Saturday, March 31, 2012

TED Talk Discussion: The Meaning of Disability

HOST: Theodore Theseus
Sunday, April 1, 2012, 2 pm PDT
and repeated
Monday, April 2, 2012, 11 am PDT
Blue Orchid Cabana Classroom, Virtual Ability Island, Second Life

The thesaurus might equate "disabled" with synonyms like "useless" and "mutilated," but ground-breaking runner Aimee Mullins is out to redefine the word. Defying these associations, she shows how adversity -- in her case, being born without shinbones -- actually opens the door for human potential.

We'll view the interesting TED Talk "The opportunity of adversity" together (inworld or in your browser) and discuss it in text.

Host Bio: Theodore is a retired public administrator with 30 years of service to the State of Vermont. His experience includes having worked for many years with the Attendant Services Program for the Department of Independent Living,  a program that provided funding that allowed individuals with challenges in activities of daily living to remain independent with minimal assistance. Theodore is a big fan of TED Talks and has listened to hundreds of them.

Monday, March 26, 2012

TBI: The Signature Injury of Modern Warfare and its Impact on Veterans' Lives

PRESENTER: Cindy Tandy / (Second Life Avatar: Eve Maven)
Friday March 30, 2012 4pm PDT
Sojourner Auditorium, Virtual Ability Island, Second Life

TBI is a common injury sustained by veterans of modern wars. How does it impact their lives after their physical recovery?

Presenter Bio: Cindy Tandy, Ph.D., LCSW, is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Valdosta State University's graduate MSW Program. She is also an administrator of the Valdosta State University island/sim in Second Life.

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
Presentation Co-Sponsored by Etopia and Virtual Ability

Presented simultaneously in voice and text.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Traumatic Brain Injury: New Understanding

PRESENTER: Dr. Allen Brown, physician in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Mayo Clinic
Thursday March 29, 2012, noon PDT
Mayo Clinic conference center, Mayo Clinic island, Second Life

Traumatic Brain Injury is a condition that can vary in severity and impact on a person. New research on this condition has revealed better ways to treat it, and dispelled some of the myths that have surrounded it. This will be a presentation and Q&A session.

Presenter Bio: Dr. Allen Brown is an Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Mayo Clinic with an appointment in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. His biographical information, including a list of publications and research activities, is available at http://www.mayoclinic.org/bio/10513761.html

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
Presentation Co-Sponsored by Etopia and Virtual Ability

Presented simultaneously in voice and text.

Friday, March 23, 2012

On the Job with a Traumatic Brain Injury

PRESENTER:  Melanie Whetzel, JAN Senior Consultant (Avatar name: JAN Xomotron)
Thursday March 29, 2012 10 am PDT
Sojourner Auditorium, Virtual Ability Island, Second Life

A presentation on workplace accommodation ideas for individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury. Offered by the Job Accommodation Network, a federally-funded agency that provides free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues.

Presenter Bio: Melanie joined the JAN staff as a consultant on the Cognitive / Neurological Team in February 2008. She has a fourteen year history of teaching and advocating for students with special needs in the public school system.

Melanie holds a Master of Arts degree in Special Education, a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, and has earned forty-eight hours above masters level. Her post-graduate work has been primarily focused on special education.

As a member of the Cognitive / Neurological Team, Melanie specializes in learning disabilities, mental impairments, developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and brain injuries.

Melanie's research interests include bipolar disorder, sleep disorders, and Alzheimer's disease.

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
Presentation Co-Sponsored by Etopia and Virtual Ability

Presented simultaneously in voice and text.

Rehabilitation for a Patient with Traumatic Brain Injury in the US and Japan

PRESENTERS: ALiesel and ScubbaSteve
Saturday March 24, 2012 noon PDT
Research Pavilion, Healthinfo Island, Second Life

For the tour:
Adaptation Home, Occupational Therapy Center

Around the world, interdisciplinary healthcare teams work together to care for people who have experienced traumatic brain injuries. The presenters recently participated in a four-day web conference on this topic with Occupational Therapy students in Japan, and they learned a lot! Come hear how Occupational Therapists in the United States and in Japan work with other healthcare professionals to provide treatment for patients with traumatic brain injuries.

Following the presentation, please join the presenters at the Thomas Jefferson Occupational Therapy Center for a brief tour of the Adapted Home, where we will view cognitve adaptations for a person with a traumatic brain injury. Use the landmark for the Adaptation Home above.

Presenter Bios:  ALiesel and ScubbaSteve are occupational therapy students at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.  They work with Zsuzsa Tomsen as graduate assistants for the Thomas Jefferson Occupational Therapy Center in Second Life, which includes several exhibits: the Garden of Healthy Aging, the Adaptated Home and the Adapted Playground. 

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
Presentation Co-Sponsored by Etopia and Virtual Ability

Presentation in text, with optional voice transcription.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The Neurobiology of PTSD

PRESENTER:  Anya Ibor
Tuesday March 20, 2012 1pm PST
Sojourner Auditorium, Virtual Ability Island, Second Life

The brain is an amazing organ. Injuries such as those which are associated with PTSD may never heal. But the brain is "plastic," which means the functions damaged by the brain injury can be relearned by other parts of the brain.

Presenter Bio:  Anya Ibor is the Founder and Executive Director of Fearless Nation PTSD Support, a 501c3 NonProfit Organization dedicated to providing free public education, support and advocacy for the understanding of PTSD. Since 2009 Fearless Nation has provided a virtual therapeutic support group.

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
Presentation Co-Sponsored by Etopia and Virtual Ability

Presentation in voice, with text transcription.