The South Shore ARC is looking for families who would like to host under the Shared Living program. This is a state program that matches up adults with developmental disabilities with "host families."
If you would like to open your home and your heart, please visit the ARC's Shared Living page....
Ice Sledding & Skating at Local Rinks
In this weekend's Boston Globe South section, there is an announcement for gear and ice time availability at local rinks. Several rinks will have ice sleds and skate walkers. Some rinks will have time slots set aside for assisted skating and sled ice hockey.
Here's the link to the article.
And here's the link to...
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Statewide Transition Conference for Parents
The Arc of Massachusetts is holding a transition conference for parents of children with disabilities between the ages of 14 and 22. Attendees will be able to choose from a variety of workshops focused on the best practices of creating seamless transitions from school into the adult world.
The conference will take place from 8:00...
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Department of Public Health Survey on Health Needs for People with Disabilities
This landed in my inbox. It took about 5 minutes to fill it out. Due date is May 31. Here are the details:
Help influence health care in Massachusetts! The Health and Disability Program, part of Office of Health Equity at the MA Department of Public Health (DPH) is conducting a health...
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Helping an SSI Recipient (or Anyone) Manage Money
Do you help someone manage their money? Perhaps you are a representative payee on the Social Security checks of an SSI recipient? Or maybe you are the trustee of a special needs trust?
Would the person whose money you manage – let’s call her the recipient – like to have some...
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Always Keep Time & Expense Records When Helping Another
So many children, nieces and nephews, and good neighbors pitch in to do heavy lifting for an aging or disabled family member or friend. You may be running errands, cleaning out a basement, doing weekly grocery trips. We do these things on a volunteer basis, usually receiving just reimbursement for purchases made. And...
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Write a Letter of Intent for Your Special Needs Child
So you’ve met with the lawyer and signed all the legal documents needed to ensure that your child will be properly cared for after you are gone. Congratulations, that’s an accomplishment to check off your list. But you’re not quite done.
Sit down and write a “letter of intent” to the people you have...
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Who Should We Name as Guardian (or Power of Attorney or Health Care Proxy) for Our Special Needs Child?
As your special needs child turns 18, you need to name advocates to act as her voice on financial, legal, and health care matters. See my post on the need for a guardianship or a Durable Power of Attorney and Health Care Proxy.
The big question is who to name to act as the...
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What Happens to My Special Needs Child’s Health Care Coverage When She Turns 18?
The idea of a special needs kid turning 18 can be scary – that is when she is legally an adult and things start to change. In another post I will address her legal decision-making power. This post looks at health care coverage.
If your child is on your private health insurance policy (i.e.,...
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Oh My Gosh, My Special Needs Child is About to Become a Legal Adult!
Knowing that your special needs child is about to become “of majority age” can strike fear in the heart. If you doubt your child’s ability to make her own financial, legal, and health care decisions, there are a few things you need to do before she turns 18. (If she is already 18 or...
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