Through this transitional employment program, Easterseals partners with community-based non-profit organizations and government agencies to provide participants with training opportunities to update their skills. During time in SCSEP, job seekers work with Easterseals staff to target and achieve personal employment goals. We are here to help break barriers as it relates to mature job seekers and get them what they need by whatever means necessary — access to technology, increased access to training, and employment opportunities. My experience that led me to remote work and remote learning is common among the disabled community. Remote opportunities are vital for people like me, who cannot drive, who do not have PCAs, nurses, or a slew of other reasons that make in-person learning/work impossible. Remote options open more opportunities for education and employment to people in the disabled community.
During the pandemic, our Easterseals staff had to pivot to working virtually. What's more amazing is that our job seekers also pivoted to virtual as well. Many of our mature job seekers learned Teams, and Zoom. Easterseals Oregon has a weekly town hall where over 100 mature job seekers are on Zoom, in the chat box, and actively participating. Our mature job seekers have bounced into a state of resiliency.
That was really a testament to how they learned and how they continue to learn. Clinica Family Health is a community health center, a medical safety net for those who otherwise might fall through the cracks of the American health care system. For more than 40 years, Clinica has existed to provide health care to the individuals and families in our community at a price they can afford. Clinica is prepared to offer COVID-19 booster shots for all eligible patients when formal guidance is provided.
We will provide further information as we learn more. It's important to note, that just because it's possible to learn/work remotely, it doesn't always mean that it's automatically accessible. I urge people with disabilities to constantly advocate for their accessibility needs. Additionally, institutions and companies, with and without remote options, must constantly evaluate their accessibility.
We tell job seekers that you have a lot to offer an employer. Highlight what you bring to the table– years of experience, being on time, dedication to getting the job done. We always tell mature seekers to know that they are an asset, rather than an "older worker." I always tell job-seekers that it's a numbers game. The more places you apply to, the closer you get to your launching point. The next job could be a stepping stone to another career!
If there is one thing the SCSEP program does, it really works to improve people's confidence and let them know that they have a lot of self-worth to bring back to the workforce. That confidence is what we work to instill in everybody. This program includes prevention, screening, early intervention and treatment services for children and their parents/caregivers. As noted in the Easterseals Study on the Impact of COVID-19 on People with Disabilities, many disabled people may not have access to broadband internet and technologies needed to pursue remote learning or work. It's important we, as a society, meet those challenges for full diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. At Easterseals, this is something we are committed to.
I need to mention that people with different disabilities might not have the same positive experiences as I did with remote learning. Everyone learns differently, and everyone has different accessibility needs. However, in my experience, remote learning was beneficial to my accessibility and learning needs. I found remote learning more accessible to my needs, and so I feel like the quality was better. I retained more of what I was studying because I didn't have to worry about all these extra ableist, inaccessible things that weighed so heavily on me during my undergraduate experience. Unfortunately, accessibility, even when it's officially regulated, is still largely at the discretion of nondisabled people.
Even though I received services and supports from the disability department for my undergraduate degree, I still encountered ableist professors, and had difficulties navigating the campus. When I went to school for my bachelor's degree in 2001, I lived on campus and drove my wheelchair to and from class every day. We are always looking at ways to increase the reach of SCSEP because, with the funding that we get, we are serving probably less than 1% of the population that would be eligible for SCSEP.
So, there are a lot of people out there who probably don't know about the program, or we can't serve them because we don't have the funding to do that. It's kind of a shame because we are the only program that serves older Americans and mature workers. Moving forward with the job market, it's been interesting. Depending on how open your state is, job-seekers are pivoting to a virtual experience. We are working more to make sure their toolboxes are equipped with the skills necessary to become employable, that relates to virtual employment. We have training and workshops on how to show up to virtual meetings, and have a Zoom background.
We also have mature trainers who can speak side by side about their experiences in navigating through the pandemic. We have had a lot of successes, but we still have quite a way to go. Mature job seekers want to be active and vibrant; they want to be involved in community engagement. A lot of careers that our SCSEP participants are closely connected to, during this season in their life, are around community service, non-profit, and social services—because they want to give back. It's a sense of belonging that they never knew they had. Because they love to give back and they love to help.
You can now schedule your own telehealth appointment with Clinic Family Health. Click the button below to make a medical, dental or behavioral health appointment. You can now schedule your own medical, dental and behavioral health appointments at all Clinica Family Health locations. Clinica Family Health is now offering video telehealth appointments to our patients.
Instead of just talking with your medical provider on the phone, you can now connect through a secure video connection. This allows you to virtually see and talk with your provider in real-time just like you would in the clinic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , with the support of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration , is recommending additional COVID-19 vaccines for people who have a weak immune system. Patients who are being treated for cancer, who have received an organ transplant or those with other severe illnesses that impact the immune system qualify for the third dose. Clinica is now providing third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to these patients.
If you have questions about getting a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, please ask a member of your health team. Therefore, I started looking for online programs to pursue my master's degree in English. At first, finding the right online program that would lead to an accessible career for me was difficult. That meant, for a long time, I lived on SSI and any freelance writing gigs I could find.
I did not have the financial freedom I wanted, and I hated having to ask my folks to help pay for my student loans. "Now I have to figure out where to put this," I thought out loud to myself during our first venture to our side of the pool. I wanted to set my white cane down by our ladder while we were swimming, but I worried someone might move it. I could fold it up and attach it to the side of the ladder.
That way, we'd know the ladder with the cane was the one that led to our suite. No one would be able to move it, and it wouldn't get lost. This video by Perkins School for the Blind shows how a white cane can be folded up and attached places. This worked out well and served as almost a public service announcement that we were blind.
