Community Resources
Everyone will have a different experience when using community services. These are people and programs I am familiar with and recommend with confidence. They are knowledgeable, reliable, and conscientious.
Activity and Wellness
Reform Pliates
Pilates is a wonderful strengthening activity. Reform Pilates in southeast Portland is a great studio! The staff is knowledgeable, upbeat, and knows how to coach you through the workout. One of the best features of this studio and the instructors is their ability to indivdiualize and modify your workout to accommodate any injuries or trouble areas. There are no cookie cutter programs here!
The Bike Gallery
I purchased both of my bikes from The Bike Gallery. My first is now 10 years old and is still a good ride for communiting around town. I use both the Downtown store and the Lake Oswego store and have never been disappointed. The service staff have taken time to teach me how to change a flat in less than 2 hours (no small fete), and did an amazing job packing up my road bike for a long trip to New England. If you're thinking about investing in a more expensive ride, you can take one out for a test ride to see how it suits you.
Title 9 Activewear
Title 9 has some great activewear. Whether you are new to being active or a seasoned athlete, they have clothes that are comfortable and look nice. They now have a store in the Pearl District. Stop in and take a look.
Team Estrogen: Women's Cycling, Tri, and Fitness Apparel
This is my all-time favorite place to look for cycling clothes. True, I shop the sales page, but I have found the variety and speed of delivery first rate. Team Estrogen is located in Hillsboro (though I have only shoped online with them) and is owned by a woman how began biking to lose weight and get fit. They carry all sorts of sizes including Maternity and Plus so you can get what you need to get going now. They are also very good at describing the gear, which has made a difference in my selection more than once (especially with shoes)!
Prairie Woman Products
Prairie Woman Products features a spray bottle of oil that is quite good for cracked skin, dry skin, and for healing and protecting skin during radiation treatment. Designed by an RN with a BS in Nursing, the oil has a pleasant fragrance and non oily feel on the skin. The creator of this product is a good friend from college. If you have questions about the product, she'll answer them expeditiously and honestly.Check it out.
www.prairiewomanproducts.com
Restaurants, Nutrition, & Food
Gluten-Free Food and Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus
Our son, who has Down syndrome and autism, has also been diagnosed with celiac disease. The following are some restaurants, products, and stores we have found very useful.
Corbett Fish House
5901 SW Corbett Street
Portland, OR
503.246.4434
Acapulco's Gold - Multnomah Village
7800 SW Capitol Hwy
Portland, OR 97219
503.244.0771
(They have a gluten-free menu they will give you to make it easy. Andy loves getting a soda and eating chips here)
Lingonberries Market
This specialty market carries a wide variety of gluten-free, and wheat-free items. Looking for something new? Tired of the same old food? Take a look here and see what they have to offer. Located in Vancouver, WA with a website store coming soon!
L:ingonberries Market
6300 NE 11th Ave
Vancouver, WA 98662
360.260.4411
Article: Portland Area Diners Have Gluten-Free Choices
This article was in the Oregonian's Food Day recently. It brought hope to a new situation. Afterall, everyone gets tired of cooking!
Recommended Resources for People with Developmental Disabilities and Those Who Support Them
The following businesses and professionals are especially sensitive to the needs of people with developmental disabilites, their famlies, and those who support them. Some specialize in supporting people with disabilites, others do not. What makes them different? They listen and they put people first.
This is not an exhaustive list.
Creating Solutions
Creating Solutions publishes Disability Solutions: A Resource for Families and Others Interested in Developmental Disabilites. I am the Project Director of Creating Solutions and have been the Editor of Disability Solutions since it's beginning in 1996.
Community Vision, Inc.
Founded in 1989, Community Vision is the largest nonprofit organization providing individualized housing, supported living, employment and homeownership services to people with disabilities and their families in Oregon. Community Vision has proven that assisting one person at a time to live in their own home provides the stability they need to work, live and thrive in the communities of their choice. Comunity Vision is supporting Andy and our family in partnership with Andy's brokerage, Inclusion, Inc.
Ron & Ward Spears, Realtors
This father - son team is unmatched when it comes to customer service and reliable information. They also have a home search website that is very helpful to busy families. The Spears Team will work hard to help you locate the house you are happy to call "home." We had an expceptional experience both selling our old home and purchasing our new one.
Personal Favorites - Just Because
- from the broader Internet Community
Assimilate-Innovate
A Blog from a classmate in my UMASS-Boston Master's Program. I am struck at times by the similarities between his topics and what I write for Creating Solutions, though he's not at all focused on disability issues.
The Mote in the Light
My friend, Mary's Blog.She writes about interesting injustices in the health care system from a nurse's point of view. She's not written in a while, but the topics are still thought-provoking to read.
Pinwheels
A heartl-warming Blog by a talented writer, Jennifer Graf Groenberg. She is a contributing author in Gifts
Mothers Reflect on How Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives. The proceeds from this book are donated to Down Syndrome Awareness. Jenniver home schools her children, one of whom has Down syndrome.
More to come.......
