Tag Archives: Vocational Rehabilitation

Find Financial Resources for Your Mobility Needs

Leave a reply

Far too often, you find it hard to afford many of the tools and resources that you need in everyday life. For that reason, there are several alternative ways to get funding that will ensure that you get the assistance you need to live a hassle-free life without worrying about breaking the bank.

Here are a few sources of financial assistance to look into if you are finding it hard to cover all of your mobility expenses.

Medicare:
Usually offered only through private companies, Medicare can be a good option for certain medical devices and equipment and is based on your medical necessity for the goods or services you may need help with.

Medicaid:
While there is no exclusive list in terms of medical equipment covered, cases are approved on a case-by-case basis. Medicaid is a great option to look into if your expenses and needs aren’t covered by Medicare.

The IRS:
Did you know that certain mobility aids such as adaptive driving equipment can be deducted from your federal taxes? Contact your local tax adviser to see what equipment and supplies you use regularly to see if they can be deducted.

State Programs:
Check with your state’s vocational rehabilitation agencies to see if your mobility needs are approved for financial assistance. If any of it helps you get to work or perform your job efficiently, you may be covered here. Aside from that, you may also want to check out your local Center for Independent Living to see if they have any other resources that you can look into for financial assistance.

Vehicle-Related:
If you’ve recently had any adaptive equipment or ramps installed in your vehicle—or, for that matter, if you’ve recently purchased wheelchair van—there are some dealerships that will reimburse you for such things. Check with your local mobility-friendly dealership to learn more.

With these resources at your disposal, you can hopefully stop worrying about money and focus more on living a stress-free life where your mobility needs are easily met.

Rehabilitation Services Rhode Island

Leave a reply

Rehabilitation Services Rhode Island

 

2012 Dodge Grand Caravan CR121019 Inside Front Right Veiw View

The Office of Rehabilitation Services helps people with disabilities become employed and live independently in the community. They provide a variety of programs and services to empower individuals with disabilities to prepare for, obtain and maintain employment and economic self-sufficiency.

  • Vocational Rehabilitation
    The focus of the Vocational Rehabilitation Program is to help people with disabilities prepare for, obtain and maintain employment. Individuals who apply for this program are interested in becoming employed. If a person receives Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and they are interested in working, they are assumed to be eligible for this program.
  • Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired
    The Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired offers a variety of training and adjustment services for individuals who are blind or who have significant visual impairments. The goal is to help them become independent, active, and self-sufficient members of their community. Services are available for children and adults.
  • Disability Determination Services
    The Disability Determination Services unit determines the eligibility for children and adults with disabilities who are applying for cash benefits from the federal Social Security Administration’s programs – Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
  • Assistive Technology Access Partnership
    The Office of Rehabilitation Services administers the Assistive Technology Access Partnership which can help individuals with disabilities get assistive technology devices and services.

LINKS

Vocational Rehabilitation Program Rhode Island

Leave a reply

Vocational Rehabilitation Program

VMiNewEngland Toyota Sienna Northstar wheelchair van driver

What is the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program?

The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program is the public state and federally funded program that assists individuals with disabilities to choose, prepare for, obtain and maintain employment. Employment being the successful outcome of services provided through the public vocational rehabilitation program. It is expected that individuals with disabilities who apply for services are interested in becoming employed and understand that this is the focus of the VR program.

Who is Eligible for VR Services?

Do you want to work?
Do you have a condition that limits your job opportunities?

To be eligible for vocational rehabilitation services, you must – 1) have a physical, intellectual or emotional impairment which is a substantial barrier to employment, and 2) require vocational rehabilitation services to prepare for, secure, retain, or regain employment, and 3) be able to benefit from vocational rehabilitation services in terms of an employment outcome. If you are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), your vocational rehabilitation office will presume that you are eligible for vocational rehabilitation services.

How Do You Obtain Services Through the
Vocational Rehabilitation Program?

