Many Hands housing project aims to bridge lack of accessible supports
When Tara Neville envisions a residence for people with disabilities, she thinks of the best way to give individuals a sense of purpose and a home simultaneously.
Article content
She herself has cerebral palsy, rheumatoid arthritis and other disorders. Now 48, she's been living on her own for nearly 25 years, and, although it has not always been easy, she has 'juggled it just fine.'
Article content
Article content
Article content
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Neville said she kept thinking about 'the state of people with disabilities' in Ottawa, especially those without safe and supportive housing.
Article content
Article content
'We have lots of nice high-rise apartments, but none of them are very accessible,' she said. 'There's not a lot of apartments designed specifically for people with disabilities that have wider doorways, lower counters or counters that a wheelchair can drive under and work at.'
Article content
For people who rely on their parents for help in their day-to-day lives, this is not a permanent option, Neville says.
Article content
'Once (parents) are gone, a person with disabilities is very much on their own,' she said. 'They're at the mercy of extended families.
Article content
'I just really thought that it was time that the City of Ottawa take a more serious look at how homes for people with disabilities are built.'
Article content
Article content
That was when Neville reached out to Ability First Ottawa, an advocacy group for people with disabilities, to start working on the Many Hands Project.
Article content
Article content
The project's ultimate goal is to build a residence catering to people with disabilities that would include different levels of care, including independent living and nursing care.
Article content
'My thought with the Many Hands Project is, 'Let's make a place that is built for us because, as a group, 'us' isn't thought of very often when it comes to building codes,'' she said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
12 hours ago
- Global News
Rampant measles spread in northern Alberta prompts another standing exposure advisory
Measles has been spreading rampantly across parts of Alberta all spring and now, the province's health authority has issued a second standing measles exposure advisory. The idea is that people in certain communities should assume they are at risk of catching the most contagious disease in the world at any time. Measles, known for its characteristic red rash, is one of the most contagious viruses on the planet, with an R number of 12 to 18 — meaning one infected person can spread it to up to 18 others in an unvaccinated population. To put that in perspective, COVID-19's original strain had an R number of about two to three, and even highly transmissible variants like Omicron rarely exceeded 10. Once declared eradicated in Canada in 1998, measles has made a comeback, spreading rapidly in recent months due to declining vaccination rates. Story continues below advertisement The Alberta Health Services (AHS) north zone is the least-vaccinated region in the province, according to the government's own immunization data. AHS says cases are growing in the province's northwest region, particularly in the communities of La Crete, Fort Vermilion and High Level. 'This includes cases in individuals with no known exposure source, suggesting underreporting and a broader potential risk of measles transmission across the region,' AHS said on Thursday. 'This standing advisory will replace the use of separate site-specific exposure advisories, which no longer accurately capture the scope of potential risk at this time in the zone.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "This standing advisory will replace the use of separate site-specific exposure advisories, which no longer accurately capture the scope of potential risk at this time in the zone." As of noon on June 12, there were 134 lab-confirmed cases, and 22 of those came in the past 24 hours. However, AHS said the actual scope of the outbreak is likely much larger. Because of that, AHS is issuing a standing measles exposure advisory, effective immediately and until further notice, for the following communities: The Hamlet of La Crete St. Theresa General Hospital in Fort Vermilion Northwest Health Centre in High Level Anyone who lives, works, attends school in, or is travelling to those areas are strongly advised to be aware of the increased risk for measles and to ensure their immunizations are up to date. Story continues below advertisement 1:49 Infant dies in Ontario after measles infection, other complications At this point, anyone who goes to La Crete, Fort Vermilion and High Level and was born in or after 1970 and has fewer than two documented doses of measles-containing vaccine, may be at risk for developing the deadly disease. