Free Workshops!
o Take advantage of Free Workshops that focus on many topics from workforce readiness, the benefits of outdoor sports and recreation, getting involved in research, and therapy horses.
There's no need to register - just arrive early to get your seat!
There's a lot going on at Abilities Expo! Be sure to also check out the Exhibitors and Events.
Professionals:
Certificates of participation are available for all workshops. Please see the Accessibility Help Desk during the show for information on how to obtain a certificate.
* Workshop dates, times, topics, and speakers are subject to change without notice. The opinions presented at the workshops are those of the presenters and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Abilities Expo. Workshop content should not be considered as a replacement or substitute for the services of trained professionals in any field, including, but not limited to, financial, medical, or legal matters. We encourage you to seek the advice of professionals, as appropriate, regarding the evaluation of any specific information presented in these workshops.
Friday, June 21, 2024
11:45am - 12:45pm
The Power of Positivity in Physical Activity
Presented By: Justin Graham, Certified Personal Trainer, Creator, W.O.W. Wonders on Wheels
Fun fitness leads to healthy happiness! The power of positivity in physical activity has incredible results! W.O.W. Wonders on Wheels – Wheelchair Fitness is here to explain and show why the results they are producing for wheelchair users in strength and attitude leaves everyone saying W.O.W!
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Get Involved in Research: Help Improve Services and Treatments!
Sharon Parmet, Healthcare Communications Associate at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and Carolyn Ostrowksi, Coordinator, Clinical Research Registry, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Workshop Area
Research to help improve outcomes for people with disabilities is crucial for identifying risk factors, developing interventions, and tracking trends. While some research takes place in the lab, a big part of rehabilitation research relies on volunteer participants. This session will provide an overview of how you can take part in meaningful research at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab that contributes to the advancement of the science of rehabilitation.
- Learn how to add your name to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab research registry and enroll in a research project.
- Hear about current research underway in the Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. • Find out about opportunities to participate in projects that impact rehabilitation measures, interventions, exercise guidelines, employment, and home and community-based services.
- Learn about the Rehabilitation Measure Database and the LIFE Center website resources.
Learn more at www.sralab.org
2:30pm-3:30pm
Workforce Readiness for People with Disabilities
Shane Kehoe, Community Talent Manager – Fable and Jonathan Garcia-Limanni, Self-Guided Facilitator – Fable
Workshop Area
Join us for a workshop designed to empower individuals with disabilities on their journey to workforce readiness. In this interactive session, participants will gain essential skills and insights to achieve their career goals and unlock their full potential.
Discover how to identify your unique needs and leverage funding for assistive technology to enhance your workplace capabilities. Learn the ins and outs of vocational rehabilitation programs and how they can prepare you for meaningful work. Explore the importance of self-advocacy, setting clear career goals, and understanding your limits.
Our workshop is a supportive space to exchange experiences, share success stories, and connect with peers. Whether you're entering the job market or seeking to advance your career, this workshop will equip you with practical tools and knowledge to thrive in the workforce while embracing your individual strengths and abilities. Join us and embark on your path to success today!
Learn more at www.makeitfable.com
3:45pm - 4:45pm
Everyone Belongs in the Outdoors
Anne Strootman, Customer Service Manager - Wilderness Inquiry and Riss Leitzke, Program Coordinator - Wilderness Inquiry
Workshop Area
Finding ways to experience the outdoors has long been a challenge for people with disabilities. Challenges could include lack of adaptive equipment, finding accessible hiking trails, needing people to support your needs, figuring out the logistics around outdoor travel, and lack of financial resources.
Throughout this session, you will learn about the role nature can play in offering spaces for healing, and experiencing the health, wellness, and restorative benefits of the outdoors. We will share ways that the non-profit, Wilderness Inquiry, has worked to break down barriers to the outdoors for people of all abilities for over 40 years.
You too can enjoy kayaking, canoeing, hiking, and camping alongside other outdoor enthusiasts! You'll see how making adjustments to itineraries, gear, and having extra support can make the difference in the success of your outdoor adventure.
Learn more at www.wildernessinquiry.org
Saturday, June 22, 2024
11:45am – 12:45pm
Wheelchair Seating Solutions for Kids
Ryan Cavender, Technical Support & Education Manager - Stealth Products, LLC
Workshop Area
This workshop is meant to provide families and caregivers of children who use various types of wheeled mobility devices with an overview of the different types of common seating and positioning devices. It will cover what each item is designed to do as well as specific considerations for children. Several topics will be discussed including why seating and positioning is so important for children, differences between adult and pediatric seating, steps you can take to ensure that your child is properly positioned in their current system, a systematic review of common seating and positioning devices.
