As much as all of us just want the pandemic to go away, the COVID-19 variants have added more complications to consider. Among these are the ways we can go about keeping individuals with disabilities and vulnerabilities safe as the variants spread. At this point, over half of Americans have been vaccinated, but unfortunately,…
Happy New Year! Wait…aren’t we a little early (or a lot late) for that greeting? The truth is that for many people, September is the “real” new year, despite what the calendar says. And it’s easy to see why—after all that was traditionally the time we came back to school in a new outfit, maybe…
Little kids. They’re freaky fast. Running, wildly darting back and forth. Wow! Talk about fun. The faster you chase them, the more they laugh. For many parents, the image of bats escaping out of hell says it all. But, fast forward 40-plus years, and running like a kid is a distant memory. That kind…
When we think of back-to-school anxiety, it typically centers on elements like new routines, hectic schedules and whether our kids will find a friend. But those worries sound almost quaint, as we consider “back to school 2021.” In fact, just over 70% of parents said they saw either a large or moderate risk in sending…
By Fred Schott Editor’s Note: In this third post from The Council for Disability Awareness’ research files, Fred Schott reviews the trends seen around delayed or forgone medical care (due to the pandemic) during July 2020 and February 2021. July 2020 The U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey revealed a great deal about the pandemic’s impact…
By Carol Harnett Editor’s Note: The Council for Disability Awareness – led by Fred Schott and its research committee – has closely monitored the impact of mental health on short-term, long-term, and individual disability claims for several years. Given the exponential increase in attention the pandemic and recent societal events brought to this topic, we…
By Cheryl Jones, Director of Mindfulness at Aetna As if the intensity of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic with its health and economic implications wasn’t enough, we now find ourselves in the midst of rising racial and political tensions. It feels as though our sanity and our humanity are at risk. I believe mindfulness (awareness that…
Living with a disability does not mean you’re exempt from fitness activities. In fact, if you have just recently been diagnosed with a disability, exercising can help you cope and live a more rewarding and fulfilling life. Being active and fit has proven to not just improve physical well-being, but mental and emotional fitness, as…
By Fred Schott In March 2021 I wrote a conversation-based CDA blog post with Ian Bridgman, executive director of The Claim Lab and a Council for Disability Awareness Board member, about the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on working Americans’ mental health. Bridgman indicated he was surprised with one trend in particular: “One of the data items…
A disability – whether an injury, illness, or affliction – can be debilitating for people in any occupation. And they’re very hard to predict, meaning that someone can get hurt on or off the job anytime, anywhere. That’s where disability insurance comes in. Disability insurance ensures that you won’t suffer financially, should you become temporarily…
