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March 1999  You
Are Here.
March
1999
AgrAbility Welcomes George
Dills
George Dills is the new Project Assistant/Coordinator for AgrAbility for
Pennsylvanians. George has a BS in Ag Systems Management and Technology
from Penn State University, BS in Financial Management and Economics from
State University of New York, and an AS in Business Administration from
Monroe Community College. He has extensive work experience with the University
of Maryland's Hayden Research Farm as well as the Penn State University
College of Agricultural Sciences' farms and research centers. George is
also involved in production agriculture at his crop farm in Centre County.
AgrAbility Occupational
Therapy Project
AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians is working with occupational therapy programs
at Penn State Mont Alto campus and St. Francis College to provide a unique
fieldwork experience. This is an exciting opportunity for AgrAbility and
students. AgrAbility would like to thank the instructors for their enthusiasm
and interest.
There are approximately 34
occupational therapy assistant students at the Penn State programs that
are doing their Level 1 Fieldwork with the AgrAbility Project. The program
started with an orientation about AgrAbility and a stop at a local farm
machinery dealership. With the help of the Franklin County Cooperative
Extension office, students will be doing on site assessments at two local
farms. The class will be divided into small groups and 'assigned' a disability
or condition from which they will need to do their evaluation. At the
end of April, each group will present their evaluation to the class.
The two occupational therapy
students from St. Francis College are doing their observation level fieldwork
with AgrAbility. These students are required to have 10 observation hours
and will be attending on-site evaluations with AgrAbility staff to learn
more about ways to modify farm operations.
PROBLEM SOLVED
Problem: Hanging barbwire to a fence post after an arm amputation.
Solution: After an arm amputation,
a farmer in northeastern Pennsylvania was having difficulties building
fence because he could not hold the barbwire in place and start the staple
to attach it to the fence post. After talking with Breaking New Ground
and AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians, the farmer was instructed on a way
to modify a hammer for this type of task. A notch large enough for the
staple was made in the top of the hammer and a magnetic steel plate was
placed over the top of the notch. This created a slot that would secure
the staple until it could be started with one hand.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SPOTLIGHT
Pennsylvania's Initiative on Assistive Technology (PIAT) is a statewide
project whose goal is to assure a system of easy access to assistive technology
for all Pennsylvanians with disabilities, including access to information,
devices, services and funding. PIAT contracts with agencies to serve as
more local assistive technology resources to individuals with disabilities
across the state. The following regional Assistive Technology Resource
Centers (ATRC) identify local resources for assistive technology, coordinate
the short-term loans of specific technology for consumers, and develop
a network of local technology users to help with recommendations, purchasing,
general information and referral.
- Pennsylvania's Initiative
on Assistive Technology (ATRC): (800) 204-PIAT (7428) Voice or (800)
750-PIAT (7428) TTY
- Rural Outreach on Assistive
Technology (ROAT) - Northern Counties
- United Cerebral Palsy of
Northeastern Pennsylvania: (717) 347-3357 Voice or (717) 347-3117 TTY
- Rural Outreach on Assistive
Technology (ROAT) - Southern Counties
- Easter Seals Franklin and
Adams Counties: (717) 264-7578 Voice or (717) 264-5864
- Community Resources for
Independence: (814)
838-7222 Voice or (814) 838-8115 TTY
- Center for Independent Living
of Southwestern PA: (800) 633-4588 Voice or (412) 371-6230 TTY
- Life and Independence for
Today: (814) 781-3050 Voice or (814) 781-1917 Fax/TTY
- United Cerebral Palsy of
the Capital Area: (717) 737-3477 Voice/TTY
- VIA of Lehigh Valley: (610)
317-8000 Ext. 253 Voice/TTY
- Tri-County Patriots for
Independent Living: (724) 223-5115 Voice/TTY
- Center for Independent Living
of Northcentral PA: (800)
984-7492 or (717) 327-9070 Voice (717) 327-5254 TTY
UPCOMING EVENTS
- AgrAbility OT Pilot Project,
Penn State - Mont Alto Campus - Farm Visit - Tuesday, March 16, 1999
- NW PA Guernsey Breeders'
Association Annual Meeting, Mercer County Cooperative Extension - Friday,
March 26, 1999
- AgrAbility OT Pilot Project,
Farm Visits- Franklin
County - Thursday, April 1, 1999
- AgrAbility OT Pilot Project,
Penn State Mont Alto Campus - Classroom Presentations - Friday, April
23, 1999
- Feature Event...Assistive
Technology in the Heartland, Enhancing Independence through Assistive
Technology...at School, at Work, at Home, and at Play; Westin Suites
& Sheraton Indianapolis North Hotel, Indianapolis, Indiana - April
25-29, 1999
The purpose of this conference is to enhance the quality of life for
individuals with disabilities through the expanded utilization and appropriate
application of assistive technology. The conference will feature assistive
technology training for persons with disabilities and their families,
care providers, vocational rehabilitation counselors, rehabilitation
engineers and technologists, educators, occupational therapists, physical
therapists, community-based rehabilitation workers, case managers, recreation
therapists, and independent living center staff.
For more information contact Breaking New Ground at 1-800-825-4264 or
check the Heartland
Conference Web Site.
FROM THE DIRECTOR'S DESK...
AgrAbility and the New Extension Four-Year Plan of Work
The AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians
program is slated to become a part of the new four-year Cooperative Extension
Plan of Work for Pennsylvania. New state Plans of Work (POW) are developed
every four years by each state.
These plans provide a broad
picture of the kinds of programs and activities that state and county
extension professionals will be actively supporting over that four-year
period of time in their state. The new plan, which becomes effective October
1 of this year, is an important way by which relatively new programs,
such as AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians, becomes more firmly rooted as an
ongoing state wide extension program. The AgrAbility project will be located
under the Farm Safety section of the Health People/Healthy Communities
POW.
Dennis J. Murphy, Professor
221 Agricultural Engineering Building
University park, PA 16802
Ph: 814-865-7157
Fax: 814-863-1031
E-Mail: djm13@psu.edu
AgrAbility staff is available
for presentations throughout the state! If you would like an AgrAbility
presentation at your county or state level event, please contact Linda
Fetzer at (814) 238-4434. For more information about AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians
or to share any ideas about articles for future editions, please contact
either Linda or David.
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The Pennsylvania
State University
Dept. of Agricultural and Extension Education
433 Agricultural Administration Building
University Park, PA 16802
Connie D.
Baggett – AgrAbility Project Director – (814) 863-7415
Linda Fetzer – AgrAbility Project Assistant – (814)
863-7490
Phone: 814-863-7490
Fax: 814-863-4753
Email: lmf8@psu.edu
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Easter Seals
Central Pennsylvania
1300 S. Allen Street
State College, PA 16801
Jeanne Hanlin
– Easter Seals Central Pennsylvania CEO – (814) 944-5014
David Troutman – AgrAbility Case Manager - 814-238-4434 (Voice/TTY)
Phone: 814-238-4434
Fax: 814-238-3721
Email: DTROUTMAN@homenursingagency.com
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