Heather Spalding, a business lead at Sandia National Laboratories, was recently recognized as an Employee of the Year by CAREERS & the disABLED magazine for her advocacy efforts, professional accomplishments, community outreach initiatives and more.
Tag: DISABLED PERSONS
Sociodemographic characteristics, inequities associated with access to in-person, remote elementary schooling during pandemic in New York State
What The Study Did: Among the few New York state public school districts providing full-time in-person elementary school instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic, most districts served predominately white students, rural/suburban students and children who were not disadvantaged (children who were…
Experts advocate for ’employment first, employment for all’ for workers with disabilities
Inclusionary values are emphasized in this special issue of the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, which presents contributions from the 2020 Conference of the Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE)
How does endometriosis influence women’s work life?
In women in their mid-40s to early 50s, endometriosis–a condition in which tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside the uterus–was linked with poor work ability and more sick days, but not with unemployment or early retirement. The findings,…
What is the evidence on how to improve older adults’ functional abilities at home?
A new analysis called an evidence and gap map has mapped what we know about improving the functional ability of older adults living at home or in nursing homes, retirement homes, or other long-term care facilities. A total of 548…
Researchers clarify reasons for low rate of employment among people with disabilities
Understanding the diverse issues that prevent people with disabilities from seeking work is integral to developing effective and responsive interventions, according to new research from Kessler Foundation
More than half of wheelchair users with spinal cord injury needed repairs in past 6 months
Vulnerable populations are most likely to experience negative consequences of wheelchair breakdown, such as missing work or school or being stranded outside the home
nTIDE June 2021 Jobs Report: Job indicators close in on pre-pandemic employment levels
National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) — issued semi-monthly by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire
Rewiring the adult brain — Scanning the mind of a blind ‘Batman’ reveals that novel maps can emerge in the adult brain
Research reveals a new form of brain plasticity — formation of ‘topographic maps’ in the wake of an unusual sensory experience
The vision: Tailored optical stimulation for the blind
Stimulation of the nervous system with neurotechnology has opened up new avenues for treating human disorders, such as prosthetic arms and legs that restore the sense of touch in amputees, prosthetic fingertips that provide detailed sensory feedback with varying touch…
Study reveals COVID-19 risk factors for those with IDD
Syracuse, N.Y. – A study of nearly 550 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities receiving residential services in New York City found that age, larger residential settings, Down syndrome and chronic kidney disease were the most common risk factors for…
Institutional environments trap disabled geoscientists between a rock and a workplace
Inaccessible workplaces, normative departmental cultures and ‘ableist’ academic systems have all contributed to the continued underrepresentation and exclusion of disabled researchers in the Geosciences, according to an article published today (Thursday 8 June) in Nature Geosciences . The article argues…
Study examines care received by patients with knee osteoarthritis
New research reveals that only a minority of U.S. Medicare beneficiaries with knee osteoarthritis in 2005-2010 used non-surgical care such as physical therapy and knee injections, and few were treated by rheumatologists, physiatrists, or pain specialists. The study, which is…
Men with sensory loss are more likely to be obese
New research finds ‘significant’ differences between genders in role of exercise
Risk factors associated With COVID-19 outcomes among people with intellectual, developmental disabilities receiving residential services
What The Study Did: This study tracked COVID-19 outcomes for 543 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who were receiving support services from an organization providing residential services in the five boroughs of New York. Authors: Scott D. Landes, Ph.D.,…
nTIDE May 2021 Jobs Report: Slow improvement as economy strives for recovery
National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) — issued semi-monthly by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire
The Mathematical Model of the Mind
‘A must read for anyone interested in theoretical studies of cortical microcircuits’
Can echolocation help those with vision loss?
Known as nature’s own sonar system, echolocation occurs when an animal emits a sound that bounces off objects in the environment, returning echoes that provide information about the surrounding space. While echolocation is well known in whale or bat species,…
Baylor study uses candy-like models to make STEM accessible to visually impaired students
Baylor researchers, led by Bryan Shaw, found oral tactile visualization of complex 3D structures to be as accurate as eyesight
Exoskeleton therapy improves mobility, cognition and brain connectivity in people with MS
A pilot study led by Kessler Foundation researchers provided proof of concept for robotic-exoskeleton assisted exercise rehabilitation (REAER) in people with substantial MS-related neurological disability
Exoskeleton-assisted walking may improve bowel function in people with spinal cord injury
Research team shows that physical intervention plans that include walking, not just standing, may enhance multiple measures of bowel function
MS experts call for increased focus on progressive MS rehabilitation research
International Progressive MS Alliance contends that the development of rehabilitation strategies for people with progressive MS is lacking compared to other types of MS
States’ developmental disability services lacking for adults with autism and their families
National Autism Indicators Report: Families of autistic adults who use Developmental Disability services face gaps in services and supports, lack of emergency planning and barriers to community participation.
States’ developmental disability services lacking for autistic adults and their families
National Autism Indicators Report: Families of autistic adults who use Developmental Disability services face gaps in services and supports, lack of emergency planning and barriers to community participation.
