Seminars@hadley - Independent Living

Social Security is responsible for two major programs that provide benefits based on disability: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which is based on prior work under Social Security, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) where payments are made on the basis of financial need. Some times there is confusion about which program is more appropriate for an individual or what benefits are available from each. Valerie Williams, Project Director/Community Work Incentive Coordinator, with Austin Resource Center for Independent Living and Mandy Lomax, Area Work Incentive Coordinator, with the Social Security Administration discuss the basics of both programs and clarify the benefits of each.

Betty Huffman and Roni Sue Thompson, Shopping Masters (that's one stage beyond Shop-aholics), talk about how to improve the shopping experience. They'll share tips and techniques to benefit blind shoppers as well as professionals who teach the principles of independent living.

Are you thinking about obtaining a dog guide or are you a dog guide user who'd like to hear others' experiences? Are you a person who's not sure of the proper etiquette when interacting with dog guide users and dog guides? Then, hop on the Tale Wagon because Dog Guide Tales are just for you! Seasoned dog guide users Becky Barnes, Ann Foxworth, Patti Jacobson and Franklin Johnson share their dog guide tales. Some are funny and some are practical. All are entertaining!

Harry Cordellos is totally blind. He is also a world class athlete who has competed in Ironman Triathlons, skied with the Cypress Gardens water ski team, carried Olympic Torches for two Olympic Games, swum the Golden Gate Channel and run in over 150 marathons. Harry also ice skates, golfs, snow skis, plays ping pong, bowls and jumps off 10-meter boards. He was the first blind person to complete the arduous Hawaii Ironman Triathlon and holds the national record time for blind marathon runners. But Harry wasn't always such a bold sportsman.

It's easy to see why having and understanding healthy self-esteem is important. Dr. Dean Tuttle, Hadley Instructor Naomi Tuttle, and Hadley Texas Outreach Coordinator Billy Brookshire discuss self-esteem: What is it? How does blindness affect it? What are its components? How can practitioners and individuals influence it?

Do you want to increase your independence and fully participate in employment and community life? Have you considered training at a rehabilitation center but just haven’t taken the next step? Excellent comprehensive vocational rehabilitation training centers work in partnership with consumers to help you achieve employment and independent living goals and are committed to providing positive learning environments that afford the opportunity to develop skills, confidence and a positive attitude toward blindness. Join Seminars@Hadley as Ed Kunz, director of the Criss Cole Rehabilitation Center in Austin, TX and Julie Deden, executive director of the Colorado Center for the Blind offer expert advice about what to consider in choosing a comprehensive rehabilitation center that meets your individual needs.

Light is the way that images get into our eyes, allowing us to see. Most of us recognize that too little light makes it difficult to see or see well, but too much light or light from the wrong direction can reduce one’s ability to see just as dramatically. In this presentation, Marshall Flax, a Certified Low Vision Therapist working for the Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired of Madison, WI, will discuss the different types of lighting and how to control lighting both indoors and outdoors. This information is useful for people with low vision, family members and professionals working in the field of rehabilitation and low vision therapy.

Join Seminars@Hadley as we discuss taking the leap from high school to college or university life. Presenters Susan Dalton, Transition Specialist from Illinois Bureau of Blind Services, and Linn Sorge, Instructor at Hadley School for the Blind, will address a variety of topics relating to preparing for college, skills necessary for success, support services available and what high school students can do now to get ready for this exciting new adventure. This hour-long seminar will be moderated by Hadley Senior Vice President Dawn Turco. Time will be provided for questions and answers.

Socializing can be tough in unfamiliar settings. People unfamiliar with visual impairments can often present challenges. Be it at a party or get-together, work related conference or meeting, or just mingling with others when venturing out somewhere new, how do you grab the attention of the group? How do you meet people and become included? Does nonverbal communication and body language impact participation? Are you comfortable with table etiquette when dining out? Join us as we share strategies and techniques for "being a part of it all." Join us for this Seminars@Hadley as we share solutions with presenters Doug Anzlovar, Patti Jacobson, and Sue Melrose, all Hadley School faculty and lifelong "socializers."

This webinar will be a hard hitting examination of tools and techniques employed by persons who are blind to avoid becoming a victim in a self-defense situation. Presenters Larry Lewis, successful businessman and “black belt” in Taekwondo, and Hadley safety courses instructor Ed Haines lead this discussion looking at attitudes and behaviors that increase survival, and suggest strategies to create maximum personal control over potentially dangerous places and people. Specific physical techniques based in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will be presented with an emphasis on how this martial art may be successfully utilized without vision. Both presenters bring many years of martial arts discipline to the discussion as well as a deep interest in how self defense practices can be made relevant to persons with blindness or vision impairments.

