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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.
|
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 |
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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