Social Security Ticket to Work program
1-866-968-7842
https://www.ssa.gov/work/
Social Security’s Ticket to Work Program supports career development for Social Security disability beneficiaries age 18 through 64 who want to work. 
 
     Health Insurance for Work Advancement (HIWA)
     775-687-1900
     https://dhcfp.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/dhcfpnvgov/content/Pgms/HIWA.pdf
     Medicaid option that allows you to work, earn money, and have affordable
     health insurance coverage. It is    
     a program to provide medical assistance to persons who are employed with
     disabilities
 
Vocational Rehabilitation
702-486-5230
www.vrnevada.org
Designed to address assessment, training, treatment, and job placement for Nevadans with disabilities
 
Southern Nevada Center for Independent Living (SNCIL)
702-889-4216 
www.sncil.org
Benefits counseling on adaptive equipment, SSI/SSDI Back to work benefits, Medicaid, Medicare
 
 

Do you have an ABLE Savings Account? Simply put, ABLE accounts are tax advantage savings accounts for individuals with disabilities. The Stephen Beck Jr. Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE) passed in 2014 allows someone who is disabled to have a savings account that is not considered in the “means tested” benefit of SSI. When a disabled individual receives SSI any liquid asset over $2,000 is counted against their SSI benefit. This helps people with disabilities and their families increase financial independence, ease financial hardships, and improve quality of life. 

Basics of an ABLE account

Eligibility: Participants are eligible from disability onset until they are 26 years old.

Contribution limit: Participants can contribute up to $12,000 per year and have a balance of $100,000 or less.

Qualified expenses: Expenses related to the designated beneficiaries: education; housing; transportation; employment training and support; assistive technology; healthcare, prevention and wellness; financial management and administrative services; legal fees; account oversight and monitoring; funeral and burial expenses; and basic living expenses.

The IRS recommends people to consult their state for a specific rules about ABLE accounts.  

Links for more information:

Social Security

IRS

State of Nevada

There’s a dynamic system present in the human body referred to as the Psychoneuroimmunological system. The PNI system is a fluid interaction between psychology, immunology, neuroscience, physiology and endocrinology. In other words, there’s a legitimate connection between physical health and mental processes. The nervous and immune systems of the body are constantly talking to each other on multiple biological levels. These loops occur all throughout the body. The most note-worthy pathway being the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) axis which connects the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathic nervous system (SNS). Stay with me here. The HPA axis is the system that controls your digestive and immunological responses to stress – while the SNS is just a fancy word for “fight or flight” a.k.a., physiological responses to outside stimuli. The SAM axis is the interaction between the two, indicating that stress has significant impact on your physiological processes.

Now, I’m sure you’ve heard this before, there’s “good” stress and there’s “bad” stress. If you’re on a rollercoaster, or meeting your hot date for the first time, your pulse quickens, your hormones surge and you might even sweat a little. That’s good stress because there’s no danger present. If you’re out admiring the trees then all of a sudden a bear stops taking a $#!+ in the woods to chase after you, your pulse quickens, your hormones surge and you definitely sweat a little. That acute stress is still good because you need it to survive. The negative aspects of stress begin when it becomes chronic, prolonged and unmanaged. Persistent feelings of fear, anxiety, tension, anger or sadness are registered as chronic stress within the body. That’s why mourning a loved one for an extended amount of time can increase your chances of becoming ill. Some studies have found correlations between emotional stressors and illnesses like psoriasis, allergies, cancer and chronic infections.

So, what does this mean for us? Basically, it means that positive mental habits like “looking on the bright side” help our immune system, and inversely, negative mental habits, such as worrying too much, will harm our immune defense system. Look at it this way, our body is always in either grow mode or fight mode. Chronic emotional, physical or chemical stresses will cause your body to be on constant fight mode, giving it no time to grow or repair itself. Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean we need to disregard reality and forget negative emotion entirely, we just need to manage it properly.