"Just can’t wait to get on the road again….Goin’ places that I’ve never been…" Whether you are planning a vacation for yourself or your family, or if you teach independent living skills to people who are blind or visually impaired, join Seminars@Hadley for this lively discussion just in time for the summer travel season. The session will bring you the expertise of Ginger Irwin, Hadley instructor, Sue Melrose, Hadley instructor, parent and experienced blind traveler, Dawn Turco, Hadley senior vice president and low vision traveler.

Your vision may not be what it was but you are not blind. Some days are better than others and you are always confronted with different visual challenges. To make things worse, your friends and family members do not quite understand that visual abilities range widely from perfect 20/20 vision to total blindness. Join us for Seminars@Hadley as we present "Aging and Low Vision" with Bryan Gerritsen, an orientation and mobility specialist and a certified low vision therapist.

Playing the dating game? A little stumped? Join us for Seminars@Hadley on Thursday, January 15 at 7PM CST, 1:00 GMT as we discuss finding your ideal mate, online dating, and do's and don'ts of getting to know a special someone. Bring questions to this hour long seminar, led by Hadley staff members Azim, Josie, and Allen.

Join us as Seminars@Hadley presents "Challenges of a Parent Who is Visually Impaired." Unique obstacles are common among parents who are visually impaired compared to their sighted peers. Join us as Seminars@Hadley discusses common issues and strategies used by others. Discuss ways to monitor your children's safety, help them with homework, manage transportation, and more. Presenters include L. Penny Rosenblum, Ph.D. and Hadley instructor Susan Melrose.

Are you pursuing your first job or considering a career change? Are you struggling with major life decisions? If so, you are most certainly not alone. Join Seminars@Hadley on Saturday, May 31, at 1 PM CST, 18:00 GMT, as we explore ideas that support sound personal decisions with Richard Nelson Bolles, the author of the best-selling job-hunting book in history, "What Color Is Your Parachute?" Richard will join Chuck Young, president of Hadley, to discuss creative resources and strategies everyone can use to achieve personal goals. Richard Nelson Bolles is acknowledged as "America's top career expert" by Modern Maturity Magazine, "the one responsible for the renaissance of the career counseling profession in the United States over the past decade" by Money Magazine, and "the most widely read and influential leader in the whole career planning field" by the U.S. Law Placement Assn.

Thinking about spring cleaning or perhaps some redecorating? Visual impairment shouldn't keep you from creating a space that reflects your personal style. Join Seminars@Hadley as we discuss interior design and organizational tips that you may want to use in your own surroundings. This seminar is also open to family members and blindness professionals. This seminar will discuss aesthetic design, improving the layout and function of a room, and creating the spaces' mood in a harmonious way. Use of color, arranging a floor plan, mixing patterns and textures, and organizing your space will be discussed. Bring your ideas and questions to share with Hadley instructors Julie Lee Kay and Susan Melrose. Dawn Turco, senior vice president at Hadley, will monitor discussion.

Join us for Hadley's next Seminars@Hadley as we help you explore many questions about dog guides. Jay Stiteley, associate manager of The Seeing Eye in Morristown, New Jersey, explains what navigating your environment is like with a dog guide. He will describe how the dogs are trained, explain how dogs and handlers are matched and talk about the considerations of and responsibilities associated with having a dog guide. He will describe the variety of training options available. You will learn what questions to ask to determine whether or not a dog guide might be an option for you. Dog user and Hadley instructor, Patti Jacobson, will tell you about Hadley's upcoming course "Guide Dogs." Time for questions and answers will be provided.

Hadley staff Patti Jacobson and Tom Tobin will share their cooking and entertaining expertise to help make your summer entertaining the best ever with topics such as: how to buy a grill, prepare for an outdoor party, select the best foods for grilling and get your backyard or patio "party-ready." They will also share important tips on keeping your party fun and safe.

This 90-minute interactive seminar will be presented by an instructor from the Hadley School and will provide an overview of emergency preparedness strategies and a framework for developing your own comprehensive safety plan. Among some of the disasters the seminar will cover will be how to respond in the event of a fire, tornado, flood or earthquake. Resources like phone numbers and Web sites will be provided to ensure future safety precautions.

Avoid the frenzy of the stores this holiday season and shop at your convenience from the comfort of your own home. This one-hour interactive seminar will be presented by three of Hadley's visually impaired staff. They will share tips for safeguarding your computer, protecting your identity and making secure transactions while shopping online. Techniques and resources ranging from retail stores to online auctions to travel sites will be discussed.