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy They should monitor for symptoms of measles and are strongly encouraged to review their immunization records. View image in full screen File photo of a person whose neck and face is covered with a measles rash. Getty Images 2nd standing measles exposure alert in Alberta Both the northern and southern portions of Alberta are now under the standing exposure advisories. Story continues below advertisement On May 23, AHS issued the same alert for the southeastern section of Alberta that includes the cities of Lethbridge and Medicine Hat. The south zone of Alberta has now recorded 606 cases, including five in the past 24 hours. Across Alberta, there are five people hospitalized with the measles, including one person in the ICU. The recommended schedule for measles immunization is two doses: the first at one year of age and the second at 18 months. At this time, AHS said babies in the south and north zones are eligible for additional immunizations: infants who are six months up to and including 11 months of age are recommended to receive an early dose of vaccine. However, they should still receive their routine two doses after they reach one year of age. 2:05 Rising measles cases could lead to more problems down the road Of the 868 confirmed cases across the province, 247 are in kids under the age of five, another 403 cases are in children ages five to 17, another 214 are in adults 18 to 54, and four cases have been confirmed in adults over 55 (a number that has remained unchanged for several weeks), according to the province's dashboard. It is updated daily, Monday through Friday. Story continues below advertisement Of the 868 cases of which the province is aware, all but 29 are past the period of communicability, but that only applies to infected patients who have been tested. If you think you have been exposed and you are not protected against measles, AHS said you may be able to receive immunization to reduce the risk of infection. 'A dose of vaccine needs to be given within 72 hours of exposure to prevent measles. Babies under one year of age, people with severely weakened immune systems, and those who are pregnant may be able to receive immunoglobulin within six days of exposure to prevent disease,' AHS said. 2:10 Alberta expands immunizations as measles cases surge Many measles exposure alerts in recent weeks have come from sick people visiting medical centres and doctors' offices. Call the measles hotline at 1-844-944-3434 for more information if these situations apply to you or your family. Story continues below advertisement Measles can 'erase' your immune system's memory Measles is an extremely contagious disease and is spread easily through the air. Symptoms include: Fever of 38.3° C or higher Cough, runny nose and/or red eyes A rash that appears three to seven days after fever starts, usually beginning behind the ears and on the face and spreading down to the body and then to the arms and legs. The rash appears red and blotchy on lighter skin colours. On darker skin colours, it can appear purple or darker than the skin around it, or it might be hard to see. Complications of measles can include ear infections, pneumonia, inflammation of the brain, premature delivery, and rarely, death. The highly contagious virus doesn't just cause a rash and fever — it can also wipe out the immune system's memory, leaving survivors vulnerable to infections they've fought off before, like the flu, a cold, or even diseases they've been vaccinated against. 4:32 SFU measles outbreak modelling study reveals how quickly the disease can spread Health Canada warns that measles can lead to serious immune suppression, known as immune amnesia. This can increase the risk of other illnesses and even raise the chances of death for months or even years after the infection, the health agency states on its website. Story continues below advertisement People who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems and babies under the age of one are at greatest risk. If symptoms of measles do develop, individuals are advised to stay home and call Health Link at 811 before visiting any health-care facility or provider, including a family doctor's office or pharmacy. The measles vaccine is highly effective at preventing infection and complications, and is free to get in Alberta. — with files from Katie Dangerfield, Global News and The Canadian Press
Global News
14 hours ago
- Global News
RFK Jr. taps new vaccine advisers days after firing previous panel
On Wednesday, the head of the U.S. health department, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., appointed eight new members to a vaccine advisory committee from which he abruptly fired all 17 experts in one go earlier this week. He ousted the panel, known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which was predominantly comprised of practicing physicians with connections to top university medical centres, over claims that divisions among the group were undermining public trust in vaccinations. 'The committee has been plagued with persistent conflicts of interest and has become little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine,' he wrote in an announcement, published in The Wall Street Journal on Monday. On Wednesday, he tapped new members to sit on the committee, among them a scientist who researched mRNA vaccine technology and became a beloved conservative commentator for his criticisms of COVID-19 vaccines, a leading critic of pandemic-era lockdowns, and a professor of operations management. Story continues below advertisement On Monday, I took a major step towards restoring public trust in vaccines by reconstituting the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP). I retired the 17 current members of the committee. I'm now repopulating ACIP with the eight new members who will attend ACIP's… — Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) June 11, 2025 On Tuesday, before he announced his picks, Kennedy said: 'We're going to bring great people onto the ACIP panel – not anti-vaxxers – bringing people on who are credentialed scientists,' according to the Associated Press. