by Isabella Bloom, The Sacramento Bee/TNS / Disability Scoop | July 28, 2021 David Katz, who has autism, stands with his mother Betsy Katz at his home in Rocklin, Calif. David Katz lives by himself with the aid of direct support professionals, but his parents had difficulty finding workers to fill shifts during the pandemic. (Daniel… Continue reading Disability Service Providers Face ‘Unprecedented’ Labor Shortage
Month: July 2021
Mom Of Child With Autism Started T-Shirt And Vending Business For 1 Reason: Routine
by Chanel Stitt, Detroit Free Press/TNS | July 27, 2021 DETROIT — MyKail Moultrie, 4, and Miguel Moultrie, 2, spend much of their time playing outside or going to behavioral therapy and school. But they’re also helping their mom run a business. Packaging T-shirts is a part of their family’s routine on Mondays when the kids… Continue reading Mom Of Child With Autism Started T-Shirt And Vending Business For 1 Reason: Routine
You Are Worth It!
As I have been talking about the need of a good foundation of Mental Health this week. It has came to light of US Olympian Simone Biles abruptly leaving the Olympics to focus on her care. This post is to show there is no shame in getting care.
Wellness Wednesday: No Health Without Mental Health
This week I want to share my mental health story during the COVID Pandemic. I feel this is important to the wellness of everyone in the autistic community both individuals and those serving them. Remember, there is no health without mental health.
Concentrating On COVID: Yes, We Still Have To Worry
The past few Tuesdays I did stray away from the COVID course and talk about employment. However, I feel as if I need to return to the topic of COVID again as it is becoming more relevant in recent days.
Adutling: How Important is Time
Last week, I had one of my providers that visits home arrive for our weekly appointment breathing heavily because he ran up the steps to my house for fear, I would be upset he did not arrive at the scheduled time. While as a child I did get upset if someone coming to my home to see me was a more than a minute late, that is no longer the case as I have built up the flexibility to understand that things don’t happen as they are planned.
A Parent’s Love is Never-Ending
Recently in browsing my social media accounts, I came across an autism mom blogger that shared a graphic of a quote that states that autism doesn’t come with a manual, rather it come with a parent who never gives up, While I may haven’t always seen eye to eye with what my parents thought I should have done, they have always sought out my best interests while making sure I was remaining safe.
Wellness Wednesday: The Need to Be Active
This past week has been a learning lesson for sure. I did walk some, but I didn’t walk to the degree that I had in the past weeks. On top of that my food choices were not that great. I have been for the past few weeks on a slippery slope with my weight loss, and as a result, I broke my fifteen-week losing streak and gained some of the weight back. The principal factor of me doing this was due to the fact that I have chosen to not be as active and allow me to overeat too much of the not so good foods with just making up any sort of rationale that I could satisfy myself with.
#HireAutisticAdults: Keep Us Engaged
In recent years, there have been a number of initiatives to hire autistic adults as they age out of high school, because they oftentimes need a solid day of structured activity. This doesn’t mean that they are meaningless people. It’s just that they need to put their creative juices to work.
Adulting: Maintaining Order
Another amazing week is on the horizon and I am all set for the week. I say that I am all set for the week because everything in my habitat is neat and orderly. It is a stereotype that autistics are all obsessively compulsive about everything. While we do have fascination on the things we do enjoy, it is likely that we do not specifically have a fascination on the things we must complete in our daily lives.
Decisions, Decisions
As we know in the autistic world, the age one becomes an adult is 18, at least by law they do. They can mostly make their own decisions that they see fit. But are they making the best decisions? That’s what a live and learn has to be when one has to experience those personal freedoms.
Union Station News; Volume 1, Issue 4; July 14, 2021
Note: As part of my Day Program, I contribure to the program's newsletter. In june 2021, that Newsletter transitoned to a monthly basis as much of the elements of the program are back to a in-person status. My Second 5K Walk was a wake-up call to be more positive spent Independence Day participating in another… Continue reading Union Station News; Volume 1, Issue 4; July 14, 2021
Wellness Wednesday: Temptation Distraction
This week in the wellness department has been a challenge for me. Results haven’t proven as well and the drive to keep going was lacking earlier last week, even one day, temptation drove me away from the goal in mind of walking, something I know is a must do in my fight to continue to lose weight in this journey.
#HireAutisticAdults: Wanting to Work
Oftentimes when we try to relate autistics with being employed, autistics and employers alike often think it is impossible. I at times think I don’t want to work and like many others think it is easier to become a vegetable. But what good what that do?
Adulting: Positivity
As an autistic, it can be hard at times to maintain a positive outlook on life. Being independent can deter this greatly to the point that negativity brews until you have an outlet, specifically a person that supports you to vent this too. It can be a challenge for them to hear your constant rants of negativity time and time again. Therefore, it is essential to have a positive outlook on your life, come whatever circumstances one may experience.
Wellness Wednesday: The Motivation Point
Monday, I competed in my second 5K competitive walk this year.While I had my concerns that brought a great amount of intense fear, I to the contrary (like many things I do) did quite well.
#HireAutisticAdults: Working Is Beneficial
Tired of focusing my Tuesday blog posts toward the gloom and doom of COVID. I have decided to re-shift Tuesday’s focus towards the need to hire autistic adults.
Adulting: It’s OK To Try New Things
Throughout my life I have experienced many bouts of anxiety when presented the opportunity when something different presents itself. Oftentimes it throws me into this catastrophic fear that something bad is going to happen, when in reality once I do it, I know that it is the best thing for me to do and that I will have a blast doing it.
It’s OK in Your Space
This week, I have shared a few Tik Tok’s about being diagnosed in the 1990s and not knowing some autism behaviors that are common today. We just did them, we didn’t know the jargon that is used for them today. One must also understand that given one’s space it needs to be their safe space and they are free to express themselves in the way they wish.
Dustin's Dynasty 