All I want for Christmas is My Two AT (2018)
By MATP Staff Laura Hall Dear Santa, It’s that time of year again! I’m getting excited about the upcoming holiday season, and I’m sure you are too. Keeping with tradition, I am sending you my wishlist for my top AT items I am hoping for this year. Now, I know in the past, some of my…
Read MoreATXchange.org
The ATXchange.org is a website designed to facilitate transactions between residents of Michigan exchanging, donating, or selling used assistive technology (AT). Any used/open box device that assists a person with a disability to live more independently or safely (assistive technology) may be submitted. Sellers create listings for a wide variety of used AT; wheelchair accessible…
Read MoreAT for My 8 Month Old
My daughter, Anneliese, is turning 8 months old next week. Her brother, Theo, turns one year and 11 months old today. Having two kids under two is exciting, enlivening, and life-changingly wonderful, and busy. Having both of our kids in our 40s after a long battle with infertility and losses, and having worked and lived…
Read MoreBarriers to the Ballot Box
By Laura Hall, MATP Staff Member When I arrived at my polling place this morning, like many voters, I was excited to take part in this important election. I felt prepared because I had ensured I was registered to vote, found my polling place, researched the candidates and issues and filled out a sample personalized…
Read MoreSeeing the Beauty in Trying Something New
This story comes to us from Jenell Williams of Disability Network Oakland & Macomb: J. Thomas is very active in her community. She loves spending time with her family and friends. Most of all she loves her early mornings. In the morning she has her special routine where she fixes her breakfast and sits down…
Read MoreBack to School Assistive Technology
by Laura Hall, MATP staff This morning, I awoke to the sound of the school bus in my neighborhood. I knew my commute to work would begin to take longer as students now inhabit the city within the city that is Michigan State University. It’s back to school time, and we wanted to start the…
Read MoreMy Navigation Disability is a “Real Thing”
By Jen Mullins, BS, CTRS, MATP Staff When I present about Assistive Technology (AT), I usually talk about some of AT that I personally use. One of my most used (and loved) AT is Global Positioning System or GPS . I have a disability that impacts my ability to navigate. When I walk, bike, drive,…
Read MoreThe Quest for Sleep
by Aimee Sterk, LMSW, MATP Staff I first wrote this piece in 2013 and have dug it up to share again in honor of my respiratory therapist, David Gritter, retiring. He actually retired in May, but I was on maternity leave so I’m sharing this in my first post since returning. Dave is among a…
Read MoreAT for Emergency Prep and Response: Overview of the Series
This is the first of a number of blog posts on keeping ourselves safe and enabling our return to normal when our lives are churned and overturned by emergencies and disasters. Although hurricanes and wildfires in the border states have gotten the most press coverage, the Midwest, including Michigan, have their share of regional emergencies…
Read MoreTiny Words on Thin Pages
A Demonstration and Short-Term Loan Story Mark served his community for years through his work as a substance abuse counselor, care worker for a residential facility, and mission work in a prison and drug rehabilitation center. His whole life he had been an avid reader of the bible. After losing a leg to diabetes as…
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