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Elgin’s Winfred Cooper honored as inspiration to teens with autism
Daily Herald
Winfred Cooper of Elgin, Ill., was honored over the weekend by the HollyRod Foundation at a Los Angeles red-carpet event where Holly Robinson Peete said he is an inspiration to teens with autism. You may be one of the thousands of people who saw Cooper’s amazing touchdown at a high school football game last fall. He’s now in college in Elgin.
Calling him an inspiration to teens with autism, the HollyRod4kids Foundation honored Elgin’s Winfred Cooper with its Champion Award this past weekend.
The awards were given out at a large, celebrity-filled fundraising gala called DesignCare, held at billionaire businessman Ron Burkle’s estate in Beverly Hills.
After walking the red carpet into the party, Cooper, 19, and his father, Winfried, met several celebrities, including Marcus Allen, Sugar Ray Leonard and Samuel L. Jackson. They also spent time with the foundation’s founders, actress Holly Robinson Peete and NFL star Rodney Peete.
via Daily Herald | Elgin’s Winfred Cooper honored as inspiration to teens with autism.
Posted on July 28, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: athletes, Autism, sports, teenagers with autism
Florida teen swims his way to 2011 Special Olympics in Greece
St. Petersburg Times
The sky is spitting an afternoon shower as Michael Tuason arrives for practice at the New Port Richey Rec Center pool with his mom. The tall, lanky teenager greets his waiting dad with a brief “hi,” then quickly strips to his bathing suit and tucks his black, shoulder-length hair under his navy blue cap.
Before long, the star of the Pasco Piranhas Special Olympics swim team is in the water, ready to go.
“How many?” Michael, 18, asks his coach, Rita Miller.
She barely gets out, “Give me 20,” before he’s off, swimming the freestyle and easily lapping the two other swimmers sharing the lane.
“Just look at him go,” Miller says, “He won’t stop till he’s done all 20 laps and then he’ll ask me again, ‘How many?’
“Now you see why he’s going to the World Games.”
via Autistic Pasco County teen swims his way to 2011 Special Olympics in Greece – St. Petersburg Times.
Posted on July 28, 2010 | 1 Comment | Category: Autism | Tags: athletes, Autism, Special Olympics, sports, swimming, teenagers with autism
Horse therapy found to help children with autism
Cleveland Daily Banner
Through extensive study of research from leading medical schools, SpiritHorse Therapeutic has developed specific methods for treating autism through equine-assisted therapy.
These methods have been utilized in over 30,000 sessions with children with autism during the past five years.
Following a study in 2009 by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center that showed statistically “Significant Improvement” in 24 children with autism through intervention at SpiritHorse, representatives from Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, visited SpiritHorse for its spring, 2009 semester to study the results of the SpiritHorse program.
The study of 47 children with autism spectrum disorder, just released, also showed a statistically “Significant Improvement,” including nine children who, after 10 weeks treatment at SpiritHorse, measured nonautistic on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, a single-blinded measurement.
via Cleveland Daily Banner – Study Equine asisted therapy helps children with autism.
Posted on July 27, 2010 | 2 Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: animals, Autism, children with Autism, horses
Retirees targeted with investment scams
MSNBC
Annuities. Reverse mortgages. Life insurance pools. Principal-protected notes. The options being offered to senior citizens hoping to ensure a comfortable retirement are dizzying. And in a growing number of cases, that may be the intention as more scammers — often elderly themselves — try to con retirees.
Though hard numbers are difficult to come by, many lawyers and advocates for the elderly say more seniors than ever are being lured into investment schemes that are unsuitable for people of their age or are outright swindles.
“Seniors who suffer from isolation and diminished capacity make ideal targets,” says Steve Riess, a San Francisco attorney who represents elderly victims of con artists peddling bogus investments.
One out of five Americans over the age of 65 has been the victim of a financial scam, according to the Washington-based Investor Protection Trust, a nonprofit that promotes shareholder education.
via Scams: A sucker retires every minute – Business – Your retirement – msnbc.com.
