Community Involvement

“Employable Me” – Breaking Down the Barriers of Employability

Friday, July 16, 2021 By Aidan Ponton

The economic impact of COVID-19 is far reaching and will not be fully calculated for a number of years. Thousands of people have experienced job loss in Canada; however, individuals living with a physical or neurological disability have been disproportionally affected because of the pandemic. According to Statistics Canada, 36% of people living with a disability reported experiencing a temporary or permanent job loss or reduced hours since March 2020.[1] Comparatively, the national unemployment rate in March 2021 is 7.5%[2]. One of the biggest factors leading to the discrepancy in employment rates between disabled and non-disabled people is due to the stigma surrounding individuals living with cognitive and physical disabilities. The show “Employable Me,” which has recently been renewed for its fourth season, is a documentary series that focuses on job seekers living with a cognitive or physical disability and the challenges they face searching for employment.

Each episode tells the story of two individuals and their journey through finding employment. Season 4 focuses on 12 new people and highlights their strengths in their desired fields and showcases their unique approach to tackling challenges The trailer for the current season, which premiered on June 9, can be viewed here, and season 4 can be watched in its entirety here.

As seen from our previous blog, potential employees with disabilities represent an untapped market. People living with a disability may not fit with the traditional employee model; however, the drive to excel is always there. Further, studies have shown people living with a disability are more likely to stay at the same company as compared to their counterparts without a disability. For an employer, there is no downside to hiring someone who is willing to work hard and isn’t as likely to leave after being trained. With all these factors, now is the time for employers to consider alternative hiring practices which are open to all potential employees.

Pacific Medical Law is committed to inclusivity. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury that you believe may be due to medical negligence, contact Pacific Medical Law. We have extensive experience in these types of cases and are committed to helping those who have suffered serious injuries maximize their recovery and reach their full potential.

[1] https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/200827/dq200827c-eng.htm

[2] https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/210409/dq210409a-eng.htm

Looking for Options for Accessible Tourism in the Okanagan?

Wednesday, July 7, 2021 By Aidan Ponton

With the summer months upon us and easing of COVID-19 restrictions, people are starting to travel again within British Columbia and take part in outdoor activities. For an individual with a disability, outdoor activities can present challenges an able-bodied person might not face. The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) in conjunction with Spinal Cord Injury BC are trying to bridge that gap and promote inclusive community and tourism experiences in the Thompson Okanagan Region. They are doing this by working with local companies who specialise in adaptive activities and adventures and by providing support and awareness so the barriers to travel are reduced or removed completely.

One of TOTA’s accessibility partners is Access Revolution who are based out of Vernon and specialise in paddle boarding and day hiking for people living with a disability. They have the expertise to create an outdoor event for groups of all sizes and abilities, or they can organize day hikes and paddles that can be catered to specific needs. With over 50 lakes in the Okanagan Region everyone should be able to enjoy an adventure on the water or a day by the lake in the summer heat.

Another company in the Okanagan Region promoting inclusivity is Kootenay Adaptive Sport Association. They are focused on adaptive mountain biking and have half, full or multi-day rentals. With numerous trails in the surrounding region, it is the perfect way for mountain bike enthusiasts to get out on the trails. As can be seen in our previous blog Trails for all – BC is a leader in adaptive mountain biking, adaptive mountain biking is becoming increasingly popular and is the perfect way to let everyone get out into the sunshine and explore part of what BC has to offer.

Finally, Community Recreational Initiatives Society (CRIS) is a company based out of Kelowna that is promoting inclusive tourism by offering adaptable hiking, paddling, or cycling adventures in the summer, as well as snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter. They offer single or multi-day fully guided adventures. With their expertise, having an excursion in the mountains or on the trail has never been so inclusive and easy.

The goal of TOTA and their partnering companies is to reduce the barriers of tourism, both physical and financial. Everyone should have the ability to enjoy the beauty BC has to offer and with the help of the community and the companies described above, we can reduce barriers to travel and improve inclusivity for all. At Pacific Medical Law, we believe inclusivity is a right and everyone should have the ability to take some time and recharge their mind and body. We are committed to helping those who have suffered life-altering injuries access their ability to travel and take part in outdoor activities. If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury or other injury that may have been caused or worsened by medical negligence, please contact us to discuss your concerns. We will provide you with our opinion on your legal rights and options, for no charge.

June is Brain Injury Awareness Month

Tuesday, June 29, 2021 By Aidan Ponton

Brain injuries can happen for a multitude of reasons such as strokes, car accidents, sports or other health-related situations. Each year in Canada, more than 20,000 people are hospitalized for traumatic brain injuries, and about 6,500 people in British Columbia suffer strokes each year. Many brain injuries are not visible, but they can have a serious effect on an individual’s ability to live a healthy life. Although living with a brain injury brings monumental challenges, the month of June is designated to bring awareness to the effects and prevalence of brain injuries as well as the support available to people who may need it.

The goal of the British Columbia Brain injury Association (BCBIA) is to improve the lives of people living with an acquired brain injury as well as to help educate people without an injury as how best to support brain injury survivors. BCBIA has partnered with many foundations all over BC, so finding resources close to you is an easier process.

The Stroke Recovery Association of British Columbia (SRABC) focusses specifically on supporting people who have had a stroke and they offer programs and resources for people throughout the province. SRABC has continued to operate throughout the Covid-19 pandemic by moving many of its programs online, with plans to move back to in-person programs eventually. In addition to programs to improve mobility and language recovery following a stroke, SRABC offers social support and strives to empower survivors to live fulfilling lives post-stroke.

