Do2Learn.com Offers JobTIPS for Individuals with Autism

 

Do2Learn.com Offers JobTIPS for Individuals with Autism

 

 

Online resource helps individuals with autism be successful in the workforce

RALEIGH, N.C., April 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Do2Learn.com, an innovative, online provider of educational resources for individuals with special needs, is expanding its website to include JobTIPS. JobTIPS offers free "how to" interactive materials for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other special needs to help them evaluate, identify, and maintain employment. "Finding and holding onto a job is difficult for everyone these days, but people with ASD may be at particular disadvantages," noted Thomas R. Insel, M.D., director of the National Institute of Mental Health, part of National Institutes of Health. Symptoms of ASD like social impairment, communication difficulties, and repetitive and stereotyped behaviors often pose major barriers for sustaining employment. JobTIPS also targets educators, job coaches, clinicians, and special education staff who support individuals with ASD, as they transition out of high school and into vocational, education or other post-secondary activities. JobTIPS creator Dorothy Strickland, Ph.D., President of Virtual Reality Aids Inc. and do2Learn.com, said, "Successful employment is the key to greater independence for individuals with ASD. JobTIPS aims to equip these young adults with the right resources to help them optimize their potential and at a level where employers see and appreciate the unique skills and talents they have to offer." Estimates indicate that the cost of caring for a person with autism is more than $3 million during his or her lifetime. "With 1 in 110 children being diagnosed with autism, there is a critical need as a society to do more to help young adults on the spectrum transition more effectively into the workplace," said Susan Wilczynski, Ph.D., BACB-D, and Executive Director of the National Autism Center. "Many people with autism spectrum disorders are capable of joining the workforce and being tax-contributing members of our communities. Yet the number employed is relatively low due to lack of access to information and supports that would result in gainful employment. JobTIPS helps fill this critical need by using technology that is accessible to adults throughout the country." JobTIPS offers hundreds of detailed modeling videos, print guides, real-world tips, checklists, and scheduling exercises to help students learn what it takes to land a job, and then to be successful on the job. Additionally, the website is conveniently accessible from smart phones, tablet computers, and other remote devices. JobTIPS was created by a team of educators, clinicians, teachers and parents and made possible through the support of a National Institutes of Health Stimulus Grant, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). To learn more, visit www.do2Learn.com. About Do2Learn Do2Learn provides free web-based tools and solutions based on scientific research and clinical experience to help individuals with disabilities and the professionals and caregivers who serve them. This learning material was developed to target specific deficits of individuals with neurological disorders including ASD, fetal alcohol effects, intellectual disabilities, attention disorders, learning and communication disorders and others.  Visit www.do2Learn.com today.

Contact:	Dorothy Strickland
	do2Learn.com
	919.755.1809
	Strickland@do2Learn.com

SOURCE Do2Learn

BMA Management Selects Dakim BrainFitness to Help Preserve Brain Health for Residents in 14 Assisted Living Communities

 

BMA Management Selects Dakim BrainFitness to Help Preserve Brain Health for Residents in 14 Assisted Living Communities

 

 

Dementia-Fighting System Now Used in 440 Senior Communities Nationwide

BRADLEY, Ill., March 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- BMA Management, Ltd., one of the 25 largest assisted living providers in the U.S., has selected the Dakim BrainFitness System as a key component in their health and wellness initiatives. BMA piloted the computer-based program in two of its 33 Illinois communities for a year, and now plans to expand the program to 12 additional communities during 2011. "Our company focus is on maintaining the health, wellness, dignity and independence of each resident; and we recognize that maintaining one's cognitive health is a very important aspect of successful aging," said Beth Quarles, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for BMA Management. "Dakim's program is unique in it's ability to address the brain fitness needs of each resident individually, and over the past year our residents have reported that the program has made a real difference with their memory abilities.  The expansion of the program is logical given the outcomes, and yet another reason why BMA continues to be a leading innovator in affordable senior housing." The Dakim program includes a specialized touch-screen computer and brain fitness exercises that adjust to the ability levels of each resident. Clinically tested Dakim BrainFitness cross-trains the brain in six cognitive domains using entertaining multimedia activities that contain film clips and music from seniors' past, are updated regularly, and require no computer skills – simply a tap on the screen. The self-service nature of the system minimizes the need for caregiver assistance and associated costs. Decades of medical research have associated consistent, long-term participation in cognitively stimulating activities with a significantly reduced risk of cognitive decline. Clinical trials by a major university have shown that individuals who used the Dakim program experienced significant improvements in memory retention and delayed recall. "Researchers agree that ongoing mental stimulation can help preserve brain function.  The operative word is 'ongoing' because the benefits seem to lessen if you stop. That means that a brain fitness program has to be enjoyable enough to keep people coming back for more," said Dakim CEO Dan Michel. "That's the key to Dakim BrainFitness. It's based on science, but it feels like a TV game show." Dakim is the leading provider of turnkey brain fitness programs for senior living providers, with installations in over 440 communities nationally. Dakim can be reached at 888-693-2546 or on the web at www.dakim.com. Dakim's program is also available as a software product for individual use on personal computers. BMA Management can be reached at 877-882-1495, or on the web at www.bma-mgmt.com/ SOURCE Dakim