Submissions will be accepted until February 30, 2010.IEC is an equal opporturnity employer.

People with certain types of disability have a higher risk of getting flu-related complications, such as pneumonia. Learn more about this risk, symptoms, and how to avoid getting 2009 H1N1 flu.

• Who are people with disabilities?
• How does a physical disability affect how someone may respond to the flu?
• How does a cognitive disability affect someone’s ability to implement prevention measures?
• What disability groups are at particular risk for flu?
• People at High Risk for Developing Flu-Related Complications
• What are the symptoms of 2009 H1N1 flu?
• How can someone avoid getting 2009 H1N1 flu?
• Is there a vaccine against the 2009 H1N1 flu, and for whom is it available?
• What about providers of home and community-based services and those providing support services in day and residential programs for people with disabilities?
• Do I need to get a seasonal flu shot?
• What else should someone do to prepare for this flu season?
• What should someone do when they are sick?
• For more information

Who are people with disabilities?

The term “disability” refers to limited physical or cognitive capacity. It includes people with neurological and neuro-developmental conditions, such as disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and muscle (e.g., cerebral palsy, epilepsy/seizure disorders, stroke, intellectual disability/mental retardation); moderate to severe developmental delay; muscular dystrophy; and spinal cord injury. These chronic conditions interfere with functional capacity. Disability also includes people with other chronic health conditions that interfere with functional capacity.

How does a physical disability affect how someone may respond to the flu?

How does a cognitive disability affect someone’s ability to implement prevention measures?

What disability groups are at particular risk for flu?

People at High Risk for Developing Flu-Related Complications

• Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
• Pregnant women
• People who have medical conditions including:
  • Asthma
  • Neurological and neuro-developmental conditions [including disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and muscle such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy (seizure disorders), stroke, intellectual disability (mental retardation), moderate to severe developmental delay, muscular dystrophy, or spinal cord injury]
  • Chronic lung disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and cystic fibrosis)
  • Heart disease (such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease)
  • Blood disorders (such as sickle cell disease)
  • Endocrine disorders (such as diabetes mellitus)
  • Kidney disorders
  • Liver disorders
  • Metabolic disorders (such as inherited metabolic disorders and mitochondrial disorders)
  • Weakened immune system due to disease or medication (such as people with HIV or AIDS, or cancer, or those on chronic steroids)
  • People younger than 19 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy

What are the symptoms of 2009 H1N1 flu?

How can someone avoid getting 2009 H1N1 flu?

Is there a vaccine against the 2009 H1N1 flu, and for whom is it available?

Yes. A vaccine for the 2009 H1N1 flu has been developed and is becoming available. Groups prioritized for initial doses of influenza vaccine based on their risk of developing severe disease include (see also http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccine_keyfacts.htm):

• pregnant women,
• persons who live with or provide care for infants aged <6 months (e.g., parents, siblings, and daycare providers),
• health-care and emergency medical services personnel,*
• persons aged 6 months–24 years, and
• persons aged 25–64 years who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications. Chronic medical conditions that confer a higher risk for influenza-related complications include chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, cognitive, neurologic/neuromuscular, hematologic, or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus) or immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by human immunodeficiency virus).

What about providers of home and community-based services and those providing support services in day and residential programs for people with disabilities?

Do I need to get a seasonal flu shot?

CDC recommends seasonal influenza vaccine for anyone that wants to reduce their risk of seasonal flu. The vaccine is especially important for persons at increased risk of severe influenza and for caregivers and close contacts of high risk persons, including certain persons with disabilities such as those described above. For more information about influenza vaccines, please see http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccine_keyfacts.htm.

What else should someone do to prepare for this flu season?

What should someone do when they are sick?

USICD Statement Recognizing the 2009 International Day of People with Disabilities
 

The membership and officers of the United States International Council on Disabilities (USICD) today join colleagues and allies around the world in celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.  This year’s theme, “Making the Millennium Development Goals Inclusive: Empowerment of persons with disabilities and their communities around the world,” emphasizes the global need for the inclusion of people with disabilities in economic development efforts, for the broader goal of poverty alleviation.  Policies of accessibility, inclusion, and opportunity for disabled people have a broad, positive impact for individuals with and without disabilities, families, communities, and whole nations.
 

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) address development and human rights issues and together form the framework for international action to comprehensively respond to the needs of the world’s poorest people.  The eight Goals originate from the United Nations Millennium Declaration of 2000, and identify targets for global poverty eradication by 2015, in areas such as maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS, environmental sustainability, and universal education.
 

Of the estimated 650 million people with disabilities around the world, approximately 80% are believed to live in the developing world, many on less than $1 a day.  People with disabilities are therefore solidly represented amongst the poorest of the poor, with many especially at-risk during the current global financial crisis. 
 

