We meet the lifetime legal needs of children and adults with disabilities, the elderly, and their families.
The United States Supreme Court is trying to determine exactly what level of benefit a public school is required to provide to its students with disabilities in order to comply with the Federal IDEA. Does a school have to show that each student is making “substantial progress?” Or “meaningful progress?” Since this case has such great importance, there are many…
The past three years have seen developments which are leading to sweeping, radical changes to the system of services for persons with developmental disabilities (DD). Many families have become confused and anxious about these changes. While we cannot remove anxiety about how the system will evolve over the next few years, we can offer some clarity about why the changes…
On August 1, 2016, Ohio changed its Medicaid regulations regarding the treatment of the home. Federal and State Medicaid laws recognize that the family home is often times the largest asset of an individual, and Medicaid rules account for the reality that the family home is critical to the well-being of a spouse, a child, or other family members. Still,…
So many of my clients ask me which school district is the best for students with disabilities. That’s a really tough question to answer! I’ve had families who are very happy with a district’s services for their disabled child in the same city where I’ve had many complaints and, conversely, I have clients who are disappointed with the offerings of…
Many of my clients are caregivers. They are often caregiving for their children with disabilities or for their elderly parents. Others are more distant relatives who have taken it upon themselves to care for their loved one. Although their situations vary greatly, I see many recurring themes. I see strength, compassion, and selflessness on a grand scale. I see struggle,…
So many of my clients ask for suggestions on alternative schooling options for their child with special needs. It can be very time consuming and often not very productive for parents to do Internet searches to find out what’s out there. So, as I have the opportunity to check some of these places out, I’ll send out little blurbs to…
Twenty years ago, strength training in children with cerebral palsy was discouraged, as it was assumed that it would increase spasticity (tight/stiff muscles and the inability to control them). However, this was not supported by the results of earlier studies, which showed that strength training can actually improve lower-limb muscle strength in children with CP, without increasing spasticity. Current research…
For years, I have been helping people complete durable powers of attorney for healthcare, living wills, and do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders. Collectively, these documents are called “advance directives.” They give directions about the care desired in advance of the need for that care. Advance directives allow you to select whether or not you want your healthcare providers to stop giving you…
Anyone who buys clothes for someone with special needs knows how difficult it is to find fashionable clothes that work. The good news is that another big retailer, Tommy Hilfiger, has introduced a line of apparel that is made specifically for those with special needs! Their adaptive clothing line is just as fashionable as the rest of their clothes, except…
If you or a loved one are elderly and might need long term care in the near future, 2015 was a year to forget. The Ohio Supreme Court decided two cases that set back long term care planning for Ohio’s middle class elderly population and presented new obstacles to protecting one’s retirement and/or home. These two cases were Atkinson and…