Another valuable resource is March of Dimes Canada’s Brain Injury Services operating out of BC, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. March of Dimes is a non-profit organization whose aim is to help individuals “regain their purpose and become as independent as possible.”[1] The organization’s Brain Injury Services provides rehabilitation and social support services tailored to the needs of the individual and include physical rehabilitation, community outreach services that tackle task specific activities of daily living, and adult day programs that help address the social, cognitive, physical and emotional skills that may have been affected by a brain injury.

Recovering from a brain injury can be a lengthy and slow process but it doesn’t need to happen alone. The resources mentioned above are only some of the services available in BC as well as the rest of Canada. We can all do our part and become more informed about supporting those who have experienced a brain injury.

If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury which you believe may be due to medical negligence, contact Pacific Medical Law. We have extensive experience in brain injury cases and are committed to helping those who have suffered these types of injury maximize their recovery.

[1] https://www.marchofdimes.ca/en-ca/programs/abi

Trails for all – BC is a leader in adaptive mountain biking

Wednesday, April 28, 2021 By Andrea Donaldson

Adaptive Rider Jeremy McGhee. Photo by Nate Collins via The Loam Wolf

The Covid-19 pandemic has inspired people to engage in more outdoor sports and activities. However, this can be a challenge for those with disabilities. British Columbia has a strong reputation of making outdoor snow sports accessible to all, as outlined in our previous blog on Vancouver Adaptive Snow Sports (VASS) but the province has also emerged as a leader in adaptive mountain biking.

Adaptive mountain biking, or aMTB, is a young but fast-growing sport that allows athletes who have suffered spinal cord injuries, as well as those with developmental disabilities who have never had the opportunity to mountain bike, to participate in the sport and enjoy the outdoors. While those with injuries spend much of their time using mobility devices that are relegated to pavement, adaptive riders like Jeremy McGhee through his website theunpavement.org are on a mission to find and document trails that adaptive riders can access safely, so that everyone can reconnect with nature.

BC is home to trails for adaptive riders with varying skills and degrees of mobility challenges. Bobsled, a mountain biking trail in North Vancouver, was upgraded specifically to accommodate the width of adaptive mountain bikes by the North Shore Mountain Bike Association, in keeping with the society’s motto of “Trails for all, trails forever.” Other aMTB options in the area include Sidewinder in Burnaby and Half Nelson in Squamish.

In September 2017, the Spine Trail was opened near Rosebery, BC. The vision began with the North Slocan Trails Society with the goal of becoming a destination for adaptive mountain biking.

In the Nakusp area, the Mount Abriel project is managed by the Nakusp and Area Bike Society. Intertwined within a large-scale traditional mountain biking trail network are some of the regions most accessible adaptive mountain bike trails as well as 30 campsites built with accessibility in mind. The creators of the trail network have a goal of breaking barriers between able-bodied riders, adaptive riders, experts, beginners, and children. Before leaving the area, riders can visit one of the areas many hot springs. Nakusp Hot Springs has a lift for easier access for those requiring mobility assistance.

In May 2018, Revelstoke’s first adaptive trail, Miller Time (named after local adaptive rider, Chris Miller), opened. Ethan Krueger, who runs the adaptive mountain biking website AMTB Trails, was in attendance for the opening which was packed with riders of all abilities. Kreuger is an adaptive mountain biker following a spinal cord injury and his website provides details, accessibility ratings, and videos of adaptive trails. He heard of the opening of the new adaptive Revelstoke trail through the online aMTB community: “For me, the biggest thing was the people realized that there was a need for trails that accommodate adaptive mountain bikes and went through the time and effort to make it happen,” Kreuger said.

Participation in adaptive sports is growing around the world, and British Columbia is emerging as a leader in the creation of adaptive mountain biking trails that make outdoor sports accessible to all. At Pacific Medical Law, we are committed to helping those who have suffered life-altering injuries achieve their full potential. If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury or other injury that may have been caused or worsened by medical negligence, please contact us to discuss your concerns. We will provide you with our opinion on your legal rights and options, for no charge.

2019 Janna Epp Bursary Recipient

Tuesday, August 27, 2019 By Susanne Raab

We are pleased to introduce Kira – our 2019 bursary recipient.

Kira is a sweet, smart and funny little girl who lives a beautiful life of love and inclusion. She has recently started school and when her parents pick her up from school, her smile beams and she is overflowing with excitement.

Kira’s parents are determined to do everything they can to keep Kira healthy and to optimize her potential. They plan to use these bursary funds to assist them in providing stem cell therapy for Kira to help create new neural pathways and to retrain her brain and body.

We are hopeful that this therapy will make a meaningful difference in the quality of Kira’s life.

We have had the privilege of reading the stories of many exceptionally devoted and committed parents who need assistance in providing the specialized care, support, therapy and equipment their child needs and deserves to reach their full potential in life. Pacific Medical Law will continue to honor Janna’s memory, and support these families in the years to come, by providing this bursary to one family every year. We recognize, however, that this is not enough. This bursary, while very helpful to the annual recipient, is a small drop in the bucket for the CP community. We will continue to do what we can to help families with children living with CP in any way we can.

Individually, we will help families who have questions about the management of their pregnancy, labour and delivery, or the circumstances of the birth of their child. We will assist these families in obtaining answers from their treating nurse or physician, or expert opinions on why their child suffered their birth injury and whether it could have been avoided. We will do so free of charge. If the injury could have been avoided with appropriate and safe medical care, we will work to obtain fair compensation for your child to ensure they have optimal care, support and therapy during their lifetime.

At a community level, we remain committed to supporting the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC. As the President of the Board of the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, I am working closely with the board and the staff on an ambitious plan to expand our services and supports for people living with CP throughout the province.

There is always more we can do. If there is a way we can help your family, please call us – we are here to help.