UW Program Assists Farmers and Ranchers with Disabilities |  
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Aug. 31, 2006 -- The University of Wyoming colleges of Health Sciences and Agriculture are working to keep farmers farming and ranchers ranching.
The Wyoming AgrAbility Project seeks to help the more than 4,000 estimated Wyoming farm and ranch members who may have a disability, says Amanda O'Brien, the project's coordinator based in the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities (WIND) in the College of Health Sciences. She says the office will educate service providers and consumers of what is available through the project, network with providers and those with disabilities, and provide assistance to farmers and ranchers whose families are impacted by a disability.
Professor Randy Weigel, UW Cooperative Extension Service human development specialist in the College of Agriculture's Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, is the AgrAbility project director. Partnering agencies include CONNECT Wyoming, Gottsche Rehabilitation Center of Thermopolis, Wyoming Independent Living Rehabilitation and the Center for Rural Health Research and Education. WIND will provide the leadership for disability and assistive technology (AT) information, education, training and assistance.
"We are taking referrals and researching possible solutions, whether it's a lift into a tractor or retrofitting an ATV so the individual can check cows or their irrigation," says O'Brien.
"I think it's exciting we are ready to start reaching out to families in agriculture who are impacted with a disability," says Sandy Root-Elledge, WIND coordinator of community education.
Root-Elledge says AT device loans, demonstrations, recycling, information and referral, assessments and training are available from WIND. Staff members will collaborate with UW College of Engineering students to provide assistive technology expertise and ideas for the development of senior design projects that may benefit Wyoming ranchers and farmers with disabilities.
O'Brien was born and raised on a small farm and ranch near Aberdeen in southeastern Idaho. Her father, Paul, left agriculture in 2000 due to a disability. She believes her background in agriculture as well as experiences in the disability field will provide a valuable insight to the project.
From her experiences, O'Brien says the best outcome from the AgrAbility project is to have people with disabilities continue participating in farm or ranch operations.
The service encompasses many disabilities and extends to other family members.
"Arthritis, stroke, diabetes -- anything that impacts them not being able to utilize the farm and ranch to its full potential," she says.
The Wyoming AgrAbility Project will be visible at various agricultural events to answer questions and accept referrals. O'Brien says the project offers confidentiality to those receiving services.
O'Brien can be contacted toll-free at (866) 395-4986 or at agrability@uwyo.edu for referrals or for more information. Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006
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