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Purpose: The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of employers' attitudes to, knowledge about, and policies relating to employing someone with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine employers located in Australia from a range of backgrounds and different sized businesses. The interviews were thematically analysed. Results: Three themes were identified: Organisational policies (sub-themes: Recruitment - inherent requirements of the role vs risk mitigation; Recruitment strategies and targets; Disclosure; Accommodations needed or offered); Barriers & facilitators (sub-themes: Lack of knowledge about SCI; Physical accessibility; Workplace culture); Personal attitudes (sub-themes: Personal attitudes don't align with organisational policy; Personal experiences informed understanding). Conclusions: Organisational policies and practices of the employers' organisations, and workplace culture impact the likelihood of someone with a SCI being employed, particularly in relation to recruitment, employment targets, and available accommodations. Individual staff attitudes and knowledge also influence this process. Multi-faceted approaches are needed to increase the employment of people with SCI. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: Barriers to employing someone with spinal cord injury (SCI) include lack of knowledge about SCI, and lack of knowledge about workplace laws Organisational policies and practices of organisations impact the likelihood of someone with an SCI being employed Individual staff attitudes influence employment of people with SCI Employers' knowledge about and confidence in employing people with SCI, is an important area to target interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping review aimed to map the breadth of available literature, and to understand the barriers and facilitators of return to study and education participation for students with SCI. The authors performed electronic searches of six databases for peer-reviewed articles published in English between January 1990 and March 2021. Key search terms included: spinal cord injury, students, education participation, academic reintegration, and school re-entry. Data charting was used to summarise the study characteristics. Eleven articles addressed the return to study and education participation of students with SCI. These studies used qualitative and quantitative methods and involved participants aged between 10 and 42 years. The findings addressed five main areas: importance of education, participation and performance in education, the physical environment, support network, and strategies for integration. This review shows that there is limited evidence available on this topic, mostly from small scale studies with variable quality. More research is needed to understand how best to support the educational participation and success of students with SCI. Policies targeted to mitigating barriers, including inaccessible environments and curricula, adequate information and supports, are also needed to better facilitate return to study and education participation of students with SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the debate between surrogate decision-making and supported decision-making for individuals with cognitive disabilities. Surrogate decision-making, where a guardian makes decisions on behalf of someone lacking decision-making capacity, is criticized as a violation of human rights and paternalistic. Supported decision-making, on the other hand, allows individuals to make their own decisions with assistance. The author challenges the belief that surrogate decision-making is inherently disrespectful and argues that it can sometimes express more respect for individuals with cognitive disabilities. The article also raises concerns about the moral implications of prosthetic reasoning, where someone else executes all of the reasoning for an individual with profound cognitive disabilities. The author questions the assumption that a surrogate decision-maker can fully understand and execute the reasoning of another person, particularly those with complex inner lives. [Extracted from the article]

The aim of this study was to explore the experience of people with non-traumatic spinal cord injuries who have recently returned home from inpatient rehabilitation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven adults with non-traumatic spinal cord injuries who had been discharged from inpatient rehabilitation from an Australian rehabilitation hospital, within the last two years. Three themes were identified: the practicalities of coming home; adjusting to "my altered home life"; pursuing recovery. When people felt prepared by their rehabilitation service, and had appropriate support from others, they had a more positive adjustment experience, although not one without challenges. Due to less independence and inability to participate in meaningful life roles, participants experienced a sense of lost or changed identity. Maintaining hope for physical recovery was very important and motivated participants to actively engage in rehabilitation efforts. This study adds to the knowledge regarding the lived experience of people with non-traumatic spinal cord injury transitioning from rehabilitation to home. Facilitators for successful rehabilitation discharge included ensuring community services contacted patients immediately after they left hospital, and providing support for carers. Health care workers can positively influence the adjustment process of people with NTSCI by facilitating re-engagement in meaningful roles. The transition home from inpatient rehabilitation after non-traumatic spinal cord injury (NTSCI) is facilitated by early discharge planning and follow-up from services after discharge. Establishing routines helped participants adjust to their new circumstances. The emotional and practical support of carers is vital for successful adjustment to living in the community with an NTSCI. Health care workers can positively influence the adjustment process of people with NTSCI by facilitating their re-engagement in meaningful roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with 'severe' cognitive disabilities are primarily discussed in philosophy and bioethics to determine their moral status. In this paper it is argued that theories of moral status have limited relevance to the unjust ways in which people with cognitive disabilities are routinely treated in the actual world, which largely concerns their relegation to an inferior social status. I discuss three possible relationships between moral and social status, demonstrating that determinate answers about the moral status of individuals with 'severe' cognitive disabilities are neither necessary nor sufficient for defending the imperative that they be treated as our social equals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this scoping review was to identify the extent, range, and nature of studies that have been published regarding community integration programs and interventions that support people during the transition home from hospital following spinal cord injury. Four electronic databases and one search engine were searched for articles published between 2010 and 2020. Grey literature and manual searches were also done. Of the 16 articles included, 8 were published in peer-reviewed journals. Two of these did not include an evaluation. Study designs included but were not limited to pilot studies (n = 2); mixed methods evaluations (n = 2); single-site randomized controlled trials (n = 3); and, non-randomized single-arm study design (n = 1). The articles were from the United States (n = 12), Canada (n = 2), Australia (n = 1), and the United Kingdom (n = 1). The majority of interventions focused on addressing health-related educational needs, followed by community mobility. Goal setting and promoting self-efficacy were identified as important components, and the importance of involvement of people with lived experience was also highlighted. There was a lack of focus on management of relationships, including addressing sexuality needs. This review highlights the need for further empirical evaluation of implemented programs and interventions in this area, particularly in countries other than the USA, to inform service development. Successful community integration is an important outcome of spinal cord injuries rehabilitation. The majority of published programs focus on health-related educational needs, followed by community mobility. It is recommended that goal setting and promoting self-efficacy are included in programs. It is recommended that people with lived experience of spinal cord injuries are involved in interventions. It is recommended that programs include a focus on management of relationships, including addressing sexuality needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information that Arts on Prescription at Home, a participatory arts program, offered in the homes of people living with dementia and their family members in Sydney, Australia. It mentions that arts program, providing opportunities for creative engagement and improved wellbeing of people living with dementia.