What is it like living with a disability? Veterans share

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 11:08:25 -0400
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In our post-9/11 experience, we have more people, including more veterans, who have survived traumatic events and are navigating life with a disability. Here are two examples:

Life with an invisible disability: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: https://youtu.be/XFBlfzVveao *

Life after an injury: https://youtu.be/igIkKmMzuS4 *

Both videos include the journey from "before" to their current lived experience, including family caregiver perspectives. Some of the experiences are similar for people who have survived trauma resulting in disability, such as being hit by a car as a pedestrian. Both videos include people who may come to a campus for academic, work, and event purposes. What are the strategies they use to be successful that might work at UMBC?

Find support and ask for help.

When an incoming or current undergraduate or graduate student is working with a licensed health care professional (including VA providers) accommodations for academic life are requested through Student Disability Services: https://sds.umbc.edu. The student accommodation process is available online through the website and is described here: https://sds.umbc.edu/accommodations/registering-with-sds/

Students seeking local support can reach out to the Counseling Center and University Health Services

Employees with disabilities may also request work-related accommodations. The process is available here: https://accessibility.umbc.edu/employee-accommodation-request/

For others who might want to help - the person with a disability takes the lead with asking for accommodation as a matter of respect and dignity. They are students and employees here because they have the qualifications for the role. Accommodations are handled confidentially, so it is entirely possible that a classmate, workmate or a bystander might be the nth person to offer unsolicited advice for something that is well-covered. How new is the person to their health condition? How new are they to UMBC? Is this related to your role with the person with a disability? How new is a potential ally to working with someone with a disability? This linked video helps those who are very new to engaging with people with disabilities. Do what you would do with anyone on campus: be present, listen, and reflect before acting, and ask the person involved. If it's a technical question, the disability professionals on campus are only a phone call away: 410-455-2459 or 410-455-5745.

Self-Care

Self-care on campus can include a variety of activities that are part of the UMBC Wellness Initiative: https://wellness.umbc.edu/ and are available to people of all abilities. Some activities include taking a Zumba or Yoga class, as well as using the weight room or going for a swim at the RAC (the pools have lifts). Taking a walk around the loop or on the CERA trail. Accessing resources through the Counseling Center, such as the Mind Spa is an option.

Connecting with people who know the journey, including successes and struggles, can also be a part of self-care. UMBC Student Veterans have more information and resources on their website: https://veterans.umbc.edu/

Getting busy with other people can also help, and there are several service and social action student organizations listed here for joining or volunteering: https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/studentorgs including Retrievets some are health-related such as Red Cross and UMBC-NAMI, and much, much more. Just like they say on the airplane, take care of your own oxygen first.

Take good care, all!

As a community that cares, accessibility concerns, may be reported here: https://accessibility.umbc.edu/report-campus-accessibility-concern/ If it is a repair, call it in to Work Control first: 410-455-2550, as they coordinate sending out the repairpersons.

*Both videos are from Sesame Street in the Community resources and are accessible for adults. Their work is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEgW3r4ytXwd9UfQySv_Nw and includes many, many videos that often involve muppets