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Episode One - Resources Premieres: Episode One covers the kinds of disabilities that exist, the evolution of language surrounding the word "disability," and the story of the Disability Movement. This episode also features behind-the-scenes footage of auditions that were held at the CPTV Studio in Hartford, Connecticut, to select the series' hosts. Anthony J. Dennis of South Windsor, Connecticut, and Therese A. Nadeau of Glastonbury, Connecticut, were chosen to host Episode One and will introduce each of the topics covered. Episode Two - Resources Premieres: Featuring:
Episode Three - Resources Premieres: Profiles of Connecticut Residents Living With Disabilities Laurajean and Robert Vaughn weren't planning to have three boys who were autistic, but that's how it worked out. They love their kids who are average teenagers in many ways, but who are very different in other ways. Donald and Lisa both use wheelchairs, but that doesn't take away their ability or right to be great parents. Armand and Debbie Legault are older newlyweds, struggling to learn how to live together like all couples. In their case, they struggle for privacy, since Armand needs live-in assistance. Dancing is an activity that they both enjoy, and it helps them groove together in their lives. Richard was institutionalized for most of his adult life, until a group of people called his 'circle of support' helped him to live a more independent life. Richard has a job, a home and a staff that cares about him. Kirky includes Richard in family activities and treats him like a brother. Episode Four - Resources Premieres: Accessibility: Options and Obstacles at Home and in Public/Boundless Playground/Emergency Preparedness Host Therese Nadeau tours a model home in Massachusetts that promotes universal design as a building option. Wider hallways, low windows and low-light fixtures are some of the features. Then Nadeau demonstrates how she gets around the kitchen of her Glastonbury home, with the help of Sassy her assistance dog. Claude Holcomb, who works for ADAPT and for Connecticut Transit, takes viewers through his typical day using public transportation in Hartford. Even with all of the efforts to make buses accessible, hurdles remain, such as the occasional broken lift and narrow entrance. A person using a wheelchair also depends on the knowledge of the bus driver to secure the chair safely. Via a "Claude Cam," which the producers installed on his wheelchair, viewers get to see Holcomb's point of view. Patricia (Pat) Thomas takes viewers through her day of typical errands in Greenwich, visiting the dry cleaners and the grocery store using her $93,000 custom van, which she drives with a joystick and voice-recognition technology. The program explores the problems presented by improperly sized handicapped parking spaces and buildings with stairs. The majority of playgrounds in Connecticut are inaccessible to children with disabilities, who are unable to get on the swing, navigate the playground yard, or interact with other children. Recognizing that fact 10 years ago, a West Hartford woman – inspired by a personal tragedy – built Jonathan's Dream, a playground in West Hartford for children of all abilities. Half of the people who did not evacuate during Hurricane Katrina were either physically unable to leave or were caring for someone physically unable to leave. Able Lives outlines some of the steps that people with disabilities and their caregivers can take to prevent a similar situation. Episode Five - Resources Premieres: Culture Part five of Able Lives, the television series about Connecticut people living with disabilities, covers the topic of culture – from the arts to sports to fashion. This episode features a story about Blessing Offor, a 17-year-old New Haven resident who is a gifted singer and songwriter. Offor is a student at the Educational Center for the Arts in New Haven. Learn about his plans to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston and his eagerness to succeed in the music industry. Able Lives then pays a visit to meet a group of women in Hartford, who are as diverse as the fabric in their quilts and other creations. They gather to sew, to weave, to “dish” and to share each other’s company; ultimately, these are the threads that tie them together. Mark Selevka, a Manchester resident, always wanted to follow in the steps of his grandfather and play baseball, the all-American pastime. In doing so, he has learned to become part of a team, to endure when things get tough, and to take his lumps and scratches. Whether winning or losing, Selevka has developed skills that are both physical and emotional. Shakespeare tells us that “all the world’s a stage.” Artreach Inc., and The Second Step Players take this philosophy to heart. Their members write and perform original comedy, drama and music about the experience of having been labeled with a psychiatric illness. For 20 years, Norwich-based Artreach has shown people how to create light when they find their minds on a darkened stage. From the world of fashion, Able Lives shares the story of Braille Tees, the brainchild of Kara Euvino, a Watertown resident who is inspired to bring the world closer together “one chest at a time.” Able Lives also shows how some retailers are becoming more inclusive; for instance, the Kohl’s store in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, has a fashionable mannequin seated in a wheelchair. Episode five also has a segment featuring Jaime Lazeroff of Hartford, who shares his opinion in a witty Andy Rooney-style piece.