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Meet the new appointees Vicky Pebsworth is a regional director for the National Association of Catholic Nurses and has been listed as a board member and volunteer director for the National Vaccine Information Center, a group widely considered to be a leading source of vaccine misinformation. Dr. Robert Malone is a former mRNA researcher who emerged as a close adviser to Kennedy during the measles outbreak. He also runs a wellness institute and a popular conspiracy-heavy blog, which gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as he shared unsubstantiated claims around the outbreak and the vaccines, including that they caused AIDS. 2:10 Health Matters: RFK Jr. ousts vaccine advisory committee He has promoted unproven and alternative treatments for measles and COVID-19, and has claimed that millions of Americans were hypnotized into getting COVID-19 shots. Story continues below advertisement Malone told The Associated Press he will do his best 'to serve with unbiased objectivity and rigor.' Dr. Martin Kulldorff, a biostatistician and epidemiologist, was a co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, an October 2020 letter maintaining that pandemic shutdowns were causing irreparable harm. Dr. Joseph R. Hibbeln formerly headed a National Institutes of Health group focused on nutritional neurosciences and how nutrition affects the brain, including the potential benefits of seafood consumption during pregnancy. Retsef Levi is a professor of operations management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studies business supply chains, logistics, pricing optimization, and health care management. He also claimed in 2023 that COVID-19 vaccines were ineffective and dangerous despite evidence that they saved millions of lives. Dr. James Pagano is an emergency medicine physician from Los Angeles. Dr. Michael Ross, a Virginia-based OBGYN, previously served on a CDC breast and cervical cancer advisory committee. He is described as a 'serial CEO and physician leader' in a bio for Havencrest Capital Management, a private equity investment firm where he is an operating partner. Dr. Cody Meissner is a professor of pediatrics at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and a nationally recognized expert in pediatric infectious diseases and vaccine policy. He has previously served as a member of both ACIP and the Food and Drug Administration's vaccine advisory panel. — Story continues below advertisement — With files from The Associated Press
Toronto Star
21 hours ago
- Toronto Star
The transfer of TDSB's longest serving principal sparked protests + Ontario line is costing Metrolinx a pretty penny
Good morning. This is the Thursday, June 12 edition of First Up, the Star's daily morning digest. Sign up to get it earlier each day, in your inbox. Here's the latest on the TDSB transferring its longest-serving principal, Metrolinx's massive land payou t and growing surgery wait times. Also, we're following developments on an Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport this morning with 242 people on board. Here's what we know. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW DON'T MISS The TDSB's decision to transfer its longest serving principal is sparking protests Here's what the rumour mill is saying about Barrie Sketchley's departure from Rosedale Heights. TDSB seeks public feedback as it reviews controversial policy on specialized program admissions This Ontario Line property is going to cost Metrolinx big money A tribunal ruling sided with the land owners' appraisal. Here's how much Metrolinx has to pay. Metrolinx forced him out of his $1,400-a-month home to make way for a new Ontario Line station. Now his rent has almost doubled — and he won't be the only one, the city warns Canadians are facing growing wait times for 'priority' surgeries Despite clearing the COVID backlog, wait times have spiked. Take a look at the data. I paid $1,500 for an MRI and got an appointment in days. But such scans aren't always good for patients — or our health care system WHAT ELSE On Tuesday, federal industry minister Melanie Joly pointed to the domestic auto industry as a potential key part of Ottawa's commitment to reach its exanded defence spending goals. Spencer Colby/ The Canadian Press file photo Could Mark Carney's military plans save Canada's auto industry? Here's what you need to know. Here's how Carney hopes to smooth over his differences with Trump at the G7 summit. Canada set a record for the number of refugee claims received last year. This is what the UN report said. Don't believe players' cooked-up story, the Crown said in their closing arguments at the Hockey Canada trial. Vaughan stopped photo radar after a deluge of speeding tickets. These are the next steps. Over 80 per cent of Toronto-area condos are now selling for under asking. Here's why. Edward Keenan: Are police officers in our schools part of the solution? Here's how they could be. A proposed class action alleges Uber eats customers faced hidden service fees. Here's more. Kendrick Lamar is performing in Toronto for the first time since his feud with Drake ignited. Here's everything you need to know. Canadian authors and fans say these 18 summer reads should top your TBR pile. Check out the list here. POV As climate induced hell-fires rage across the country, Canada looks to build pipelines. CLOSE UP Workers have put a protective coating on the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald along with a plaque acknowledging his controversial role in creating residential schools. Richard Lautens/ Toronto Star QUEEN'S PARK: Sir John A. Macdonald is out in public once again. The likeness of Canada's first prime minister, which gazes south down University Avenue, was boarded up five years ago following repeated acts of vandalism over his role in creating residential schools. Take a closer look at the controversy around the statue. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at firstup@ I will see you back here tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