Learn more at https://stealthproducts.com/
1:00pm – 2:00pm
The Art of Complex Caregiving
Linda M. Schultz, PhD, CRRN
Workshop Area
For both individuals receiving care and those providing it, juggling a complex medical situation with a disability can become challenging. Pain management, bladder and bowel routines, skin care, and more all compete for attention and trying to prioritize tasks can be exhausting. In this workshop, attendees will hear from Linda Schultz, Ph.D., known best as "Nurse Linda" from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation's National Paralysis Resource Center. She will discuss ways to manage complex caregiving with simplicity, compassion, and grace. Attendees will leave this session having gained tips and strategies for preventing and managing stressful situations before they happen.
Learn more at christopherreeve.org/todays-care/living-with-paralysis/for-caregivers.
1:30pm – 2:30pm
Pride Mobility Consumer Roundtable
Presented by: Pride Mobility
Location: Schaumburg E Meeting Room, First Floor
Pride Mobility® wants to hear from you!
This dedicated sessions is an opportunity for you to provide our expert staff with direct feedback about your Pride products.
If you are interested in sharing your ideas and experiences, we encourage you to register for the PRIDE roundtable by Sunday, June 9. If you are chosen to participate, you will be contacted via email by Friday, June 14. Those who are chosen to participate will receive a $25 gift card for their time and input!
Should the Pride team have any additional questions, you will be contacted via email.
PLEASE NOTE: If you attend the roundtable, you are welcome to bring your own mobility product. However, any loaner scooters obtained at the show are not permitted and must be temporarily returned to the loaner area. Upon the conclusion of the roundtable, you may return to the loaner area to resume using your loaner scooter.
2:30pm - 3:30pm
Everyone Belongs in the Outdoors
Anne Strootman, Customer Service Manager - Wilderness Inquiry and Riss Leitzke, Program Coordinator - Wilderness Inquiry
Workshop Area
Finding ways to experience the outdoors has long been a challenge for people with disabilities. Challenges could include lack of adaptive equipment, finding accessible hiking trails, needing people to support your needs, figuring out the logistics around outdoor travel, and lack of financial resources.
Throughout this session, you will learn about the role nature can play in offering spaces for healing, and experiencing the health, wellness, and restorative benefits of the outdoors. We will share ways that the non-profit, Wilderness Inquiry, has worked to break down barriers to the outdoors for people of all abilities for over 40 years.
You too can enjoy kayaking, canoeing, hiking, and camping alongside other outdoor enthusiasts! You'll see how making adjustments to itineraries, gear, and having extra support can make the difference in the success of your outdoor adventure.
Learn more at www.wildernessinquiry.org
3:45pm-4:45pm
Disability & Special Needs Planning Made Easy
Andre Sam, Disability/Special Needs Planner - Disability & Special Needs Project
Workshop Area
An informative and educational workshop for family members with loved ones of all ages with physical and/or intellectual disabilities or special needs! Many topics will be covered in this workshop. Including: guardianship, alternatives to guardianship, micro boards, wills, family trusts, special needs trusts, SSI (Supplemental Security Income), Social Security Retirement and Survivor Benefits, Social Security Disability, Medicaid/Medicare, ABLE Accounts, budget planning, and transition planning. Learn why these disability and special needs planning documents are important to have and how they complement each other in an estate plan designed to protect yourself, your family, and/or your loved one's current and future quality of life and care. Don't be afraid to plan, be afraid if you don't plan.
Learn more at: https://projectdsnp.com/
Sunday, June 23, 2024
11:30am – 12:30pm
Medicare Basics Special
Presented by: David N. Nelson, Medicare Features
Workshop Area
This workshop will cover the basics of Medicare along with essential benefits many people overlook, including dental care, hearing aids, transportation and even no-cost insulin.
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Equine-Assisted Services for All
Kate Rasmusen and Dr. Carla Johnson, EdD - The Legacy Ranch
Workshop Area
This workshop is designed to inform the community why horses make such great therapists. Horses can provide support to people in many different ways both on the ground and in the saddle. The Legacy Ranch provides an array of services that assist people with all types of abilities through occupational and physical therapy, mental health therapy, therapeutic riding, Veteran programming and competitive opportunities, that include Special Olympics and other horse shows. We will explain the benefits of interacting with horses, as well as their electro magnetic field and coherent heartrate which has been scientifically proven to regulate a human's heartrate. You'll discover the unique ways that being around horses can boost self esteem and more! Horses from the Legacy healing herd will be available for attendees to meet, and attendees will have the opportunity to meet current clients and hear their success stories at The Legacy Ranch.
Learn more at thelegacyranch.org
2:30pm - 3:30pm
Encouraging Each Other to Better Mental Health: Everyone Has Their Own Story
Tracy Williams, Tracy's Plate
Workshop Area
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is essential at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in five people experience a mental illness diagnosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that in 2018, an estimated 17.4 million (32.9%) adults with disabilities experienced frequent mental distress.
Tracy Williams is a fervent mental health advocate due to a family history of mental health problems and personal traumas related to living with a disability. She promotes the Flexitarian meal plan, debunks myths, advocates for quality friendships, and teaches people how to use adaptive fitness to boost confidence and stress management.
Learn more at tracysplate.com.