Episode Six - Resources
A radio traffic reporter and a banker are among the individuals featured in the sixth episode of Able Lives, which focuses on work and how it relates to people with disabilities. The episode looks at how people with disabilities use technology to help them in their work; the value of their labor; the barriers to advancement and acquiring jobs; and the role of personal assistants on the job. Viewers will meet Tommy Edison, a traffic reporter for Star 99.9 WEZN FM in Milford. Edison is a sightless man guiding sighted commuters every morning and evening. These drivers depend on the accuracy of his traffic reports and his personality to help them get through the day as well as through the traffic. The episode also profiles David Gregoire, who uses assistive technology in his job as senior credit analyst for Liberty Bank in Middletown. The assistive technology was provided by the State of Connecticut Bureau of Rehabilitation Services. Able Lives also focuses on Tom Wade, a teacher at Bridgeport Central High School, and Cleen LeBlanc, who does information technology for the Coast Guard Academy and works for General Dynamics. In Episode Six, Deb Walker delivers an opinion piece. Watch Video The editorial below expresses the opinion of the author and does not reflect the views of Connecticut Public Television or its parent company, Connecticut Public Broadcasting, Inc. Hello. My name is Deb Walker. For the past eight years I have worked as a Disabled Veterans Outreach Specialist in the Department of Labor. One of the promises made to soldiers over the years was “lifetime employment assistance.” The DOL was created to help returning veterans return to work. When I started this job, there were 32 Vet Reps in Connecticut. By the time this broadcast airs, I will likely no longer be a Veterans Representative. Recent funding cuts have reduced the number of Vet Reps to 12 people to cover all of the State’s veterans who are looking for work! They are so understaffed that our Director works two days a week in the field in effort to keep up with client demand. I want to be clear, I am not complaining because I lost my job. I have already found another job; it’s actually a promotion. But I am a service-connected veteran myself. It's hard to watch our government chisel our benefits away, year after year. I have a sense that the general population thinks that the Veterans Administration (VA) takes care of all veterans’ needs. NO, they don’t. Loopholes and restrictions imposed by both State and Federal benefit programs have eliminated many veterans from participation. The DOL is generally the first stop returning soldiers access for assistance. It is often a shock to young men and women today to find out how hard it is for them to get a job. It’s not like the golden oldies when employers felt that it was their patriotic duty to hire returning veterans. Now there are companies that are afraid to hire new veterans out of fear that they will get deployed again. Job assistance is supposed to be a lifetime benefit. But now, there are not enough Vet Reps left to work with the volume of veterans we had before 9-11, much less the newly released veterans coming home. I ask you, how can anyone in Washington call themselves a patriot and then cut the funding to the programs veterans were promised and need when they come home! It is simply unconscionable! Our kids are risking their lives; lives that will be forever changed as a consequence of their service, while DC continues to cut the funding necessary to help them adjust once they come home. “Do more with less,” has a break point. We are still creating more veterans. Some of the more severely wounded soldiers coming home will have to go through physical rehab, counseling, and then vocational rehabilitation and training. In other words, it will be six to eight years or more before we see the full fall-out from this war. And by then, there may be no services at all! I fear that many people won’t care about this issue if it does not directly affect them. The long and short, however, is that it does not matter what party you are affiliated with. What matters is that this is not a time to be cutting funding for veteran employment and services trainings, one of the most successful programs in government history. It is critical for our veterans to have another vet help them start their journey home and turn what could otherwise be considered a tragic experience, into an opportunity for growth. Remember, every person, veteran, with or without a disability who works, is a patriot and a taxpayer. Episode Seven - Resources
Meet a couple who have spent their lives fighting for causes such as the unjust incarceration of people with disabilities and find out which Connecticut town is making accessibility a priority. These are just some of the people featured in the seventh episode of "Able Lives," the new television series about Connecticut people living with disabilities. This episode examines how all kinds of individuals are out in the community advocating for full inclusion of all people with disabilities in all areas of life. Viewers will watch individuals appear before a state legislative committee to present their views about why Connecticut must change the name of the Department of Mental Retardation; tag along as hundreds attend a conference in Hartford featuring new products to help people living with disabilities and discussions about better advocacy at the State Capitol and in local communities; meet a group of African- and Caribbean-American parents of children with disabilities from New Haven who serve as a support group for each other; be introduced to Bob Perske and his wife, Martha, of Darien, who've been advocating for people with disabilities all their lives; and visit Unionville, a section of Farmington, where access for individuals with disabilities is becoming part of the economic development fabric.
Episode Eight - Resources
American society has come a long way over the past 40 years toward providing educational services to children with disabilities. But has it come far enough? The eighth episode of “Able Lives,” examines the resources currently available – or lacking, in the state. The program premiered in January and will be rebroadcast Thursday, Feb. 22 at 9 p.m. Show hosts Anthony Dennis and Theresa Nadeau describe the eighth of ten planned segments exploring the lives of people with disabilities “as probably the most controversial” of the series. The show visits birth to three programs, public schools and colleges; it will include interviews with parents, students, educational leaders and other experts to piece together a portrait of a system of education in America built over four decades.
Episode Nine - Resources
The newest episode of Able Lives will take viewers on three separate paths that transformed the lives of three individuals with disabilities as it examines the role of “people animals and things,” Thursday, Feb. 22 at 9:30 p.m. on Connecticut Public Television (CPTV). In the ninth episode, viewers will hear first hand from people whose self-described salvation came from their encounters with new technology, dedicated people, or even animals. One woman found it in a professional aide that ultimately allowed her to communicate. The program delves into the life-changing potential of new technologies such as the iBot 4000, invented by the creator of the Segway. And the show chronicles how a woman debilitated by anxiety, depression and agoraphobia found life liveable again through her kinship with dogs.
Episode Ten - Resources
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