Posted on July 27, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Alzheimer's, Caregiving | Tags: Alzheimer's, finances
Summer Autism: Puppy camp lets autistic children learn about dogs
Democrat & Chronicle
Children with autism often make a connection with animals – especially dogs. A camp near Rochester, N.Y., lets children with autism and other developmental disabilities, as well as neurotypical children, learn about brand new puppies. The camp is run by a married couple who breed Labrador retrievers, and the wife in that couple is an autism specialist at a local school district.
SPENCERPORT — Lauren Erlichman and Martin Yesowitch might not have spent their wedding anniversary how they expected this year, but the date was memorable nonetheless.
The Canal Road couple, who tied the knot on July 7, 2007, breeds Labrador retrievers. Their canine companions made sure their anniversary was extra special — and numerically aligned.
“We had our litter this week — seven puppies on 7/7,” Yesowitch says. That was just days after helping their 4-year-old dog, Macie, deliver her pups. “We got married on 7/7/07, and we had seven puppies on the 7th with our first puppy.”
That’s pretty amazing. Then again, so is the work that Erlichman and Yesowitch do.
For the second year, the couple is running the Labs of Love Puppy Camp for children ages 7 to 15. Kids learn about training and feeding dogs, as well as health issues, caring for the animals and running a kennel.
Some children learn even more valuable lessons.
Many kids in the week-long sessions have developmental disabilities such as autism, and Erlichman, an autism specialist with the Spencerport Central School District, said the puppies help those children socialize and become more confident.
“Animals speak a non-verbal language with people,” Erlichman says, paraphrasing Temple Grandin, a noted author and speaker who has autism and whose life story was detailed in an HBO movie named for her.
“There’s no talking back. They’re more in control,” she said.
via It’s pure puppy love at Spencerport summer camp | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle.
Posted on July 26, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: animals, Autism, camp, children with Autism, Summer autism
Adult night-care service for Alzheimer’s patients who may wander
The Grand Rapids Press
Nighttime is when some Alzheimer’s patients are most restless, creating an anxious, sleepless time for caregivers who worry about their loved ones wandering.
“It is common for them to get their circadian rhythms off,” said Jean Van Den Beldt, administrator of Byron Center Manor, which plans to begin a new dawn-to-dusk activity program called Twilight Care.
The dementia-care and adult-day services community at 2115 84th St. SW is starting the program, which will run from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., to keep restless patients in a safe, stimulating environment. The cost is $120 per night.
via New service keeps restless Alzheimer’s patients busy at night | MLive.com.
Posted on July 23, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Alzheimer's, Caregiving | Tags: adult daycare, Alzheimer's, caregiver stress, Caregiving, Dementia, family caregiving, respite care, sundowning, Wandering
Middle school student with Down syndrome to lead Buddy Walk in memory of camp counselors
Garden City News
Garden City, N.Y., seventh-grader Matthew Castellano will lead The National Down Syndrome Society Buddy Walk Sept. 25 that starts in New York’s Central Park. He’ll be with NDSS Ambassador John C. McGinley (from TV’s “Scrubs”), Chris Burke (from “Life Goes On), and others.
Matthew attends Camp Anchor, a Long Island town camp for youths and adults with a wide range of disabilities. Every camper at Camp Anchor (which stands for Answering the Needs of Citizens with Handicaps through Organized Recreation) has an individual counselor. Three young Anchor Camp counselors were killed in a car crash on their way to work July 15 — and Matthew and his group will be walking for them in the Buddy Walk.
Matthew and his group hope to raise $3,000 in the Buddy Walk.
The NDSS (National Down Syndrome Society) has chosen Matthew Castellano, to be this year’s “Self-Advocate Ambassador” for the New York City “Buddy Walk” in Central Park. Matthew is a 7th grader at the Garden City Middle School and attends Camp Anchor in Lido Beach, NY. Matthew and his team will be walking for his beloved camp Anchor staff counselors, Michael Mulhall, Jamie Malone and Paige Malone who were in a fatal car accident on July 15th, 2010 on their way to Camp Anchor. He will lead the walk along with celebrities, John C. McGinley from the TV show “Scrubs,” Chris Burke from the former TV show “Life Goes On” and several others. Together they will salute the amazing event participants who have raised money and awareness in support of individuals with Down Syndrome.
