> Disabilities Concerns 

Caregiving conference

Help for those caring for an older adult with a special focus on dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

Where do I start?, Maribeth Farringer, Council on Aging of Greater Nashville
Navigating the legal system, Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands
Navigating the healthcare system, Nancy Pertl, Mental Health America of Middle Tennessee
How do I decide to keep my loved one at home or move to a higher level of care?, Gretchen Funk, FiftyForward Care Team
Taking care of me, Jennifer Abernathy, TN Respite Coalition

> There is NO COST to attend, but registration is required by JULY 20.

Box Lunch provided and attendees will receive the FREE book, Aging & Caring: Things Families Need to Know

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FEMA and National Disability Rights Network sign agreement (from TNUMConnects 3/15/11)

WASHINGTON-Today the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) signed a memorandum of agreement that further strengthens their growing partnership to ensure that the access and functional needs of people with disabilities are incorporated into all aspects of planning for, responding to and recovering from disasters. Today's signing was hosted by the White House, and was attended by advocates from the disability and emergency management community, including disaster survivors, as well as national security and disability advisors for President Obama.

"FEMA is just one part of the emergency management team," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "The President and I are fully committed to addressing the needs of people with disabilities, in part by ensuring that Americans with disabilities - critical members of our team - have a seat at the table to make sure we are serving and protecting all of the members of our communities equally, before, during and after a disaster."

While FEMA has coordinated with the NDRN in the past, this agreement will strengthen their relationship to ensure the needs of people with disabilities, young children, seniors, and all members of the community are fully integrated into emergency planning efforts. Specifically, the agreement will ensure that advocates for the NDRN's 57 state and territory affiliates have access to FEMA disaster response offices, including workspace and logistical support, before, during and after a disaster, to be involved in policy decisions and coordinate directly with the entire emergency management team. This partnership will help FEMA leverage the resources of the entire community, including the resources the NDRN or other organizations can offer, to better meet the needs of the entire population impacted by a disaster.

"NDRN and our Disability Rights affiliates are a valuable source of knowledge to disaster officials at all levels, and will help ensure that individuals with disabilities can survive and recover from a disaster," said NDRN Executive Director Curt Decker.

Improving how FEMA plans for and incorporates the needs of people with disabilities into all aspects of disaster operations has been a top priority for the Obama administration and Administrator Fugate. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina then-Senator Barack Obama introduced legislation that directed the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that each state provided comprehensive information regarding plans for evacuating individuals with disabilities and a variety of access and functional needs, and to plan for providing food, water, and shelter for evacuees with disabilities or access and functional needs. Early last year, Administrator Fugate established the first-ever office within FEMA focused on this goal, the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination. In July 2010, FEMA signed a memorandum of agreement with the National Council on Independent Living which allows the 450 centers for independent living from across the country to access FEMA disaster recovery centers in order to better assist people with disabilities impacted by a disaster. In September 2010, FEMA hosted its first-ever "Getting Real" conference, which brought together stakeholders from the disability and emergency management communities to discuss how we can better partner together and integrate the needs of people with disabilities into our emergency planning. And in November 2010, FEMA announced new guidelines, the Functional Needs Support Services Guidance, on general population emergency sheltering for people with access and functional needs.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
 

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Stories of individuals with disabilities and their families (from TNUMConnects 2/22/11)

The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center is conducting a research project entitled Faith, Doubt and Disabilities. The project’s aim is to empower individuals with disabilities and their families to share their stories of how disability has affected their faith and doubt. We are looking for individuals with disabilities (age 18+) and family members who would like to participate.
 
After collecting stories from individuals with disabilities and their families, we hope to then compile them into an educational stage play. The play is designed to bring greater awareness to the experiences of individuals who encounter and live with disability.
 
As a participant you will:
· Complete a 10 minute electronic survey prior to the interview. This survey will gather basic information about you and about how you practice or do not practice religion/spirituality.
· Participate in an hour long interview session, where two Vanderbilt University students will ask you to share stories about your experiences with disability and spirituality. If possible, the interview will be conducted at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. If this is not possible, other arrangements can be made to suit your schedule and needs.
· Complete a 10 minute electronic survey after the interview. This survey is designed to let you tell us what you thought of the project and the storytelling process.
 
Criteria for Participation:
· Must be 18+ years of age
· Must be able to meet standards of consent
 
Participation in this study is completely voluntary and participation may be withdrawn at any time during the project. There is no compensation for this project.
 
If you or a member of your family is interested in participating, or if you have any questions, please contact Libby Austin at elizabeth.a.austin@vanderbilt.edu or call 615.322.5658.

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