In a sense, understanding this dynamic system gives us power – it means we can take charge and encourage our bodies to heal, starting with our mental processes. Emotions have been sort of tossed under the rug in the past half-century or so. We’ve been encouraged to disregard emotions, to see them as just a chemical function of the brain that is reactionary and without our influence. That is incorrect and that is where emotional intelligence comes in. Emotional intelligence is one’s ability to be aware of, manage and express the emotions of the self and of others. The Emotional Quotient is a measure of this practice, and high EQ scores have been linked to high relationship satisfaction, good leadership skills, better social & communication skills, conflict-management, resiliency to life’s challenges, and reduced stress & anxiety. This is not something you can only achieve if you cut off all your hair and become a Tibetan monk – it’s like a muscle that becomes stronger the more we exercise it. It’s all about practice, consistency, and just doing the best you can.

Self-awareness, self-regulation, taking intentional action, and being aware of other’s emotions are all practices that become skills through rehearsal. These skills will increase your overall emotional intelligence and provide you with a more holistic approach to your mental health, which over time affects your physical health. Like the small intricate threads in the assemblage of a spider’s cobweb, it is all connected. A holistic lifestyle is the way to go. Some focus on health, wealth, love or freedom, but it’s really all the same. No matter what your values, priorities, like or dislikes are, everyone wants the same thing – to be happy.

Keep an eye out on our blog! Soon we’ll be posting a PART THREE: diving a bit deeper into what daily habits can be implemented in order to practice these mindful skills. In the meantime, check out our social media platforms for our virtual Mindful Mingles get-together currently happening every Monday at 3 PM (PST) via Instagram Live, Facebook Live, YouTube Live and Zoom! We always start with a little friendly chat, and a short demo on techniques you can use to develop your holistic fitness; then wrap it up with a breathing and chair yoga sequence. All you need is yourself and a comfy seat!

This post has been provided to you by DRIVEN Activity-Based Trainer Aide, Karen Castaneda. To learn more about Karen, click here.

            There are many symptoms that are associated with traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. Muscle spasticity, also referred to as spasms, is uncontrolled, abnormal muscle tightness due to prolonged muscle contraction. This is a symptom that is very commonly seen in those with traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, stroke, or multiple sclerosis. It is linked to damage to the brain, spinal cord, and motor nerves. Physiologically, the brain is responsible for sending a signal through the spinal cord and nerves to the muscles, which will tell them to contract and relax. After a brain injury, these messages that the muscle sends to the nervous system are unable to reach the brain, or there might be too many disordered signals between the brain and the muscle. Ultimately, this will result in preventing the muscles from responding correctly by causing them to contract involuntarily.

            As stated previously, spasticity is a symptom resulting from traumatic brain injuries. There are also many effects that come with having muscle spasticity. People can have one or a combination of the following: 1) jerking of the trunk muscles such as chest, back, abdomen, 2) hyperactive reflexes such as muscle spasms occurring when a limb is lightly touched, 3) stiff and/or very tight muscles at rest causing difficulty in relaxing or stretching, and/or 4) muscle tightness during activities which makes it challenging to control movements. Often when a person is experiencing muscle tightness, the obvious solution is to stretch it out. Those having suffered brain injuries, however, experience muscle tightness much more prominently and on a more intense level – frequently feeling like the muscles are unable to relax or stretch.

            Implication of treatment is dependent upon the severity and frequency of the spasms. It is also highly contemplated when they become worse during certain activities, a specific time of day, obstructed sleep, and/or limit the person’s ability to function. There are also times when the severity will fluctuate, which is another factor as well. Muscle spasticity is not always unpleasant or bothersome but can generate problems that give harm or pain to the person. Such problems include discomfort when muscles tighten, restricted motion, difficulty during deep inhalation, falls, inadequate use of hands, limitations on Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s), inability to maintain proper hygiene, skin pressure ulcers, poor positioning in medical equipment, and/or lethargy during the day. When the spasticity becomes severe, that is when it can cause almost continuous spasms, making it a challenge to complete a very simple movement.

