreams Can Become Reality

Erika Lalita found herself in a surreal place, while grieving the loss of her mother 7 years ago and a marriage that fell apart about four years after that. She was experiencing life as an adult on her own for the first time, with her son Phin, who is now twelve. The journey from that painful place has been a...

Categories General

August 16, 2023

What’s in it for me to be hydrated?

Staying hydrated is gravely important to our body. Around 60% of the human body is made of water.  We lose fluid constantly through skin (perspiring), urine, and stool. We even lose through respiration. Bodies that lack hydration are at an increased risk for many illnesses. Getting less than the required fluid intake can also increase the risk of kidney stones, urinary...

Categories General