USICD supports this year’s theme of the International Day of People with Disabilities, that disability inclusion within the MDGs is an absolute necessity if the Goals are to be achieved by 2015.  If communities and nations are to ascend from poverty, people with disabilities must be included; when disabled people are reached by poverty alleviation efforts, their broader communities also benefit from these initiatives.  The economic and social empowerment of people with disabilities is good for societies locally and globally.
 

USICD believes that the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) offers an invaluable tool for ensuring that the MDGs are inclusive of people with disabilities.  The CRPD, an international human rights treaty, provides guidance to governments and international development actors on a wide range of MDG-related issues, including health, gender equality, education, and adequate standard of living.  The CRPD also addresses the importance of disability inclusive international cooperation to support treaty implementation efforts at the national level.  By following the guidance provided by the groundbreaking CRPD, countries are equipping themselves to simultaneously move towards successful achievement of the MDGs.  Today, 143 nations have signed the CRPD, including the United States.
 

The United States International Council on Disabilities (USICD) is a broad federation of US-based non-governmental organizations, federal agencies and individuals committed to advocacy and action on behalf of the global disability rights agenda.  USICD is part of a community of American disability organizations that supports U.S. ratification of the CRPD as a means to broaden protection of the inherent rights of persons with disabilities around the world.
 

To learn more about USICD and to find helpful resources on the CRPD and disability-inclusive international development, please visit our newly updated and accessible website: http://www.usicd.org
 

To learn more about the Millennium Development Goals, please visit: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals
 

For more information, please contact David Morrissey, Executive Director. (202) 207-0338 dmorrissey@usicd.org
 

The first ever “Senator Charles Colgan Advocacy Award” went to Carina Elgin of Fauquier County.  The Volunteer of the Year Award went to Jennifer Wellington.  The Consumer of the Year Award went to Emilia Prokop.  Finally, the Employee of the Year Award went to Roberta McEachern (thus the tears).

Monday the 26th and Tuesday the 27th there were only two employees in our office–the Executive Director and the Administrative Assistant.  Now, Wednesday, the Administrative Assistant is out though one of our two Facilitators is back and so is the Independent Living Advocate, both rejoining the Executive Director.

We are asking three things–

!) Call ahead to make an appointment, rather than just dropping by. 

2) Call the day of your appointment to make sure the person you want to see is here

3) Do not come in if you are experiencing any flu-like symptoms.

We always fight the stereotype that says “people with disabilities are not well” because, generally, we are–disability does not equate with illness. But, it is often true that if we get sick, it often means we have more than the average battle to regain our health.

So, it is time to plan ahead.  Let your fingers do the walking–don’t just drop in.  Sharing is okay unless it’s germs you are sharing.

Thank you.

This has been a public service announcement from your Center for Independent Living.

Mark your calendars to attend Independence Empowerment Center’s Tenth Year Anniversary Celebration – A Fun Night of Broadway.  The party will be held at the Evergreen Country Club in Haymarket.  Included in the evening of entertainment will be a sumptuous buffet and a cash bar, Broadway Show Tunes sung by Lisa Matas of New York—complete with a dance floor—and a special award presentation.  We want to honor some of the people who have been key to the growth and sustainment of IEC, and as such, we will honor Senator Charles Colgan, as well as presenting three surprise awards to an employee, a volunteer and a consumer.

One of the most fun aspects of the evening is that those who attend are invited to dress in the garb of a favorite Broadway personality.  The list of possibilities is immense.  Come as Annie Oakley, a Producer, Mame, Shrek, The Phantom of the Opera, a Show Girl, a Chicago or Grease character and on and on.  Or, come in cocktail attire.   Here are the details:

IEC 10TH ANNIVERSARY BROADWAY GALA
November 14, 2009
Evergreen Country Club
15900 Berkeley Drive Haymarket , VA 20169
7:00 pm – 11:00pm
$55/ticket or 2 for $100
Please RSVP by calling 703-257-5400 by November 9th.
When you make your reservations, let us know if you need     
any accommodations. A small number of seats will be    
sponsored on a first come, first served basis

Fall 2009 Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 4

DMD is a large-scale national effort to promote career development for students and job seekers with disabilities through hands-on career exploration, on-site job shadowing, and ongoing mentoring leading to internship and employment opportunities.

Here at IEC, Disability Mentoring Day is all about people with disabilities coming in to share a work day with us.  Here they can get a taste of what working is like for us at IEC, where most of us have disabilities, ourselves. You can get answers to questions about interviewing for jobs; asking for  accommodations, once hired; and suggestions on leads to positions.  If there is time and interest, you might see a movie.

Please contact Stephanie if you would like to spend the day, or part of the day with us at 703-257-5400 ext 113.

Fall 2009 Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 4