10 Disability Aware Movies To Binge In Lockdown

As it doesn’t look like we will be able to visit a cinema anytime soon due to the Coronavirus outbreak, we thought we would compile a list of 10 of our favourite movies to portray disabilities on the big screen. Get the popcorn and tissues ready…

The Theory of Everything

The Theory of Everything is a compelling movie. It dramatises the life of the late popular theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking as set out in the Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen, written by his ex-wife Jane Hawking.

The movie gives us a close look into the personal life of the genius, chronicling his relationship with his then wife, his struggles with ALS and their divorce. This critically acclaimed tale thrilled audiences all over the world with its touching portrayal of the blooming of bittersweet love and its eventual demise.

Inside I’m Dancing (Rory O’Shea Was Here)

You may know this movie by the alternate title, Rory O’Shea Was Here. It follows two young men with disabilities as they revolt against the way they were being treated in a home for the disabled and chronicles their quest for independence.

The movie is driven by a stellar performance by a young James McAvoy, who gives it the gravity and nuance that it required. 

My Left Foot

One of the most critically acclaimed movies of all time, My Left Foot stars Daniel Day-Lewis in a thrilling performance that earned him an Oscar.

It tells the tale of an Irish cerebral palsy victim Christy Brown, who overcame all the challenges thrown in his path by his illness. Christy rises to become a well-known painter, author and fundraiser. 

One of the groundbreaking features of My Left Foot was its portrayal of a disabled character as an individual who did not have to fit into the likeable mold, previously forced upon disabled people in Hollywood. 

Love & Other Drugs

This movie stars Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal in a modern love story which features a pharmaceutical rep that falls in love with a woman who has Parkinson’s. 

As flawed as the movie may be in its execution of its various plot points, it excels in the overall story it tries to tell; the tale of two hearts who find love despite all odds. 

Forrest Gump

You’ve probably seen Forrest Gump before, and you need to see it again. This movie follows Forrest,  as played by Tom Hanks, through his struggles, triumphs and defeats.

Although it is never actually states specifically what Forrest’s disability is, supporting character Lieutenant Dan lost both of his legs in Vietnam and Jenny, Forrest’s love interest contracts HIV/AIDS.

Rain Man

Another stellar movie driven by powerful characters and a superb plot, Rain Man follows fast-talking car salesman, Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) as he tracks down his father’s estate to the institution caring for his older brother Raymond (Dustin Hoffman).

In an Oscar winning performance, Hoffman’s portrayal of an individual with autism awed Hollywood when the movie was released and has contributed to Rain Man’s seeming ubiquitous nature in pop culture references to this day.

The Scent of a Woman

This movie features a prep school student, wealth and a blind Colonel with his own agenda.  Featuring a great performance from Al Pacino, a visually impaired man who is sick of living and wants to have one last adventure before he commits suicide.

The Upside

A wealthy paraplegic in need of a caregiver hires a destitute Parolee to help tend to his day to day needs.

The ensuing tale features reconciliation, love, regret, and the overwhelming passion to live every second of life like it was the very last.

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?

The titular character, Gilbert Grape struggles between his love for his paramour Becky, and his responsibilities towards his mentally-challenged brother Arnie and Bonnie, his morbidly obese mother.

Ray

Ray follows the life of Ray Charles as he loses first his brother, then his sense of sight. Instilled with words of encouragement from his mother, he is inspired to overcome adversity and make his mark on the world as a Pianist.

We hope you enjoyed our list of 10 disability aware movies to binge in lockdown

A2B Assessments

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Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week has started and it is running from the 18-24th of May…

This year’s focus is kindness in reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak, which is is having a negative impact on people’s mental wellbeing.

The Mental Health Foundation has led a study into kindness and the results show that about 66% of people feel that being on the receiving end of acts of kindness positively affects their emotional well-being.

The study also found that 66% of people who commit random acts of kindness feel a positive impact on their own mental health. While 48% of the individuals studied said being kind to themselves positively affected their mental wellbeing.

You might be surprised to hear that being kind to others actually has numerous benefits to your own health:

It’s good for the health of your heart

Being kind produces the hormone Oxytocin which in turn causes the release of the chemical nitric oxide. This lowers blood pressure and is the same thing that helps keep your heart healthy after exercise.

Kindness helps slow ageing

Oxidative stress is one of the key factors that plays a role in ageing and when you introduce more Oxytocin throughout your body the levels of Oxidative stress get significantly reduced.

Improves your happiness

Being kind also produces the chemical serotonin, this is responsible for an overall improvement in your mood, which can also reduces stress, anxiety and feelings of low mood.

Here are 10 acts of kindness you could do today in lockdown

1. Donate some unwanted clothes to a charity via a clothing bank or freepost. The British Heart Foundation offers freepost for up to 10kg of items.
2. Send a family member a message saying how much you miss them and are thinking of them.
3. If you have housemates make them a hot drink or even better make them lunch.
4. If you don’t have housemates or you just want to feed someone further afield you could arrange for a takeaway delivery to someone you care about.
5. Send someone a joke to improve their mood.
6. Donate to a charity or see if any of your contacts are raising money for any causes and donate to them.
7. Send a message of encouragement or inspiration to a friend you know is having a hard time.
8. Skill share with a friend over video call, teach them something and have them teach you something in return!
9. If you have any vulnerable neighbours offer to go to the shop for them or just leave them some surprise goodies outside their door.
10. Share a meal with a friend over video call, or if you are feeling daring you could do something like a hot sauce challenge, where you both buy a selection of hot sauces and try them out over video call on your food of choice.

To learn more about Mental Health Awareness Week watch the video below:

To learn more about Mental Health Awareness week visit the Mental Health Foundation.

To learn more about the disabled students allowance.

