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Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:27:23 +0100

Blinded Veterans Find Strength Through Wounded Warrior Program
(NewsUSA) - A lethal roadside bomb wounded Master Sergeant Jeffrey Mittman on July 7, 2005, in Baghdad, Iraq. Though within 30 minutes of the attack Mittman was airlifted to a hospital in Baghdad, he sustained permanent bodily damage. When he awoke one month later at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., he was blinded in his left eye, his right arm was badly damaged, and he had lost his nose, lips, and most of his teeth. After the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001, tales like Mittman's have become increasingly more common. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq created more injuries resulting in blindness than any conflict since the Civil War. Advanced medical technologies have enabled more service personnel to survive serious injuries, which in prior wars would have resulted in fatalities. Back at home, Mittman faced many roadblocks to rehabilitation. Today, as it was back then, 70 percent of working-age people who are blind cannot find jobs. Mittman chose to become involved in a training program with National Industries for the Blind (NIB) through the Warrior in Transition Program; in this role he supports a critical mission of employment for people with disabilities. He recently received the prestigious "Oz Day" award, presented to a federal employee or member of the military who demonstrates exceptional service in promoting employment opportunities for people who are blind or severely disabled. "I decided long ago -- I can either own [my experiences] and learn from these experiences or I can let them own me. I chose the former," said Mittman. "I am humbled and proud to receive this honor, and I am eager to continue to be an example to our wounded warriors and other individuals with disabilities, showing them what is possible." Through the Wounded Warrior Program at NIB, wounded veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts can become informed about training, job placement and career opportunities within NIB and 90 associated nonprofit agencies across the country. NIB's mission is to enhance the opportunities for economic and personal independence of persons who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining, and improving employment. For more information about the Wounded Warrior Program, visit www.nib.org.
Fri, 27 May 2011 00:00:00 EST

"Sandwiched" Caring for Kids and Parents? Here's Help!
(NewsUSA) - On one hand, you have aging parents less able to care for themselves every day. On the other, your own children with schedules so difficult you can't find a spare minute. And you're caught in between. You're not alone. You're part of the over 20 million Americans "sandwiched" in between generations, caring for both your own children and your parents. As a "sandwiched" caregiver, you often bear the brunt of the financial and emotional strain that occurs when the needs of your aging parents must be balanced with those of your children. If you are faced with this situation, an abundance of resources are available to help when you can't always be there: * Eldercare Services: The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging's mission is to help older persons, and those with disabilities, live with dignity and choices in their own homes and communities as long as possible. A variety of tools may be found at www.n4a.org. * Mom's Meals: Mom's Meals brings convenience and good nutrition to independent seniors by preparing, packaging and shipping fresh-made, ready-to-eat meals directly to a customer's door. Whether still in their own home, homebound after a health crisis, or even in an assisted living facility, these meals are created by chefs and dietitians to meet the nutritional needs of seniors, and include options for low-sodium, low-fat or low-carb diets. Visit www.momsmeals.com or call 866-971-6667. * National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers: Having difficulty assessing your parents' medical needs and finances? Check out www.caremanager.org. It will help you identify local programs and services to meet those needs. * National Association for Home Care & Hospice. If your parents have become unable to fully care for themselves, yet they would prefer to remain independent, home health care may be the answer. The site www.nahc.org helps navigate the options.
Thu, 7 Apr 2011 00:00:00 EST

Child Homelessness: A Growing Problem
(NewsUSA) - Homelessness can happen to anyone -- including families and children. According to the National Center on Family Homelessness, one out of every 50 American children experiences homelessness each year. That's 1.5 million children. The majority -- about 75 percent -- are elementary-school-aged. Forty-two percent are younger than six. To help the homeless children out there, The Company Store (www.thecompanystore.com), a catalog and online retailer of various bedding and home furnishings, launched its Buy One, Give One Comforter Donation Program. The program will benefit homeless children across the country. For every comforter purchased from its website or catalog, The Company Store will donate one comforter to a homeless child. The comforter will be one of the few things a child can call their own -- he or she will be able to take it with them when they transition from temporary to permanent housing. "There are a significant number of homeless children in this country who do not have a home to call their own," says Dennis Warner, chief marketing officer of The Company Store. "The Company Store is committed to bringing some comfort to these children in need." Homeless children get sick, go hungry, repeat grades and develop learning disabilities more often than children with homes. Numerous charitable organizations work to provide relief and shelter to homeless families, but it's difficult to give homeless children a sense of stability. "We hope that the donated comforters will raise the spirits of thousands of children and their families as they work to rebuild their lives," says Dennis Warner, CMO of The Company Store.
Tue, 1 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EST

