Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living

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Facts About Age-related Hearing Loss

Think you have to be 70 to start having age-related hearing loss? Think again! According to a recent blog article from The Ability Center of Greater Toledo, hearing loss can start as early as our 40s, and we also don’t do our ears any favors with all that loud music through our headphones.

Hearing loss can sneak up on us gradually so that we don’t notice the difference until the decrease in perception is already pretty significant. Hearing loss also occurs from the top down, that is, higher-pitched sounds are the first to go.

The mechanical process of hearing loss involves the death and destruction of tiny fibers in our ears called cilia that, once gone, do not reproduce or regenerate. Exposure to loud noise for long periods of time can accelerate the loss of these structures.

Whatever the cause, some good news is that there is assistive technology that can help those with hearing loss maintain their independence. Hearing aids are, of course, the first line of defense for hearing loss. Other devices are also available, such as telephone and television amplifiers, that make life with hearing loss more enjoyable. Other technology, such as smoke detectors and doorbells with flashing lights, employ our other senses to help keep us safe.

Be sure to check out that blog post for more information.

 

Today is World Autism Awareness Day–Go Blue!

Today, April 2, is the sixth annual World Autism Awareness Day. Autism affects approximately one in every 90 children in the US. Scientists do not completely understand why yet, but boys are affected more often than girls.

Autism is a cognitive disability that presents a barrier to learning, language development, and socialization. It is also a “spectrum disorder,” which means that its symptoms can range from very mild to very severe.

Organizations of and for people who have autism and their families have chosen a blue ribbon as their international awareness symbol. We can show our support today by wearing or displaying something blue, and by educating ourselves about autism. Click http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/world-autism-awareness-day to learn more.

Medicaid Expansion in Texas Still Undecided, But The Debates Continue

As the current legislative session draws nearer to close, Texas lawmakers are still debating what to do about Medicaid Expansion. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 offers states the option to expand their existing Medicaid programs to provide health insurance coverage to millions of uninsured adults. Texas has the largest percentage of uninsured adults in the nation at a rate of 20-25%. The federal government would pay 100% of new Medicaid Expansion costs for three years, then gradually reduce their contribution to 90%, leaving states to then sustain the remaining 10%. Unlike other federal programs that mandate sustainability, states unable or unwilling to budget this residual cost will have the choice to opt out.

Opponents argue that Texas cannot afford Medicaid Expansion because of the possibility of increased healthcare costs down the road, and that opting out of the program later would be unfair to Texans by pulling the proverbial rug from under them. Lawmakers are now exploring several other alternatives to straightforward Medicaid Expansion. Those options include using traditional Medicaid block grant money to overhaul the existing Medicaid system, setting up a new state health care system in place of Medicaid, or negotiating with federal lawmakers about how Medicaid Expansion funds could be used differently, such as using private insurers to provide the expanded care or setting up “personal responsibility” measures to offset future costs, such deductibles as co-payments for expanded Medicaid services.

Medicaid matters because it helps people and creates jobs, but it also costs a great deal of money. The important thing right now is that our lawmakers are talking actively and exploring our options. It’s our job as Texans to investigate those options for ourselves, make up our own minds, and then let our legislators and our governor know where we stand. We can surf the Internet, read newspapers, and listen to the news to learn more about Medicaid Expansion in Texas. We can also use the link below to find out who our representatives are and how to contact them.

 

Find Your Texas Representatives

 

Poetry Contest for Adults Who Have Mental Health Disabilities

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Do you or someone you know have a mental health disability and a knack for expressing what that’s like in poetry? The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) announces its Second Annual Statewide Adult Poetry Contest. Entries of 200 words or less submitted to jennifer.swinton@dshs.state.tx.us by May 10, 2013, (or mailed to the DSHS office with postmark of the same) will be considered for prizes, certificates, and online publication.

Please visit the DSHS web site at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/mhsa/awareness/amh/ for full contest rules, mailing address, and other contact information.

Local Vision Awareness Day with Assistive Technology

Learn more about living with vision loss on Tuesday, April 3, 2013. Sponsored by Christal Vision and presented by Freedom Scientific, this seminar will feature hands-on demonstrations of many products useful to people who have low vision, such as adaptive computer software, digital magnifiers, and “talking” devices. Participants will also enjoy FREE learning sessions and a free lunch.

Space is limited, so be sure to register early! Here’s the info:

Date: Tuesday, April 3, 2013Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Location:
United Way of the Brazos Valley
909 Southwest Parkway E., Suite 100
College Station, Texas 77840

Register by Phone: (800) 336-5658
Register by Email: Seminars@FreedomScientific.com
Register Online: www.FreedomScientific.com/Seminars