Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!bunker!hcap!hnews!714!404.0!Greg.See-Kee
From: Greg.See-Kee@p0.f404.n714.z3.fidonet.org (Greg See-Kee)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Technical Aid & Disability
Message-ID: <10479@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 2 Mar 90 05:21:32 GMT
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Index Number: 7030

 RR>> There are so many different agencies doing the exact same work,
 RR>> fighting for the same turf, all doing just enough to be
 RR>> acceptable.
 JO> 
 JO> You mean it's that way in MA too?  I was hoping that 
 JO> might just be a local phenomena here.

Same here in Australia.  The Independent are run by forthright
(female) Occupational Therapists.  The do-gooding men work with
hardware innovations in "TAD": Technical Aid to the Disabled.

Each has its own newsletters/ magazines, chasing & competing for
the same markets.

 JO> the funding should take care of itself. 

 RR>> There are a few individual practicioners and rehab people here
 RR>> and there doing a wonderful job, but most seem to do "just enough"
 RR>> to get by.

In fact, the DISABILITY INDUSTRY used to be a home-craft
industry.  Very few DP's survived babyhood, chilhood or other
traumatic accidents.

Due to the successes of modern medicine, we aren't dying.  And
the improved health care is creating more elderly-disabled.  We
DP's are a GROWTH INDUSTRY,  probably the largest growth industry
this little planet has ever seen.

 JO> Many of the best are fugitives who have escaped from 
 JO> the system and the agency mentality - because they
 JO> sincerely want to do a good job. 

Because like other opportunists & entrepreneurs, they saw
unfulfilled needs and innovations that were not being satisfied
by the traditionalists.

 JO> You are a threat to their rice bowl, Ron.

Disagree.  The rice bowl HAS TO GET BIGGER.  Instead of funding
more wars, more pisons, more police, we need to emphasize the
NURTURING INDUSTRIES.

Despite my severe disailities, I shall soon be launching the
magazine "NURTURE".  [ISSN 1034-7569]
 
 JO> It doesn't
 JO> matter if it is for profit or not, if you are working 
 JO> out of the system you are a threat to the system.

Agreed.

 JO> Sometimes you find the identical devices in disabled 
 JO> specialty stores, with their nameplate pasted on over 
 JO> top of Radio Shack's or whatever, and the price marked 
 JO> up by 200 to 300 percent. 

But this is because of the increased overheads - visiting rehab &
medical centres ...

The problem is -- how are any of the suppliers going to reach
there target audiences, within tight budget limits?

--
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