Individuals with disabilities must first apply for the VR program and be determined eligible before services can be provided. Individuals with significant disabilities are presumed eligible for the program if an application is completed and there is documentation of disability. All applicants for the VR program are encouraged to present documentation of their disability and/or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) to speed up the eligibility process.

Employment Plan
(Individualized Plan for Employment)

The eligible individual with a disability and a Qualified Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor will work together to develop an employment plan called the Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE). The Employment Plan considers the individual’s unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, skills, abilities, preferences, capabilities, interests, and values, as well as the barriers to employment. The Employment Plan identifies the employment goal that the individual has chosen, the time it is expected to reach the goal, the services that the individual chooses as necessary to reach the employment goal, and how the services will be provided. Some of the services may be provided directly by the VR Counselor, others may be available through other public sources such as netWORKri (One Stop Career Centers), and others may be purchased with funds provided by the VR agency. The individual may develop the Employment Plan with the assistance of the VR Counselor, another individual, or by him or herself. The VR Counselor is always available to provide assistance in this process, and a Qualified Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor who works for the public VR program must approve the Employment Plan before any services are provided through the VR agency. The partnership between each individual with a disability and their Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor is a key component in the Vocational Rehabilitation process.

What Are Some of the Services that
can be Included in an Employment Plan?

Vocational rehabilitation services that may be included in an Employment Plan are:
  • Counseling and Guidance to help plan vocational goals and services;
  • Transition Services from School to Career;
  • Rehabilitation Technology Services;
  • Assistive Technology Services;
  • Diagnostic Evaluations;
  • College or Vocational Training;
  • Job Training and Job Supports;
  • Job Development and Placement Services;
  • Vehicle Modifications;
  • Housing Modifications;
  • Post-Employment Services.

What Are Some Services After an
Employment Goal is Achieved?

Employment is the successful outcome for the individual with a disability and the VR program. Once employed, however, the VR agency may assist with post-employment services to assist the individual to retain or advance in employment.

If you are interested in applying for services, please fill out and sign the completed Application (Espanol) and return to Intake, Office of Rehabilitation Services, 40 Fountain Street, Providence, RI 02903.

am i ready for a wheelchair van

Leave a reply

am i ready for a wheelchair van

2013 Honda Wheelchair Van Massachusetts


“I’m Not Ready…”
People offer many reasons for staying away from modified vans:
“What I drive is a reflection of my personality. A seven foot high van isn’t who I am.”
“Meeting the challenge of transferring to my car and hauling my chair in behind me makes me feel good about myself.”
“I simply don’t have money for a lift and all the modifications I’d have to do to a van.”

 

Mostly what keeps people in their cars is the I’m Not Ready Syndrome:

  • I’m not ready to give up the fun car.
  • I’m not ready to give up the challenge.
  • I’m not ready to spend the money.

Eventually, two or three primary factors ­ preserving function, maximizing options and flexibility, looking into the future in order to plan for and anticipate change ­ drive the decision and help clarify the choices.

Despite all the good, logical reasons for continuing to drive those cars, many find it difficult to deny nagging shoulder pain, decreased tolerance for the hassles of car transfers and chair loading, or the simple fact that they don’t have the energy they once did. Making a change is a dilemma many survivors confront each day.

 

Reason #1: The Shoulders
The first consideration mentioned by many in the rehabilitation field for making the change from car to van is maintaining and preserving physical function. Research with those injured more than 20 years indicates that the biggest predictor of pain and fatigue two things that can get in the way of function ­ was having experienced pain and fatigue three years earlier. Not making changes when problems first arise is an almost sure way of having them get worse.

The pain and fatigue can come from the distance of the transfer, since getting as close to the car seat as to a bed is difficult. Another consideration is the height of the transfer. Having to lift up or down in the process of doing a transfer adds considerable extra stress to shoulders. Also muscling the chair itself in and out of the car can cause more pain and do damage. And, just the sheer number of transfers continues to accumulateover time. What results from all this is usually joint pain ­ from the neck all the way down to the wrist ­ often arthritic in nature, and often accompanied by tendinitis. The joint pain, the arthritis, the tendinitis are the body’s way of saying that what you’re doing isn’t working very well and is causing some harm.