Prism adaptation treatment improves rehabilitation outcomes in people with spatial neglect
Performing daily sessions of prism adaptation therapy during rehabilitation results in higher functional and cognitive independence scores for stroke survivors
Facilitating speech comprehension in rare inherited hearing loss patients
IBS research team found a novel deafness gene and developed a customized treatment for auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder
Researchers identify facilitators for rehabilitation care for people with spatial neglect
Inpatient rehabilitation is shown to be effective, and ample opportunities exist to facilitate optimal outcomes; experts identify innovative approaches to improve care
nTIDE April 2021 COVID Update: Declines in furloughs may be early signs of recovery
National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) – issued semi-monthly by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire
Across US, COVID-19 death rate higher for those with IDD
Syracuse, N.Y. – The COVID-19 death rate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is higher than the general population in several states across the U.S., according to a new study published in Disability and Health Journal . The…
Disabled researcher calls for better support for faculty
Academic institutions need to do much more to support faculty members with disabilities and to create an environment in which they can thrive, argues a commentary published May 18 in the journal Trends in Neurosciences . The paper was written…
Personalised medications possible with 3D printing
Customised medicines could one day be manufactured to patients’ individual needs, with University of East Anglia (UEA) researchers investigating technology to 3D ‘print’ pills. The team, including Dr Andy Gleadall and Prof Richard Bibb at Loughborough University, identified a new…
Social cognition plays a key role in everyday lives of people with multiple sclerosis
Longitudinal study by international MS research team shows that people with relapsing-remitting MS performed significantly lower in several social cognition domains, despite being classified as “cognitively normal.”
AGS honors Dr. Megan Huisingh-Scheetz with Arti Hurria Memorial Award
New York (April 26, 2021)–The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and the AGS Health in Aging Foundation today conferred one of their newest honors on Megan Huisingh-Scheetz, MD, MPH, a geriatrician and epidemiologist with a unique commitment to leveraging new technology…
Researchers revise indicator of mobility limitation in older adults
The new cutoff values for a metric widely used by geriatricians, physical therapists and nutritionists are more accurate, facilitate early diagnosis and contribute to preventive treatment
Crnic Institute discovery may explain high risk of leukemia in children with Down syndrome
Groundbreaking identification of precocious clonal hematopoiesis unlocks new lines of research and discovery for scientists
Alzheimer Europe outlines state-of-play of dementia policy in Europe
Alzheimer Europe has launched a new report, ‘Dementia Monitor 2020’, providing a high-level overview of how countries across Europe have responded to the challenges posed by dementia
Researchers develop tool to simplify diagnoses for children facing medical complexities
UMass Lowell, Children’s Hospital effort aims to reduce hospitalizations
Machine learning helps spot gait problems in individuals with multiple sclerosis
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Monitoring the progression of multiple sclerosis-related gait issues can be challenging in adults over 50 years old, requiring a clinician to differentiate between problems related to MS and other age-related issues. To address this problem, researchers are…
Global evidence for how EdTech can support pupils with disabilities is ‘thinly spread’
Report reveals ‘astonishing’ shortage of information about how rapid advances in educational technology could help pupils with disabilities in low and middle-income countries
Stem cell therapy shows promise against age-related muscle loss
As the name implies, induced pluripotent stem cells can become any type of cell in our body, and scientists have evidence that when they prompt them to become muscle progenitor cells they can help restore the sometimes debilitating muscle loss…
Move your body for five minutes every hour to counteract lockdown inactivity
A study which looked at activity levels before and during the COVID-19 pandemic has found lockdown restrictions significantly reduced light activity associated with socialising and work. The study, published recently in BMJ Neurology and led by King’s College London, examined…
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, neurodevelopmental outcomes among offspring
What The Study Did: Researchers investigated associations of maternal hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and intellectual disability in children as well as overall cognitive performance. Authors: Judith S. Brand, Ph.D., of Örebro…
Transcutaneous stimulation improves hand function in people with complete tetraplegia
Researchers at Kessler Foundation confirmed that spinal cord transcutaneous stimulation results in immediate and long-lasting gains in strength and handgrip, with positive effects evident three months post-intervention
For college students with disabilities, communication is key in online learning
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic changed the higher education experience for students across the United States, with more than 90 percent of institutions reporting a shift in education delivery with the arrival of COVID-19. The rapid transition to remote study came…
Cambodian study assesses 3D scanning technologies for prosthetic limb design
Cutting-edge 3D scanners have been put to the test by researchers from the University of Southampton and partners Exceed Worldwide to help increase the quality and quantity of prosthetics services around the world. The study, carried out within the People…
Researchers identify barriers to use of surface electromyography in neurorehabilitation
Kessler Foundation team proposes comprehensive approach to integrating surface electromyography into clinical practice as path to improving rehabilitative care for individuals with spinal cord injury
UofL, Medtronic to develop epidural stimulation algorithms for spinal cord injury
$7.8 million from NIH will fund development of a closed-loop system to monitor and adjust for multiple functions, use wireless monitoring
Engineers combine AI and wearable cameras in self-walking robotic exoskeletons
Robotics researchers are developing exoskeletons and prosthetic legs capable of thinking and making control decisions on their own using sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The system combines computer vision and deep-learning AI to mimic how able-bodied people walk by seeing…
Autism online: A review of how autistic people communicate virtually
A systematic review of information and communication technology use by autistic people from the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute