Now, he speaks the language – without a trace of an accent – and has won national recognition for a documentary he made in his school’s film class about a local girl, Sophia Ramirez, 9, whose little brother is disabled.

Read the rest here…

Painter Beverly McIver was enjoying a skyrocketing career when she promised her mother, Ethel, that she would take care of her sister, Renee, an Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled adult. Years later, following Ethel’s death, that promise came due.

Filmed over the course of six years, the compelling HBO2 documentary ‘Raising Renee’ chronicles Beverly McIver’s efforts to make good on her promise. A testament to the power of family bonds, this thought-provoking film is produced and directed by Steven Ascher and Jeanne Jordan (the Oscar®-nominated ‘Troublesome Creek: A Midwestern’).

Marked by drama, humor and unexpected twists, ‘Raising Renee’ begins in 2003, as Beverly McIver is savoring opening night of her first solo art show in New York, joined by her mother, Ethel, and Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled sister, Renee, a 43-year-old who functions at the level of a third grader. When Ethel dies the next year, Beverly’s pledge to care for Renee is put to the test.

Read the rest here…

The finding comes from a survey of nearly 800 siblings of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities from across the country. In nearly 13 percent of cases, siblings reported that their brothers and sisters with disabilities were not involved in any sort of routine vocational or educational activities.

Read the rest here…

You and your siblings are invited to come celebrate the SPECIAL BOND YOU SHARE! Join us at Generations, 9 State Road, Media, PA on Tuesday, April 10th NATIONAL SIBLING DAY from 5:30PM to 8:30PM. Cost of dinner is $20 per person includes buffet dinner, music and program.

Check the flyer for more information…

Friday, April 20-Saturday, April 21, 2012

This conference will empower and educate adult siblings who have a brother or a sister with a disability with information and resources, and will develop local and statewide networks of adult siblings. It will be held at Holiday Inn Vanderbilt, 2613 West End Ave. in Nashville.

Friday, April 20: Registration from 12-1 p.m., sessions from 1- 8 p.m. (includes dinner)

Saturday, April 21: Continental breakfast from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m., sessions from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (includes lunch).

Hotel room rate is $124 + tax per night. The hotel provides free parking.

To qualify for this room rate, be sure to mention that you are coming for the TABS conference and register by March 21. Contact the hotel at (615) 327-4707.

Registration is $50 standard, $25 for students. Fees includes meals, conference materials, and a TABS tote bag. Limited financial assistance is available. Deadline to register is March 30.

Sponsored by VKC UCEDD, The Arc of Tennessee, University of Tennessee Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities, Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities, and the Tennessee School for the Deaf.

If you cannot attend the conference but would like to register as an adult sibling in Tennessee and learn about future TABS events, visit: http://kc.vanderbilt.edu/site/services/disabilityservices/tabs.aspx.

For more information, contact Ashley Coulter at:

(615) 343-0545 or ashley.coulter@vanderbilt.edu.

Don’t forget to sign up for TABS here…

9:15 a.m. – “Transition from Parents to Siblings: A Sibling’s Perspective”

Presented by Nancy Webster

As parents age there often comes a time when there is a shift of responsibilities from parents to siblings. Many times parents have not prepared their children for this “transition”. Nancy will discuss what parents can do to prepare their children, what siblings can do to have a voice at the table, and discuss why this transition process is so important from her personal experiences.

11:00 a.m. – “Advocating from the Heart”

Presented by Katherine Hamann and Shirley Perez

Circumstances may have caused us to fall into advocacy for our siblings, but advocacy is really a choice we make every day. How do we become strong advocates with as well as for the ones we love? What are some of the basics of working with legislators, agencies, etc. to achieve positive results for our family members? How does a sibling’s perspective shape our advocacy?

12:00 Noon – Lunch (included) and Networking/Bookselling

1:00 p.m. – “Prepare to be Surprised”

Presented by Harriet Redman

“Prepare to be surprised” is good advice in future planning. In this session, Harriet Redman,founder of Wisconsin’s Fox Valley Sibling Support Network, will share her experience in working with adults concerned about their vulnerable siblings and their futures. Suitable for siblings who may be interested in future planning or program planners interested in providing future planning programs.

2:15 p.m. – “ A Sibling’s Story”

Presented by Maureen R. Aidasani

A sister shares her perspective on growing up with a brother with autism, the importance of sibling support throughout her life, and her involvement with Supporting Illinois Brothers and Sisters.

3:00 p.m. – “SIBS and SLN: Past, Present and Future”

Presented by Katie Arnold and Tara Conley

Tara will discuss the development of Supporting Illinois Brothers and Sisters, what they have been doing and their vision for the future. Katie will discuss the national Sibling Leadership Network, what they have been up to and the partnership with SIBS and The Arc.

3:30 p.m. – “Keeping Your Sibling Safe in the Community”

Presented by Nora Fox Handler

In the thirteen years since their mother passed away the Fox Brothers have experienced a number of moves and transitions. During this period all of them have had interactions with police officers. Advocating for our siblings to have the fullest life possible while also keeping them safe is a balancing act. Nora will share her family’s experience and what you can do proactively to keep your sibling safe in the community.

Read about it here…

Register here…

Make plans now to join us at the 2012 Disability Policy Seminar in Washington, D.C. for a special “meet & greet” breakfast for siblings of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). On Tuesday, April 24 at 7:45 a.m. The Arc’s new National Sibling Council will host a breakfast to give people attending the Disability Policy Seminar an opportunity to network and discuss the policy issues and other topics from their unique perspective as a sibling. You can find out more about The National Sibling Council and our new partnership with the Sibling Leadership Network and get involved on our website at www.thearc.org under the “I am a Sibling” header.

This breakfast is part of the larger annual Disability Policy Seminar which brings together advocates from across the country to advance the grassroots movement for people with I/DD. Through two days of informative sessions capped off by a visit to Capitol Hill to meet with your elected representatives, the Seminar is your biggest and best opportunity learn about the issues and prepare to advocate for what’s important to you on both the Federal and local level.

Register now to get the best rates and availability for the event at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Washington, D.C. Admission to the breakfast is included in your registration.

The Disability Policy Seminar is Hosted by: The Arc, United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), and Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE)

“Recently we started swimming together at the Y,” Baldwin, 27, of Appleton, said of Ketter, 24. “Katie will stop over on the weekends and I help her print out her pictures; she just got a new camera.”

At the end of November, Ketter, who is cognitively disabled, also began a new stage of life — she’s moving out of her parent’s Appleton home and into a privately run adult family home in Darboy.

“She loves it,” Baldwin said. “She’s staying pretty active in the community and she’s still really involved in Special Olympics and Arc (Fox Cities) activities. She’s really doing well.”

Read the rest here…

”

How does one measure whether a life was a success, or a failure?

Some would measure it by recognition, that is, how many knew the person’s name. For others, the measure of a successful life would be the amount of wealth accumulated, or possessions held. Still others would say a life was successful if the person made a major contribution to society — in medicine, sports, politics, or the arts.

By that standard my brother, Marshall Stephen Thomas, who died January 5, was a failure. If, however, your standard for a successful life is how that life positively touched others, then my brother’s life was a resounding success.

Read the rest here…

“Planning for the future is an important task for any adult as they grow older and life changes. But for those who have developmental disabilities, it is even more important.

Without adequate plans in place, adults with disabilities often face disruptive transitions when families can no longer provide care, endure emergency placements in inappropriate settings and suffer through inadequate financial and legal safeguards, all of which place a strain on siblings and other relatives.”

Read the rest here…