Help kickoff the NYC Buddy Walk in Times Square where 200 photos of individuals with Down Syndrome from all over the world were selected from thousands of photo submissions for the 2010 NDSS Times Square Video. The Times Square Video will be shown on the “MTV Plasma Screen.” NDSS will provide transportation from Times Square to the NYC Buddy Walk site at “The Great Hill” in Central Park.
via Middle School Student To Be “Self Advocate Ambassador” | www.gcnews.com | Garden City News.
Posted on July 23, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Down Syndrome | Tags: camp, celebrities, Down Syndrome, fundraising
DVD on fall prevention for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, family caregivers
Alzheimer's Foundation of America
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America AFA recently released “Preventing Falls: Practical Steps to Reduce Fears and Risks,” the latest DVD in AFA’s “Your Time to Care” series of educational programs for family caregivers, in the hopes of helping caregivers reduce their own risk of falls and prevent their loved ones from falling.
Falls are a very common and life-threatening occurrence and are particularly worrisome for caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, a brain disorder that primarily affects people older than 65. In fact, according to federal government statistics, one out of three individuals over the age of 65 will experience a fall, resulting in 20,000 deaths annually.“What’s really important to know is that a fall is preventable,” said Laura N. Gitlin, Ph.D., one of the experts featured in the DVD and director of the Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia.
With this in mind, “Preventing Falls” provides insight into why dementia intensifies the incidence of falls and offers practical strategies from experts and family caregivers on how to reduce risk factors, including communication techniques, home modifications and lifestyle changes.
via Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Releases New DVD on Preventing Falls.
Posted on July 23, 2010 | 2 Comments | Category: Alzheimer's, Caregiving, Dementia | Tags: Alzheimer's, Caregiving, Dementia, family caregiving
Horses, donkeys, sheep help with autism
Traverse City Record-Eagle
Dr. Marvin Anderson picked up a spindly legged lamb and draped it over his shoulders.
The doctor moved to Cedar around 2000; he lives on an organic farm with his wife Jill, sheep, goats, rabbits and miniature donkeys. More recently, Anderson launched a solo practice called Abba’s Place on the farm property. He deals with autism, environmental sensitivity and diagnostically challenging cases.
“(For) years, I went around with a stethoscope draped around my neck, and I’ve sort of replaced it with a lamb,” Anderson, an internist, said.
He is among several local health care providers who are incorporating animals into patient visits and treatment. The approaches range from local ranches devoted to therapeutic horseback riding and equine-assisted counseling to a visit with a bunny or donkey that Anderson can hold out “as a plum” for his young patients.
Connecting with animals is just one method Anderson can use when meeting with autistic children.
via Horses, donkeys, sheep help with autism » Life » Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Posted on July 22, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: animals, Autism, physicians
Spanish soccer coach fulfills son with Down syndrome’s wish
Catholic News Agency
The coach of Spain’s world champion soccer team, Vicente del Bosque, is a man of few words and gestures. However, last week he experienced one of the most emotional moments of his life when he fulfilled the dream of his 21 year-old son Alvaro, who suffers from Down’s Syndrome, by allowing him to hold up the World Cup trophy to the applause of the team.
“My son changed my life,” Del Bosque has said on more than one occasion. Alvaro is his second son, and Del Bosque learned that he had Down’s Syndrome several weeks after his birth. “At first we cried a lot,” he told author Gemma Herrero for her book, “39 Stories of Solidarity Surrounding Sports,” but he added, “Now when I look back I think, we were so foolish.”
via Spanish soccer coach fulfills wish for Down’s Syndrome son :: Catholic News Agency (CNA).
Posted on July 21, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Down Syndrome | Tags: athletes, Down Syndrome, soccer, Spain, sports