Researchers have also linked fatigue to future problems, including depression, lower quality of life and, in some survivors, the need for both more durable medical equipment and help from others. As car transfers and chair loading become more difficult, many people report curtailing activities in order to avoid the transfers. Too often therapists encounter aging clients who are giving up things they enjoy – fishing, traveling, even working – because of pain and fatigue. Still, even though people find themselves giving up activities, they resist making the changes necessary to avoid the hassles, the pain, the fatigue. For many it comes down to wanting to fight off the realities of aging with a disability for as long as possible. The arguments are predictable, in part, because they’re so valid: like we said before, big vans are inconvenient and hard to drive, they cost too much, people like the physical challenge of doing transfers. Often it’s an image thing.

 

Reason #2: Image
A vehicle is often an extension of one’s personality. Giving up part of our personality ­ rugged or adventurous individual; sporty, fun kind of guy; or sedate, respectable, suburban family person ­ isn’t easy. Most everyone who buys a vehicle gives some thought to image. Not everyone feels comfortable driving a big van: they can be too big, not sporty enough or they simply don’t fit our self image. While minivans are an option for some individuals, many ­ especially big people who use big chairs ­ find minivans too small for the lift they need and too tight inside for the necessary maneuverability.

Regaining independence following injury and rehab was for many the single most significant achievement of post-paralysis life. Giving up the car may be viewed as giving up ­ not only by the survivor but also by those around him. Yet, making the changes and using the lift may be necessary to maintain that highly prized independence: Isn’t getting there far more important than just exactly how it’s done?

 

Reason #3: Somebody Else
Decisions about what to drive affect more than just the survivor, especially if someone else is doing the chair loading. A change to a van with a lift could be necessary even if your back or shoulders are just fine. Wives, husbands and caregivers age too, and they are often called on to help with many transfers, chores and tasks requiring heavy or awkward lifting. Survivors need to be not only aware but also sensitive to their needs.

Reason #4: $$$$$
A switch to a modified van can add $15,000 to $30,000 or more to the cost of a vehicle. Insurance and fuel costs usually go up, and some modified vans ­ even ones without raised roofs ­ won’t fit in standard garages and may require modified garage arrangements as well. Yet there are costs involved in becoming less active, not going out as much and staying home more. Active people tend to be healthier, happier and less depressed. Going too long on deteriorating shoulders can leave people even more dependent, eventually making hired help more necessary.

People ­ even some who are unemployed and on Medicaid ­ buy vans and somehow find ways to pay for them. Worker’s Compensation, Medicaid Waivers, Vocational Rehabilitation and the VA are all government programs which may help with funding. Charitable organizations such as Easter Seals are a possibility. Fraternal organizations may provide help. Some banks issue extended loans and Independent Living Centers may offer low interest loans.

Lower cost home equity loans may also be an option. There are always fund raisers ­ through church, civic or community organizations. And used equipment, or used modified vans are also possibilities. We tend to figure out necessities.

 

Thinking Ahead
Sound decisions which will provide flexibility for five to eight years need to be based on a realistic assessment of present function and trends in your strength, stamina, life-style, pain and function. Is it practical to stick with a car if strength has been decreasing and pain has been increasing for the past three years? Transfers may not be much of a problem now, but is it realistic to expect they’ll still be as easy in 5 years, when you’re 56? Can you afford not to change?

More often than not, the decision to switch from a car to a van is one of many decisions which contribute to the lifelong process of adaptation to disability. Adaptive equipment helps narrow the gap between aspiration and ability, between wants and needs, and allows us to do so comfortably and safely. Adaptive equipment can help avoid pain, preserve energy and prevent future problems. New equipment can preserve time and energy and help enhance as well as maintain both independence and quality of life.

Quality of life may be the prime consideration for switching from car to van. The switch is a matter of preventative maintenance ­ a change which may allow us to keep the function we have and maintain the quality of life we desire. How we regard these changes can be as important as the changes themselves.

 

.