Shared peer advice from polio survivors about what works for them.

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News about people who have made significant contributions to the disability community.

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A Valuable Resource for Polio Survivors: The National Paralysis Resource Center

Brian Tiburzi

At Post-Polio Health International, we are always on the lookout for high-quality resources that support our members in living informed, independent and empowered lives. One such resource is the National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC), operated by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. The NPRC is designed to provide practical, day-to-day support for individuals living with paralysis—no matter the cause—and their …

Beyond Polio: Resources for Aging Well with a Disability

Brian Tiburzi

For many polio survivors, the late effects of polio are only part of the picture. As the years go by, aging itself brings new considerations—joint pain, balance concerns, changes in stamina, or chronic health conditions that have nothing to do with polio. While it’s important to address post-polio issues specifically, polio survivors also benefit from tapping into broader resources designed …

Independent Living

Brian Tiburzi

The independent living movement grew out of the anger and frustration of people with disabilities who were excluded from places of education, work, general retail, worship, and recreation due to barriers in architecture, transportation, and communications. Attitudes about people with disabilities ranged from low or no expectation to the promotion of the superhero, perpetuating the idea that people with disabilities, …

Support Groups

Brian Tiburzi

GOALS AND LEADERSHIP WHAT ARE THEY? WHY DO IT ALONE? WHO NEEDS THEM? WHO CAN BENEFIT? IS OUR GROUP NORMAL? EN ESPAÑOL GOALS AND LEADERSHIP The goal of a support group is to empower its members with the tools necessary to make adjustments needed to continue a life of dignity and independence. Contrary to the image sometimes portrayed in the …

Best Post-Polio Advice

Brian Tiburzi

From the series, Polio Survivors Ask, by Nancy Baldwin Carter, B.A, M.Ed.Psych, from Omaha, Nebraska, is a polio survivor, a writer, and is founder and former director of Nebraska Polio Survivors Association. Q: We have known about the late effects of polio for almost 30 years. I’ve gotten a lot of advice during that time and wonder about other polio survivors. What’s the …

Support Group Dysfunction

Brian Tiburzi

From the series, Polio Survivors Ask, by Nancy Baldwin Carter, B.A, M.Ed.Psych, from Omaha, Nebraska, is a polio survivor, a writer, and is founder and former director of Nebraska Polio Survivors Association. Q: I am 58 years old and I attended a support group meeting recently. I will never go back. The members were friendly enough, but the message I heard over …

Part I — Opening the Door; PART II—The Rest of the Story

Brian Tiburzi

Nancy Baldwin Carter, BA, M Ed Psych, Omaha, Nebraska, is a polio survivor, a writer, and is founder and former director of Nebraska Polio Survivors Association. Part I — Opening the Door The subject doesn’t come up much. Not many in the post-polio community seem to want to talk about it. …Even though the American Medical Association declared it a disease well …

What’s a Patient to Do?

Brian Tiburzi

Nancy Baldwin Carter, BA, M Ed Psych, Omaha, Nebraska, is a polio survivor, a writer, and is founder and former director of Nebraska Polio Survivors Association. Let’s say we’re doctor-shopping. Maybe we’ve moved to a new city or our long-time doc is retiring—for whatever reason, we need a different doctor. Question is—where to start? How to choose? We all want the best. Someone …

Techniques to Help Us Make Changes

Brian Tiburzi

Mavis Matheson, MD, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada In 1995, I wrote an article called Changing Your Life By Conserving Energy. In it, I listed three techniques from an article by Sybil Kohl. Her techniques have helped me to make healthy choices and prevent further pain and weakness. Kohl [1] suggests three techniques that we could use to help ourselves make changes. These are …

What is expected of a group leader?

Brian Tiburzi

LEADERSHIP  ∞ Nancy Baldwin Carter, Omaha, Nebraska QUESTION: “There is some question about what all is expected and not expected of the leaders of our group. We have a couple of new members who have come in and seem to think that we don’t ask for or take suggestions from anyone and that we are a three run group which we are …