Public apathy and misconceptions about the disabled are robbing society of a valuable resource as millions of potentially productive Canadians are sidelined by disabilities that in no way reflect their intelligence, experience or ability to contribute to the community.

Accustomed to being treated with civility and respect, the author, who began her journey into disability at age 29, has been shocked to learn that much of society continues to view persons of disability as, at best, stupid and, at worst, "things" rather than human beings. Both personal experience and communication with other disabled persons have underscored the author's conviction that many otherwise considerate people tend to treat disabled persons with condescension, even hostility.

Wheelchair bound and experiencing progressive loss of mobility, speech, vision and hearing, the author has nonetheless retained her ability to think clearly and to express her vision of a society where disabled persons are seen as persons first and disabled second. Concerned that government policies and programs, no matter how well intentioned, are often misdirected, she calls for a two-pronged public education campaign aimed at teaching disabled persons to value themselves while encouraging society, including caregivers, the helping professions, government policy makers and the general public, to rethink attitudes toward those with visible disabilities.

This book is published by International Academic Press and distributed by Trafford Publishing, Victoria, BC, Canada.

Modern medicine and technology combined with better standards of living have resulted in people living longer and we now see the emergence of a new and larger group of people, who due to congenital or childhood disability have lived with their disability surviving into old age. Secondary medical conditions, such as respiratory illness, renal failure, accidents, infections and depression and barriers to medical care prevented most of these people from experiencing their true life expectancy. The population of persons with life long disability, together with the general population getting older who as a result of old age now have a disability (or more than one), challenge the servive providers and planners, who now have to face the problem of aging with a disability. Both the general population aging and the person with a life long disability have common issues and would both profit from knowledge, experience and research in this field.

In this book you will find the following issues discussed and research presented:

• Quality of care in residential care centers
• Health active aging
• Health aspects
• Pain in older people
• Specific health problems
• Loss and end of life issues
• Aging in specific populations
• Older people with dementia
• Policy issues

This book provides educational information for children 5 to 9 years of age. Using actual photographs, this book allows children to truly understand what an amputation is and to learn about artificial limbs and devices. Teachers can use all the books from this series in a theme about amputation, handicaps and bullying. They can be used to develop empathy and to promote inclusion in the classroom. Inclusion is a way of thinking and acting that allows every individual to feel accepted. It is important to value all children and make them feel safe. The books can also be used by parents in their homes to teach their children these same and very important values.

Other books in this series:
My New Prosthesis
My Special Arm
My Artificial Limb and Me
Kyle Plays Hockey I’m a CHAMP
I Can Manage

DISPONIBLE EN FRANÇAIS

This book provides educational information for children 5 to 9 years of age. Using actual photographs, this book allows children to truly understand what an amputation is and to learn about artificial limbs and devices. Teachers can use all the books from this series in a theme about amputation, handicaps and bullying. They can be used to develop empathy and to promote inclusion in the classroom. Inclusion is a way of thinking and acting that allows every individual to feel accepted. It is important to value all children and make them feel safe. The books can also be used by parents in their homes to teach their children these same and very important values.

Other books in this series:
My New Prosthesis
My Special Arm
My Artificial Limb and Me
Kyle Plays Hockey
Kyle Plays Sports
I’m a CHAMP
I Am Big

DISPONIBLE EN FRANÇAIS

This book provides educational information for children 5 to 9 years of age. Using actual photographs, this book allows children to truly understand what an amputation is and to learn about artificial limbs and devices. Teachers can use all the books from this series in a theme about amputation, handicaps and bullying. They can be used to develop empathy and to promote inclusion in the classroom. Inclusion is a way of thinking and acting that allows every individual to feel accepted. It is important to value all children and make them feel safe. The books can also be used by parents in their homes to teach their children these same and very important values.

Other books in this series:
My New Prosthesis
My Special Arm
My Artificial Limb and Me
Kyle Plays Hockey
Kyle Plays Sports
I Can Manage
I Am Big

DISPONIBLE EN FRANÇAIS

Ce livre fournit de l’information pédagogique pour les enfants de 5 à 9 ans. En utilisant des photos réelles, l’album aide les enfants à comprendre ce qu’est une amputation et à apprendre au sujet des membres artificiels. Les enseignants peuvent utiliser tous les livres de cette collection dans un thème qui traite des amputations, des handicaps et de l’intimidation. Ces livres peuvent développer l’empathie et aider à promouvoir l’inclusion. L’inclusion permet à chaque individu de se sentir accepté. Il est important de valoriser tous les enfants et s’assurer qu’ils se sentent en sécurité. Les livres peuvent également être utilisés par les parents à la maison pour enseigner à leurs enfants ces valeurs très importantes.

Livres dans la collection:
Ma nouvelle prothèse
Mon bras spécial
Mon bras artificiel et moi
Kyle joue au hockey
Kyle fait du sport
Je suis VAINQUEUR
Je suis grand

AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH

This memoir, a reflection on her over 40 years of working with children and adults with intellectual disabilities, is a call to action for our society to consider the welfare of all, not only the able bodied.

Creative Caring is the story of how Renee and Stan turned the challenges their family faced into triumph. But even more, it’s the story of how they succeeded in creating a more generous and nurturing environment for an entire population who has much to contribute to the world around them