LOMAH Disability Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

This last episode in the series is right in step with how all good things should conclude and that is with a bit of fun. You are about to listen in on a conversation with plenty of laughter and bad jokes that I had with a man who has been using AAC since the 80’s and who has been living in his own place with hired supports for 20 years. We travel down memory lane recalling accommodations that thankfully have been replaced with better options but also those that have stood the test of time.

Tim Jin is a disability rights advocate with cerebral palsy. He is the Assistant Director of Communication Rights for Disability Voices United, an organization focused on improving education and services for those with developmental disabilities. Jin advocates for improving the accessibility of technology-aided communication for those with speech-related disabilities. Jin has been a member of boards for organizations such as Ability Central Philanthropy, CommunicationFIRST, and the Self-Determination Program Local Advisory Committee for Regional Center of Orange County. Jin has been using an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device since elementary school. He graduated from California State University, Long Beach, with a bachelor’s degree in speech communication.

To contact Tim regarding AAC training and inclusion for your staff or organization, email tim@jinonline.net

Hannah Foley is the Product & Service Development Intern and an Ambassador at PRC-Saltillo, where she develops training and implementation supports for PRC-Saltillo language systems. She also represents PRC-Saltillo at speaking engagements and other events. Hannah presents at school districts across the country on effective inclusion and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) implementation practices within homes, communities, and schools of those with complex communication needs. She is currently attending the University of Illinois at Chicago to complete her Assistive Technology Certification with a concentration in AAC for education. Hannah aims to pursue a professional career in AAC training and implementation to facilitate collaboration and effective training for implementation of AAC among all members of support teams.

Geege Taylor, who you may know from the reality TV show Leave it to Geege, joins Kim for a reflective chat. They both have been parenting autistic children for over 18 years and have a list of things they feel they did really well as well as a few things they would have done differently. 

About the Guest:

Geege Taylor is an autism advocate and writer who produces and stars in Leave it to Geege, a reality series on The Lifetime Network. The show celebrates autism and follows the zany adventures of her family, including her 19 year old non speaking son, “Pootie,” along with a lively cast which features three other young adults with autism. She makes her home in Athenns, GA with her children and describes herself as a “happy hermit” who loves to get under blankets, eat junk food, and watch TV.

You can connect with Geege on IG @geegetayor or FB @angiegeegedudley

Leave it to Geege can be streamed on your cable network, the lifetime app, or at  mylifetime.com

To hear Geege discuss dignity and hygiene, scroll LOMAH Podcast episodes from Season 3 and find Episode 78: Dignity and Hygiene from June, 2019.

Individuals with disabilities are 7 times more likely to be victims of sexual assault, yet they typically are not taught about their bodies nor boundaries for themselves and others. How can we begin these much needed conversations?

To help us navigate this space is Katie Thune. Katie is an educator, author, and advocate for people with disabilities. She has her Teaching License in Health Education, and Special Education K – 12, as well as her MA in Education and worked as a teacher for Saint Paul Public Schools for 12 years. She has done extensive curriculum writing on relationships and sexuality education that can be found, along with other resources, on the website sexualityforallabilities.com  

In this episode Katie shares foundational things we can be teaching our loved one such as consent, rules and guidelines around some of the grey areas, public vs private spaces, compliance vs appropriate non compliance, and necessary vs exploitive touch. 

Related Episodes:

Episode 69: Self Determination with Complex Communication Needs with guest Karrie Shogren, PhD.

Episode 66: Advocating Against the Sexual Assault Epidemic with guest Julie Neward of Natalie’s Voice

Episode 44: Sexual Assault Risk Reduction with guest Nora Baladerian, PhD, director of the Disability and Abuse Project

As caregivers, we want to be there for our loved ones and we want to be there for many years. Caregiver health is much more important and complicated both physically and emotionally than for the general population. How should we be approaching this important aspect of our role?

Today’s guest, Betsy McNally Laouar not only trains gold medal olympians but is also an autism mom and has been Kim’s personal trainer for over a decade. In this episode Betsy and Kim talk about their complicated journeys toward health and the ways physical fitness is different, and necessary, for caregivers.

Find links to Betsy's best selling books and website on the show notes at www.lomah.org/podcastseason3/76

Related Episodes:

#75 - Physical Fitness in the Special Needs Community

#74 - Caregiver Emotional and Mental Health

Maintaining healthy fitness levels is challenging enough for the general population and can be even more complicated for those with disabilities. What can we do about some of the common barriers so our loved one with special needs is on a path toward health?