Other guests would approach us in the pool and ask if we needed anything . One nice man even came up to us to tell us that the pool was pretty crowded, so if we got turned around there would be several people available to help us. One time I was in the pool by myself, and when a woman saw me climb the ladder and feel for my cane, she came up to me and politely asked, "Excuse me, are you looking for your cane?
Not only did she call it a cane , but she asked me if I needed help rather than just assuming I did. On most mornings, we'd order room service for breakfast and eat outside. Afternoons were spent lounging by the pool, and sure enough, using the rocks as a landmark worked out beautifully. I used my cane in my right hand while holding Juan's hand in my left, trailing around the table and chairs and the lounge bed before reaching some grass.
After a short trek through the grass, we'd come across the rocks, and to the left of that was the ladder. I'd hit the ladder with my cane a few times so Juan would hear where it was. This year we'd all decided to go to the Excellence Riviera Cancun.
A friend who is blind had his honeymoon there, but his wife could see, so I didn't honestly think to ask him about how accessible and accommodating the resort was. My parents had been there a few times and spoke highly of the customer service they received there, so my expectations were pretty high. The pandemic highlighted that our population definitely needs more access to technology because, for some of them, getting on to the internet might be an issue. Going forward, we need to make sure we can find funding or find opportunities for folks to get computers.
Mature workers are reliable, they are dependable, experienced, and trustworthy. They add so much value to any company or organization. A lot of times mature job-seekers are cross-trained over the younger generation with the soft skills that are especially important in the workforce such as being extremely punctual, and having interpersonal people skills. That is an area that our mature job-seekers can ace their younger counterparts in. For more than 100 years, we have worked tirelessly with our partners to enhance quality of life and expand local access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities. And, we won't rest until every one of us is valued, respected, and accepted.
We apologize for the difficulty you experience when attempting to reach us through our call center. Due to a HIGH volume of calls each day, made worse by the pandemic, we are experiencing long hold times, dropped calls and difficulty reaching the right person in a timely manner. The most challenging thing to adapt to while remote learning (and working!) is my loud family who doesn't quite understand, "shh, I'm working/studying! " Somehow their voices always carry through two closed doors.
Sometimes, staying focused amidst that can be a challenge. So many opportunities became available for people looking for work, especially adults with disabilities. Since we are a national organization, I look at all of our programs like a family. They all bring different things to the table, but the part that really keeps me motivated and going is getting to share in their triumphs.
Meeting with the participants that we serve, and listening to their stories, getting to talk to them, and let them know that we are here at the national level to help. Improving the internet and cyber infrastructure would open that up to more communities and give our folks more opportunities to get involved, to look for employment, and to be able to be more a part of their communities. In the Build Back Better Agenda, there is funding for the SCSEP programs in there and hopefully it will get through appropriations – keeping our fingers crossed. Moving forward, hopefully there is more funding coming down the pipeline for employment-based programs that SCSEP does benefit from. Today and every day, Easterseals Michigan is leading the way to full equity, inclusion, and access through life-changing disability and community services.
Get the health care you need from the safety of your home. Deciding to get the vaccine to protect against Covid-19 is a big decision — for our patients, for community members and for Clinica staff. Click the button below to read stories from our staff about why they decided to get the Covid-19 vaccine. Clinica exists to be the medical and dental care provider of choice for low-income and other underserved people in south Boulder, Broomfield and west Adams counties. Our care shall be culturally appropriate and prevention focused.
Please check the calendar below for upcoming vaccine events and to schedule your appointment. We want to provide you with the best possible customer service. Thank you for your patience and for entrusting Clinica Family Health with the health of this community. Clinica Family Health is here to help you feel better. We offer convenient, affordable non-emergency medical care for patients without an appointment.
The pandemic showed that productivity of remote work is still high, in many cases higher, because folks are more comfortable in their own homes. People don't have to waste time and stress in traffic. Employee mental and physical well-being leads to success. Mike went to the other side then, and a staff member opened the door. Two staff members were usually at each side of the duplex, but this time only one staff member was there to take care of both sides.
When Mike explained that we'd tried to call, she apologized and said she'd just realized the phone was knocked off the hook. Finding doctors and dentists who are willing to treat people like Gus is not always easy. When our friends ask how our trip went, both of us excitedly tell them about the great service, and how this would be an ideal vacation spot for blind and visually impaired individuals.
Not only is it great that it's all inclusive (so once you arrive, there's so much to do that you don't need to leave the resort), but the staff is very friendly and more than happy to help. Those of you who have read my previous posts here on the Easterseals National blog will not be surprised to hear I was there every day. One morning, Juan and I decided to try and see if someone from the hotel would be willing to escort us there, not wanting to rely on my parents or sisters to walk us. We called the front desk, and when Juan explained we were both blind and asked if someone would be willing to assist us. " They were very prompt and at our door in about 5 minutes.
This quickly became a part of our morning routine. As far as employment, we did have a streak going prior to the pandemic – we were getting a participant a job a day for 5 straight years! When the pandemic hit, we were getting a job every other day. In 2021, we are getting back on track with getting a job a day for our participants, which is exciting. We are keeping our fingers crossed that continues. Our folks have great attitudes, and they are very trainable.
They know the importance of learning because that's how you keep going in life. I look at it this way – they may think they are old, but, from the perspective of the universe, we are all super young. Also, their life experiences, just bring a different perspective. Mature job-seekers have been through many different life events, and they just have a different view on things. A company or organization can tap in on that and come at any issue with this different point of view.
