Weekly News (January 3 - January 7)

A New Nursing Home Population: The Young (NPR, Dec. 9, 2010)
Young people are going into nursing homes at a high rate.  In fact, people ages 31-64 make up 14% of the nursing home population – up 10% from 10 years ago. Unfortunately the data doesn’t say why. Read about one young woman’s fight to receive her care in-home, rather than in a nursing home.

Youth In Nursing Homes Seek Alternative Care (NPR, Dec. 9, 2010)
More than 6,000 young people under the age of 21 are living in nursing homes. And thousands more are in their early 20s.  Read about one young man’s battle to leave a nursing home.

Study To Tackle Obesity Epidemic Among People With Disabilities (Disability Scoop, Dec. 16, 2010)
A new study is underway to determine why obesity is common among young people with disabilities, and what the ramifications are.

United Airlines Settles EEOC Disability Discrimination Suit (Trading Markets, Dec. 21, 2010)
United Airlines is settling a federal lawsuit alleging it violated the ADA by refusing to allow employees with disabilities work reduced hourly schedules.

Father’s App Lets Disabled Son ‘Speak’ Thru iPad (ABC News, Dec. 24, 2010)
Read how one father, who has a son with disabilities, can now communicate with him thanks to an iPad application.

Many with developmental disabilities ‘trapped’ in nursing homes, lawsuit contends (Star-Telegram, Dec. 20, 2010)
In Texas, a class action lawsuit has been filed against the state claiming people with disabilities are “trapped” in nursing homes providing inadequate care.

Jewel-Osco pays $3.2M to settle discrimination complaint (Naperville Sun, Jan. 6, 2011)
Jewel-Osco is paying $3M to settle a federal discrimination lawsuit alleging the company had a policy and practice of firing people with disabilities at the end of medical leaves.