iwidji

joined 1 year ago
[–] iwidji@lemmy.world 28 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

So I'm someone who has to use an orthopedic shoe because I have (really bad) flat foot. So to add more flavor text,

  • It is true, orthopedic isn't really a regulated term, so it gets thrown around pretty aggressively with little meaning.
  • Some shoe companies genuinely are creating orthopedic shoes for people with actual foot problems. For me personally, I use Orthofeet brand because I find them to straddle the very weird intersection of shoes with extra wide toe boxes/foots, and terrible arch support, and flexible + lightweight materials. They didn't pay me to say this, I'm just really really happy with them after nearly a decade of jumping between brands.
  • Sometimes orthopedic shoes are not enough... like in my defective case. In my case, I have Orthopedic Insoles which are NOT the same things as the flimsy things in the supermarkets. They're actually custom molded to my foot, to prevent my skeletal structure from collapsing more under the horribleness of my flat foot. Between my shoes and my insoles, this is literally the difference between me being unable to walk and me being able to run a bit.
[–] iwidji@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think your statement and the fear for self driving can be true at the same time.

Self driving is safer than humans most of the time… but not all the time. Nothing is perfect.

Self driving currently assumes that a human can intervene when it fails. It assumes that a human is present and not eating a bowl of cereal and applying mascara. It assumes that the human is actually paying attention, in a situation where they usually don’t have to because self driving is usually safer.

Yes, self driving is statically safer. Yes, self driving will one day be perfect.

But I don’t think we can fault anyone for being worried about self driving, especially with companies like Tesla, who sell the promise that you don’t really have to pay attention… even though you kinda have to right now.

 

[Sorry for the possibly off topic post for most of you]

If this title is you or someone you know: If NJ, the DDD, or the CCW Waiting List calls you and asks if the client with intellectual disabilities would like to be placed in a group home, that means (1) you’re at the top of the list and (2) do NOT say No.

Saying No means you’ll be removed from the list. It is your right to use the CCW for increased funds to take care of said individual in the residence of their choosing – not just traditional group homes. So you can say: “Not a group home, but, I’d like to use the CCW in other ways, such as in house supports and services”.

Insane amounts of information for anyone reading this wondering what’s going on

  • If you or someone you know has an intellectual disability that (1) began before the age of 21 (which isn’t the same as diagnosed before the age of 21 – just that you got it before 21 and any sane doctor would conclude yeah you must have got it) and (2) reside in New Jersey, you qualify for services from the NJ Dept. of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) once you are age 21 or higher.
  • Many folks in DDD get services via the ‘Support Program’. This is a program where the state gives you a modest budget and you can use it for services that meet your need. This can be at-home supports, day programs, career training, college mentoring support, health programs, etc.
  • A smaller amount of folks get DDD funding via the ‘Community Care Waiver’ (CCW) program. This is similar to the Supports Program, but has substantially more money in the budget. It’s higher so it can cover Institutional Care or Group Homes, but it’s not required to be used in that way. You could use the funding for more of those at-home or community supports.
  • The CCW has many waiting lists but the only waiting list that moves is the priority waiting list, triggered under certain conditions, usually about the parents’ health and age. Despite being the only waiting list that moves, it still moves very slowly. So it’s important to get on the waiting list as soon as you can and not screw things up. Hence why this situation is all sorts of jacked up that the CCW would be mischaracterized as being “Group Home” only and using that question to disqualify status once someone made it to the top of the waiting list.