Los Angeles Workshops

11:45am – 12:45pm

Accommodating your Abilities: California Workplace Protections

Presented by: Jonathan Delshad, Attorney, Law Offices of Jonathan J. Delshad, PC, JD/MBA

Location: Workshop Area

Learn about the rights and protections California law provides to employees who need special accommodations to do their job. We'll discuss the applicable laws, discrimination, reasonable accommodations, the interactive process to ensure accommodations, and what to do when an employer fails to provide accommodations to an employee.

Learn more at delshadlegal.com.

1:00pm – 2:00pm

Travel Your World!

Presented by: Ashley Lyn Olson, Accessibility Advocate and Blogger, WheelchairTraveling.com

Location: Workshop Area

Be inspired and empowered to travel! Learn from Ashley Lyn Olson, accessibility advocate and creator of the travel blog WheelchairTraveling.com. Whatever your travel interest and ability, there are possibilities waiting for you to see the world. Gain valuable information about accessible accommodations, cruises, transportation, tours, and more as well as tips on everything from flying to packing and problem-solving so you can prepare and plan accordingly. Hear about Olson's Access 2 Parks Project and her recent trips to the Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Portugal.

Learn more at wheelchairtraveling.com.

2:30pm - 3:30pm

Driving with a Disability

Presented by: Greg Paquin, Senior Rehabilitation Engineer, California Department of Rehabilitation

Location: Workshop Area

Discover how people with disabilities can become consumers of The Department of Rehabilitation (DOR). If you seek independence through employment, DOR can assist you. This workshop will also provide an understanding of the DOR/Mobility Evaluation Program (MEP) process and how the determination of a person's ability to drive safely with adaptive driving equipment or as a passenger is determined. MEP is a nationally recognized program with the largest fleet of adaptive driving evaluation vehicles, ranging from low-tech (hand-controls) to high-tech adaptive driving accommodations to accommodate a wide range of disabilities. If you're looking to start a training or seek employment that may require driving, this is the perfect presentation to learn about DOR process!

Learn more at http://www.dor.ca.gov/.

3:45pm – 4:45pm

Life After Stroke: Help for Stroke Survivors and Caretakers

Presented by: Christopher Ewing, Stroke Survivor and President/Founder, The Stroke Channel

Location: Workshop Area

Hosted by Emmy Award winning TV Host, Executive Producer and stroke survivor Christopher Ewing, this workshop is designed for stroke survivors, as well as their caregivers and loved ones. On April 21, 2018, Christopher suffered a near fatal hemorrhagic stroke while at his television studio in Hollywood, California. After five days in intensive care at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and nearly a month-and-a-half at a rehabilitation hospital, Christopher's recovery has been called "miraculous." Because of what happened to him, Christopher has been on a mission to educate the public on stroke awareness around the world. He is the creator of The Stroke Channel, a 24/7, on-demand, television network seen on Roku and Amazon Fire TV, and "Life After Stroke," a popular radio show heard on iHeart Radio, Pandora and more.

During this workshop, Christopher will discuss some of the challenges that can follow a stroke and provide helpful advice for dealing with stroke in its aftermath. Discover what you can do to recover and move forward with your life after a stroke.

Learn more at thestrokechannel.tv.

11:45am - 12:45pm

What You Wish You Knew About Your Manual Wheelchair, But Were Afraid to Ask

Presented by: Bill Randall, MSc. Kin, Clinical Mobility Product Specialist, Ki Mobility

Location: Workshop Area

As a manual wheelchair user you want your chair to perform well. While optimal performance means different things for each user, all wheelchairs should be reliable, responsive, and well set up for function within your environment of use. For manual wheelchair users, a basic understanding of what you're using and how it works can help you obtain a wheelchair that meets your definition of optimal performance. This workshop will examine real-world scenarios of manual wheelchair use. We'll investigate the science involved in adjusting your wheelchair - and how this can affect how easy or difficult it is to move your chair around. Attendees will gain a better understanding of how their wheelchairs can be "tuned" - set up to get the most efficient translation of their movement into the chair's movement. The more optimal the set-up, the less work required to operate it, and the less taxing it can be to your body over time.

Learn more at kimobility.com.

1:00pm – 2:00pm

The Art of Complex Caregiving

Presented by: Linda M. Schultz, PhD, CRRN

Location: 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.

2:30pm - 3:30pm

Disability and Special Needs Planning Made Easy

Presented by: Andre Sam, Disability & Special Needs Project

Location: 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 projectdsnp.com.

3:45pm – 4:45pm

Wheelchair Seating Solutions for Kids

Presented by: Ryan Cavender, Technical Support and Education Manager, Stealth Products

Location: 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 stealthproducts.com.

11:45am - 12:45pm

Discover How to Pay for Everything You See Today

Presented by: Sonny Mullen and Kelly L. Green, Help Hope Live

Location: Workshop Area

Did you know that you can fundraise to cover the costs of everything you see at Abilities Expo? From power wheelchairs to accessible vehicles, from adaptive bikes to home modifications. And more! Help Hope Live wants to help make this happen! Come find out how the Help Hope Live non-profit organization works closely with Abilities Expo exhibitors and others – to get our clients on their way to independence!

Learn more at helphopelive.org.

1:00pm - 2:00pm

Do You and Your Loved Ones Know What To Do In an Emergency?

Presented by: Earthquake Country Alliance

Location: Workshop Area

An emergency plan is critical to being prepared for not just earthquakes and weather-related disasters - but also everyday emergencies that can happen at any time. Join representatives of California disability and emergency management organizations to learn how to develop your Emergency Plan and/or how you can improve your current plan.

Get California-specific resources at earthquakecountry.org/accessibility and find national resources at ready.gov/disability.

2:30pm – 3:30pm

Ms. Wheelchair California 2024 Competition

Presented by: The Ms. Wheelchair California Leadership Institute

Location: Workshop Area

The Ms. Wheelchair California 2024 Competition is happening at Abilities Expo Los Angeles! The purpose of the competition is to select the most accomplished and articulate spokeswoman to represent people living with disabilities. The selected titleholder must be able to communicate both the needs and the accomplishments of her constituency to the general public, the business community and the legislature. The competition is based on advocacy, achievement, communication and presentation. Come and listen to the platform speeches of talented contestants from across the state and see who will be crowned the 2024 Ms. Wheelchair California.

Learn more at mwcaleadership.org.