To talk to us about fitness in the special needs community is Ryan Lockard, founder and CEO of Specialty Athletic Training. Since its launch in 2012 Specialty Athletic Training has exclusively trained individuals with special needs.

Ryan is going to share with us what his learning curve looked like on making fitness fun for his client and some ideas on how to pay for a trainer using available waiver funding. While Ryan is not a registered dietitian, food is certainly a very large piece of the fitness puzzle and we talk about it and a few things that have brought his clients success.

This is the second episode in a twelve part health series. Topics in the series are: caregiver emotional/mental health, medical cannabis, training physicians to treat special needs patients, hygiene tips and tricks, puberty and body awareness/boundaries, dental exams, pelvic exams and menstrual options, caregiver physical fitness, and caregiver spiritual health.

We know caregiver self care is important but we don’t do it. Why? What is the missing link between knowing what we should be doing and actually doing it?

Rose Reif is the owner of Reif Counseling Services. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate, a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, and a Qualified Developmental Disability and Mental Health Professional. She is also Board Certified in providing Telemental Health. Her clients are teens and adults with disabilities and caregivers.

In this episode on caregiver mental and emotional health, Kim talks about her own mental and emotional struggles and success the last 15 years as Rose identifies the missing link between knowing the importance of self care and actually taking action.

Links to all items discussed can be found at

Related Episodes:

#51 Aching Joy with Jason Hague

#43 Closet Confessions of a Special Needs Parent

#26 Trauma Indicators in Individuals with Special Needs

The advocacy series ran January 2019 - April 2019. This episode includes a recap and a 60-90 second clip from each episode in the series and 2 things that have changed in the way Kim approaches advocacy as a result of her time speaking with the guests.

Season 3 and a new series will begin mid May 2019 so make sure you have tapped subscribe to ensure these episodes find their way to you once published.

Thank you, guests and listeners, for an amazing Season 2! 

You can find us on Instagram as journey2lomah and on Facebook as LOMAH.

What is your advocacy style? Some of us are outspoken and confident while others of us are timid and slow to react. Often advocacy comes with images of anger and confrontation but what if that is not the way we are wired? Can we still be strong advocates?

Michelle Sullivan discusses her advocacy style and journey. There was a time Michelle did not believe her voice had any power but now she is a leader in the disability community bringing change and also empowering others to do the same, all while staying true to her personality and voice. She is the founder of The LIttlest Warrior and host of the Advocate Like a Mother Podcast.

Links to content mentioned in the show can be found at https://www.lomah.org/podcast2/72

“Finding Your Advocacy Style” concludes a 3 month series on advocacy. Episodes in the series include:

• #61 & #62 - Inclusive Housing and Social Change
• #63 & #64 - Inclusive Education: Overcoming the Resistance
• #65 - Inclusion in Faith Based Settings
• #66 - Advocating Against the Sexual Assault Epidemic
• #67 - HCBS Settings Rule, Fair Labor Laws, & Advocating for Choice
• #68 - The Need For Adult Sized Changing Tables
• #69 - Self Determination with Complex Communication Needs
• #70 - Do This Not That: Lessons from a Self Advocate
• #71 - Political Advocacy: Yes You Can

Laura Hatcher is on the leadership team of The Little Lobbyist.

The Little Lobbyists are families of children with complex medical needs and disabilities who seek to educate legislators about our community by showing up in-person with our children (and their trachs, ventilators, oxygen tanks, feeding tubes, wheelchairs, all the stuff) so they can see first-hand who is impacted by laws and programs. Most importantly, they want legislatures to see our kids are just KIDS; who go to school, love to play, and deserve access to the health care, education, and community inclusion they need to grow up to live their best lives. The little lobbyists also seek to educate families with complex medical needs about legislation that impacts us and to empower us to be strong advocates.

In this episode, Laura gives us a pep talk to encourage and equip us to be voices for the disability community.

Links to content mentioned can be found in the shownotes at www.lomah.org/podcast2/71

Related Episodes:

#70 - Do This Not That: Lessons From a Self Advocate with Angela West
#69 - Self Determination with Complex Communication Needs with  Dr. Karrie Shogren
#68 - The Need for Adult Sized Changing Tables with Changing Spaces
#67 - HCBS Waiver Settings Rule with Together for Choice
#61 & #62 - Inclusive Housing and Social Change with The Kelsey