The three displays and five exhibits for this month are as follows, starting by the bridge from Virtual Ability island and working around to the top of the waterfall.

• Antibiotic resistance
• Minority donor awareness
• Overdose awareness
• Hangovers 
• Healthcare for the homeless
• Neuropathy
• Psoriasis awareness
• Stock your fridge and pantry for better health

Happy Birthday ADA!

Today (July 26, 2020) marks the 30th anniversary of the date when President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. The ADA legislation protects the civil rights of persons with disabilities by guaranteeing equal opportunities for them in various aspects of public life.

You could of course celebrate with cake and ice cream. (Ice cream sounds particularly good during this heat wave.) The ADA National Network has some additional suggestions for marking this significant anniversary.

The Morning Edition show on National Public Radio is asking persons with disabilities to help them document how the ADA has impacted their lives. They accept written, audio, and video personal stories. Find out more about your opportunity to share here: https://www.npr.org/2020/07/22/893863351/after-30-years-how-has-the-ada-helped-you.

Things to do - ASL and/or text guided affirmations and meditations

A woman meditating in a garden

Video link selections of ASL and/or text guided affirmations and meditations

Compiled by HannahFeralCat, Virtual Ability member.

Instructions:  Skip or close advertisements when allowed. Use this list to find the videos that best suit your listening, practicing and time preferences. Other notecard topics in this series note closed captioning, CC.

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“Waves - ASL Guided Meditation”
by Matt Reinig (10 minutes) ASL meditation, CC
https://youtu.be/JyoR2BHI2Zc

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“Rays of Gratitude - ASL Guided Meditation”
by Matt Reinig (4 minutes) ASL meditation, CC
https://youtu.be/lhC2YF46Yh4

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“Letting Go of Tension - ASL Guided Meditation”
by Matt Reinig (6 minutes) ASL, CC, meditation
https://youtu.be/HE9jUqckcBQ

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“EVERYTHING IS OK - Visual Zen”
by Matt Reinig (2 minutes) ASL, text in video
https://youtu.be/bOqnP-0-9X0

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“Observe the Energy Within”
by Matt Reinig (4 minutes) ASL
https://youtu.be/SzqQJetjRL4

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“Letting Go of Your Chains (ASL Guided Meditation)”
by Matt Reinig (12 minutes) ASL, text in video
https://youtu.be/fxI1F7E45ek

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“Be at Peace”
by Matt Reinig (2 minutes) ASL
https://youtu.be/Y2M_WejUD5M

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“ASL Guided Meditation - Mindful Drinking”
by Matt Reinig (11 minutes) ASL meditation, CC
https://youtu.be/2udPD0NYRVo

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“5 Minute ASL Guided Meditation #1”
by Matt Reinig (7 minutes) ASL meditation, CC
https://youtu.be/01im3WZg4dw

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“SLOW DOWN - Mindful Minute”
by Matt Reinig (1 minute) ASL
https://youtu.be/wZGIE7_-mYI

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“Where Do You Stand - Mindful Minute”
by Matt Reinig (2 minutes) ASL
https://youtu.be/-S0d2hnWNRY

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“DEAF Affirmation & Selbstbejahung ICH = JA!”<
by Yoga Massage (4 minutes) sign, text in video, CC
https://youtu.be/pfDrLeTn5rc

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“DEAF Yoga - 10 Min Meditation - Entspanne dich JETZT/Relax NOW - Yoga Massage Betty Schätzchen”
by Yoga Massage (10 minutes) sign, text in video
https://youtu.be/CBLNY-a7Oco

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“Guided Meditation for the Hearing Impaired & Deaf Community - Detachment from Over-Thinking”
by Michael Sealey (27 minutes) text in video
https://youtu.be/bANEAaBqjG0

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“Affirmation”
by Jessica vonGarrel (5 minutes) ASL, text in video, music, singing
https://youtu.be/8PfUcY1V4f0

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“2015 Deaf Can Do It Motivational Message”
by Illinois Service Resource Center (2 minutes) ASL, text in video, music
https://youtu.be/YNO6x5ekFC0

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“Guided Meditation for Hearing Impaired”
by Annie Borg (6 minutes) text in video
https://youtu.be/q09x8zg85L0

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“Meditation and Mindfulness for Deaf People”
by Move and Nourish (10 minutes) text in video
https://youtu.be/2tjMHcLdXiE

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Things to do - Develop an Emergency Plan to Protect Your Family in a Disaster

According to the 2019 National Household Survey (NHS) done by FEMA, 51% of respondents with one child made an emergency plan. That means almost half of families with a single child had no emergency plan. And worse, those who did not have children or who had two or more children weren’t even that likely to make an emergency plan. To learn more about the 2019 NHS results, click here.

It is important for families to plan and practice what to do during different types of disasters. The first step in planning is to recognize the types of disasters that might occur in your region. Ready.gov lists over two dozen possible types of disasters to plan for. Learn how to get emergency alerts. 

When you create your family plan, think about the needs of individual family members, including pets. Write up the plan and share it with all family members and the contact persons you identified in the plan. Practice the elements of the plan so that all family members can respond quickly and knowledgeably.

For a list of personal preparedness resources, please see this page on the Virtual Ability website: https://virtualability.org/get-ready/.

Be prepared for future disasters. Take responsibility for yourself and your family members by developing and practicing a family emergency plan.