Vision Specialists Eye Special Olympics Athletes
(NewsUSA) - The Special Olympics have become a life-changing organization. Originally started as a summer camp, the Special Olympics have grown to serve 3.2 million intellectually and physically disabled athletes worldwide. The organization sponsors 90 games a day, every day, around the world. But despite the many successes observed by the Special Olympics each day, there still remains a glaring need -- many people with intellectual and physical disabilities do not receive adequate eye care. According to research, 68 percent of Special Olympics athletes have not had an eye exam in three years. Thirty-seven percent need, but do not have, eyeglasses, while 18 percent wear eyeglasses with the wrong prescription. To combat this problem, The Special Olympics-Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes program, an initiative funded by Lions Clubs International Foundation, holds vision screenings at Special Olympic sporting events worldwide. Opening Eyes volunteers diagnose vision problems and distribute protective and prescription eyewear, all for free. Special Olympics athletes who get a vision screening receive a certificate detailing any problems that hometown providers might have to address, as well as lessons in eye care and safety. Today, Opening Eyes has screened over 150,800 athletes and provided prescription eyewear to over 44,000. The Opening Eyes program also provides another needed service -- teaching its volunteer vision specialists, including students and professors, to take better care of patients with intellectual and physical disabilities. Funded by $10 million from Lions Clubs International Foundation, this partnership program has been guided into its eighth year with the help of Lions Clubs members, Special Olympics staff and many other volunteers and staff. For more information, visit www.lionsclubs.org and www.specialolympics.org.
Tue, 1 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

Stroke Is a Medical Emergency -- Every Minute Counts
(NewsUSA) - Each year 780,000 Americans suffer a stroke. It is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of long-term disability in the United States. Yet many Americans do not know the symptoms or what to do when they witness someone having a stroke. The following information is provided to you by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). "Stroke is an unmistakable event. Few other medical conditions come on so suddenly or are so noticeable to a bystander," said Walter J. Koroshetz, M.D., deputy director, NINDS. "For this reason, it is critical that people know to call 9-1-1 and get to the hospital to receive appropriate medical treatment immediately when a stroke occurs. Prompt treatment can dramatically decrease or even prevent long-term disabilities caused by a stroke." A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted or if bleeding occurs in or around the brain. Brain cells die when deprived of oxygen and nutrients provided by blood. Because stroke injures the brain, if you are having a stroke, you may not realize what is happening. But, to a bystander, the signs of a stroke are distinct: * Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg (especially on one side of the body) * Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech * Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes * Sudden trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance or coordination * Sudden severe headache with no known cause In treating a stroke, every minute counts. Treatments are available that greatly reduce the damage caused by a stroke. But you need to arrive at the hospital within 60 minutes after symptoms start in order to receive some treatments. Knowing the symptoms of a stroke, making note of the time of the first stroke symptoms and getting to the hospital quickly can help you act in time to save yourself -- or someone you know -- from serious long-term disability. Making changes in your lifestyle can help prevent stroke. The NINDS, part of the National Institutes of Health, is dedicated to research and education on the causes and treatments and prevention of stroke. Risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, heart disease, family history of stroke, high cholesterol, and being overweight. Talk to your doctor and let him or her know about the concerns you may have about the risk factors of stroke. Find out your risks and take action. More information on stroke is available from the NINDS. Order free materials by calling 1-800-352-9424 or by visiting www.stroke.nih.gov.
Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 EST