News and Notes 495 January 19

birgitta.chaiken - Wed, 01/19/2022 - 14:34

In observance of Ed Roberts Day, icon of the disability rights and independent living movements, NARIC has resources for National Mentoring Month to enable experienced advocates with disabilities to help the next generation find their voice in school, workplace, research teams, and the community; This Just In... presents a study by the Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Centers examining the relationship between spasticity and perceived quality of life in individuals with spinal cord injury; Research in Focus looks at the relationship between state-level supports and outcomes for people with traumatic brain injury living in the community; Temple University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Community Living and Participation of People with Serious Mental Illness (TU Collaborative) publishes the 2022 Getting Out of the House Calendar, focused on connecting with people and places in the community; research on falls risk and aging in place from the project Building Capacity to Improve Community Participation for People Aging with Long-Term Disability Through Evidence-Based Strategies was featured in news story on Action News 5 in Memphis, TN; the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Employment of Transition-Age Youth with Disabilities hosts webcast, Collaborations to Support Employment of Transition-Age Youth with Disabilities; the Northeast ADA Regional Center hosts webinar, Looking Back: The Northeast ADA Review of 2021, reviewing what happened in 2021 related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); the Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (KTDRR) hosts webinar, Current Strategies for Updating Systemic Reviews; the Department of Transportation (DOT) hosts two virtual workshops highlighting the ten semifinalists for its Inclusive Design Challenge, with five teams presenting at each session.

Date sent: 
2022-01-19
NARIC news: 

January 23rd is Ed Roberts Day, celebrated by many organizations and state and local governments to honor the life and legacy of this icon of the disability rights and independent living movements. The National Disability Mentoring Coalition and Youth Organizing! Disabled and Proud are joining to honor Mr. Roberts by sharing resources for National Mentoring Month. Mr. Roberts believed in empowering others to become advocates and activists in their own communities. Mentoring is one way for experienced advocates with disabilities to help the next generation find their voice in school (PDF), in the workplace, in research teams (PDF), and in the community.

This Just In: 
Characterizing the experience of spasticity after spinal cord injury: A national survey project of the Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Centers. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. NARIC Accession Number: J87662.
New to the NARIC collection, this NIDILRR-funded study investigated the qualities that individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) associate with their experience of spasticity and examined the relationship between spasticity and perceived quality of life and the perceived value of spasticity management approaches. Respondents indicated that spasms most often occurred in response to movement-related triggering events. However, spontaneous spasms (i.e., no triggering event) were also reported to be among the most common types. Frequency of spasms appears to decline with age. Stiffness associated with spasticity was reported to be more common than spasms. The five most problematic experiences reported were stiffness all day, interference with sleep, painful spasms, perceived link between spasticity and pain, and intensification of pain before a spasm. Respondents indicated spasticity was improved more by stretching and exercise than by antispasmodics. Access the full abstract and ordering information in REHABDATA.
 
Research in Focus: 
For People with TBI, Access to State-Level Supports May Contribute to Better Participation, Life Satisfaction, and Cognitive Function
This week's Research In Focus looks at whether state-level supports may be related to outcomes for people with traumatic brain injury who are living in the community.
 
Resource Highlight: 
2022 Getting Out of the House Calendar
The NIDILRR-funded Temple University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Community Living and Participation of People with Serious Mental Illness (TU Collaborative) (90RTCP0001) published the 2022 Getting Out of the House Calendar (PDF). The calendar is focused on activities outside of the home and connecting with people and places in the community. Each month focuses on a different community participation goal related to getting out of the house, and offers three specific strategies that can support people with serious mental illness to maintain meaningful community connections.
 
News items: 
Falls Research In Focus on Action News
Research on falls risk and aging in place from the NIDILRR-funded project Building Capacity to Improve Community Participation for People Aging with Long-Term Disability Through Evidence-Based Strategies (90DPCP0001), was featured in a news story, Best Life: Ways to keep aging loved ones safe at home, on Action News 5 in Memphis, TN. Principal Investigator Susan Stark, PhD, and Emily Somerville discussed the risks of falling for older adults and some of the common areas that can present opportunities to improve safety in the home.
 
Grantee event: 
Webcast: Collaborations to Support Employment Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities TOMORROW
The NIDILRR-funded Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Employment of Transition-Age Youth with Disabilities (90RTEM0002) will host a webcast, Collaborations to Support Employment Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities, January 20th, 2-3:30 pm ET. Presenters will discuss the results of a scoping review to identify effective collaborative practices for improving the transition to work of youth with disabilities. Presenters will discuss the findings of this study and the important information that the results provide for rehabilitation counselors to engage and assist transition-age youth with disabilities. Registration is free and required.
 
Webinar: Looking Back - The Northeast ADA Review of 2021
The NIDILRR-funded Northeast ADA Regional Center (90DPAD0003) will host a webinar, Looking Back: The Northeast ADA Review of 2021, January 26th, 1-2 pm ET. Presenters will review what happened in 2021 related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including any developments impacting the rights of individuals with disabilities under the ADA. Presenters will also share updates from the center including new projects and resources, who contacted the center most often during the year, and most frequently requested ADA topics. Registration is free and required.
 
Webinar: Current Strategies for Updating Systematic Reviews
The NIDILRR-funded Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (KTDRR) (90DPKT0001) will host a webinar, Current Strategies for Updating Systematic Reviews, January 26th, 2-3 pm ET. Presenters from  international organizations that are well-known and respected for conducting systematic reviews (SRs) will discuss their approaches and strategies for updating SRs. Presenters will discuss the critical part that updating plays in the SR process. Registration is free and required.
 
Elsewhere in the Community: 
Updates from DOT's Inclusive Design Challenge Semifinalists
The Department of Transportation (DOT) will host two virtual workshops highlighting the ten semifinalists for its Inclusive Design Challenge, January 24th, 11:30 am-1 pm, and January 26th, 1:30-3 pm, ET. Five teams will present at each session. Presenters will discuss their designs and progress, and participants may offer real-time feedback. The Challenge aims to generate solutions for people with cognitive, physical, and sensory disabilities to use automated vehicles to access jobs, healthcare, and other critical destinations in their communities. Registration is free and required.
 
Archive link: 
http://www.icontact-archive.com/archive?c=654309&f=1190&s=26993&m=928651&t=635cba0a9267f719dd304fcd1ae764b160681b0bc4432192fe4b80b0dffecb7c