            Treatment of muscle spasticity can be conducted in many ways. One method is through physical treatment with the goal of maintaining flexibility and reducing spasticity and risk for permanent joint contractures. This can be done by performing Passive Range of Motion, standing with support to help stretch the muscles, use of medical equipment (i.e., splints, braces, orthotics), exercise and/or stretching in a pool. Another method used is oral medication, for example, Baclofen, Dantrolene, or Benzodiazepines. Focal interventions could also be used, which is application to a specific location. These types of spasticity call for the use of anesthetic medications, alcohol, phenol, or neurotoxins (such as Botox). These will be injected in the muscles and nerves and will work to reduce muscle hyperactivity to control involuntary contractions in those local areas. For more severe muscle spasticity, some medical professionals will look to install an Intrathecal Baclofen (ITB) Pump. This surgical procedure involves implanting a small pump, usually in the person’s abdomen, which will release small amounts of baclofen in the spine. Consequently, the effect and success of treatment is dependent upon the severity of the spasticity.

Trainer Caleb and his client Karima on the Galileo

            At DRIVEN we offer a few methods of neurorecovery and rehabilitation that can help target a client’s muscle spasticity. The overall level of physical activity and specific exercises that are being provided by the Activity-Based Trainers also help to aid this as well. We have a Galileo machine that is specific to whole body vibration and a Hand Galileo that targets vibration to the upper extremities. Because of the constant vibrations that are occurring from the machines, the body or a specific body part is relaxed during a muscle spasm. Through a wholistic approach to wellness and being more aware of symptoms that are a result of traumatic brain injuries, we at DRIVEN can better determine which fitness and recovery regimens work best for each client.

This post has been provided to you by DRIVEN Activity-Based Trainer Aide, Jennine Marquez. To learn more about Jennine, click here.

            There are a few modifiable determinants that correlate with a stroke, which are hypertension, diabetes, smoking, etc.; but one that is very alluring is physical inactivity (or low cardiorespiratory fitness). Did you know that co-morbid cardiovascular conditions are present in 75% of stroke survivors – making it the #1 cause of death for people who have suffered a stroke? That is a scary thought! But thankfully that is a very modifiable condition that can be improved. And at DRIVEN, we got you covered.

            Research shows that intensive, aerobic, Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES)-assisted cycling can vastly improve one’s cardiovascular endurance. In one case study, eleven individuals who suffered a stroke participated in an FES-assisted cycling study to produce a correlation between improvement in aerobic capacity and locomotor function. In just eight weeks, there were significant improvements in the subjects’ VO2max AND in their self-selected walking speed. In other words, there IS indeed a correlation with improving one’s aerobic capacity to be able to perform other activities as well. Stacey et al. (2018) actually says, “There is high likelihood that improvements in metabolic capacity influence other functional as well as long-term health related outcomes and we believe that training to improve metabolic capacity should be a focus following [cardiovascular activity].”

            In another longitudinal study, Cavero-Redondo et al. (2019) states, “The primary finding of our study is that, among elderly people free of HTN [hypertension] at baseline, overweight/obesity, high CRF [cardiorespiratory fitness] levels, and non-diabetic status are the most important protective factors against stroke.” This study was observing those who have already suffered a stroke and were looking at modifiable factors to enhance in order to decrease the likelihood of it reoccurring.

            At DRIVEN Neurorecovery Center here in Las Vegas, we thrive on carrying out multidisciplinary approaches to our clients. A couple of features at DRIVEN are our wheelchair-accessible cardio equipment and our FES-assisted cycling bikes. We have multiple modems of Sci-Fit equipment, including arm cycles, leg cycles, recumbent bikes, and treadmills. We also have multiple FES-assisted bikes made by Restorative Therapies. They are one of the leading providers of FES equipment, making achievements and recovery for the neuro-adaptive population much more feasible. If you’re ever wanting a good cardio session and wanting to supplement it with some Activity-Based Training, come to DRIVEN and we’ll take care of you!

This post has been provided to you by DRIVEN Activity-Based Trainer, Caleb Pitman. To learn more about Caleb, click here.