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Last week we met with Ministers O Gorman and Rabbitte and highlighted the increasingly negative effect the lack of day services has had on our members and their families.
A new dedicated section of online video resources for teachers and parents has just been launched, the videos highlight a number of key points regarding the various educational stages for children with Down syndrome.
Thank you to all our members and their families who completed the Adult Disability Day Service Survey. There was a great response which highlights the importance of this issue.
The Department of Health and the Health Service Executive has launched a Covid-19 tracker app, which will help identify close contacts of people who test positive for the disease.
In the current crisis, many people are using screens more, both for learning and for entertainment, so it’s very important to be aware of eye health. With optometrists reopening shortly, now might be a good time to consider whether your family member with Down syndrome is due for an eye test.
We are delighted to be able to share the wonderful news that Margaret Killoran has recovered from Covid-19. Margaret is in her forties and from Tubbercurry in Sligo. When Margaret tested positive for Covid-19 in April she was cared for in Medical South in Sligo University Hospital for three weeks.
The HSE Community Operations newsletter is an accessible and user-friendly means of understanding the currently issued Guidance Documents, videos and webinars that have been developed by the National HSE Disabilities team, specific to COVID-19.
The Department of Health has recently published new guidance on the ‘Ethical Considerations Relating to Critical Care in the context of COVID-19’. Down Syndrome Ireland, along with other groups, immediately looked for clarification and reassurance that people with disabilities will have equal access to critical care should they need it.
Down Syndrome Ireland has co-signed a document on the rights of people with disabilities during the COVID-19 period. The statement calls on the government to adhere to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
There is a lot of fear around at the moment, and for very understandable reasons. Often fear, anxiety and uncertainty can trigger (or amplify) behaviour problems.