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How Students Can Use Evernote

Evernote is widely regarded as one of the best productivity tools in the entire world. Not only is it efficient and dependable, it’s also one of the top note-taking tools to offer cloud support, file organisation and many other great features. If you like taking notes, writing ideas down or storing important files locally/in the cloud, then Evernote might be right app for you.

Important Evernote features

Cloud Support

One of Evernote’s advantages is both a desktop and mobile app that stores it’s date in the cloud. This means whenever you write a note on mobile, it transfers to desktop and the other way around.

Add images or documents

You can also create a variety of note types and even use different fonts for convenience. To make things better, you are also allowed to attach documents and clip full pages if you want.

Excellent Organisation

Another key feature for Evernote is the fact that you can search and find your notes with ease. Just searching a keyword will bring up all of your notes where it is included. If you want to better organise your notes, you can create your own tags and notebooks.

Import online research easily

A great feature for students comes in the form of a web clipper. Using it you can save pages, articles and web pages to your account. This way you get to do research on a topic and then have it all in a single place. It definitely beats bookmarks and coupled with the above mentioned search function you can pull up all of your research on a topic in seconds.

Handwriting Support

Evernote even have support for handwriting, so if you prefer to write notes by hand, Evernote’s machine learning system can recognise what you wrote. It can identify 11 handwritten and 28 typewritten languages. Results can differ based on how complex your handwriting is, but this can definitely make a huge difference.

Scan documents

With Evernote you can also scan documents and add everything in your account. Having all those documents ready to go in a single place is very convenient, and it can go well beyond your school life. Students will like this feature because they can take a picture of every important page in a book and have the content available as they see fit.

Integration with other popular apps

It’s also important to note that Evernote also offers lots of integrations with popular tools. For example, it offers Gmail integration, Outlook, SalesForce, Google Drive, Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations.

How Students Can Use Evernote

• You can have notebooks for every class, you can add documents and integrate audio recordings or manage drafts.
• As we mentioned above, you can also search and also scan handwritten notes.
• It works great if you want to record talks and lectures.
• Annotation is key for a tool like this, and Evernote does not disappoint. You can add notes to PDFs, you can even indicate stuff with arrows and so on. Modifying the content of PDF files does not seem like a lot, but it makes a huge difference and it shows the true value of such a tool.
• Students can also manage assignments with reminders and to-do lists. Managing tasks is hard most of the time, but Evernote does a very good job at helping you track all those personal and school tasks in a single place.

Conclusion

If you want to take advantage of all these features, all you need is to download Evernote for free from https://evernote.com/. This is by far one of the top tools you can use to manage your documents and content. Give it a try

Learn more about the DSA assessment process.

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COVID-19: Ideas For Exercise

This is a follow on article from our previous post on how to minimise anxiety during the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s really important for both your physical health and mental health to incorporate exercise into your daily routine and keep moving. With gym doors firmly closed and access to the outdoors currently limited, maintaining previous fitness routines probably won’t be possible, however adaptation is the key, the following ideas for exercise should help…

Desk Posture

If you are working or studying from home and find that you are sitting at a desk for much of the day, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy have a download with tips and hints about exercises and posture. Even if you are still busy, be sure to plan regular exercise sessions into your new daily routine. It can be done!

Outdoor Exercise

One of the government rules at the time of writing this blog is that one period of daily exercise is allowed outside of the home (check for latest guidelines), taking care to maintain the recommended minimum two metre, (6feet) distance from others. If possible, use this time to go for a bike ride, a jog or a stress reducing walk. The additional benefit of 15 to 20 minutes of daily exposure to the spring sunshine should also be enough to top up much needed Vitamin D levels.

Online Workouts

For those in self-isolation, there are a plethora of free online options for all age groups and levels of ability, ranging from armchair stretching exercises, gentle yoga sessions, pilates, aerobic exercises, weight/strength training and dance sessions. Try the NHS Fitness Studio for a great variety of ability ranging workouts. In addition, lots of gyms are also providing free online workouts for their existing members.

Celebrity Workouts

Celebrities are also bringing classes to your living room, Joe Wicks has a daily Instagram workout aimed primarily at children, but adults up and down the country have been joining in, these are uploaded onto his Body Coach TV Youtube channel.  The site also has an amazing variety of free workouts for everyone, pick one to suit! Davina McCall is offering a free 30 day membership to her website which offers a range of exercise options and advice about nutrition. You can sign up here, no card details required. Gabby Allen is also doing a HIIT workout every morning at 10 am live from her Instagram page.

The Nike Training Club (NTC) app has also made all of its premium workouts free until further notice, download here for iOS or Android.

If you are in isolation with others, encourage them to join in, you will be helping them to stay fit, it will be more fun and help to keep you motivated. Alternately you can access fitness sessions using apps like ‘Zoom’ where you can participate as part of a group or even find an online personal trainer. There really is something for everyone, find something you like at your own level, stay focused and enjoy!

At the very least, walk your way to fitness with the fifteen minute mile, ideal if you’re a beginner or lacking space, everyone can find fifteen spare minutes in a day or numerous fifteen minute sessions, chalk up the miles and stay positive, at the very least, this video provides some much needed comic relief.

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COVID-19: How To Minimise Anxiety During The Coronavirus Pandemic

It is perfectly normal that people are feeling anxious during the current pandemic, however, it is important to keep fear and worries in perspective and to take care of your physical and mental health in order to minimise anxiety during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Avoid Rumours and Fake News

Stay informed but try to minimise exposure to the constant stream of available newsfeed which can heighten anxiety and aggravate stress levels. It is important for your own safety and the welfare of others to be aware of the most recent guidelines, but obtain the latest facts from reliable sources and check updates only a couple of times a day. There has been a lot of misinformation spread on social media and in the newspapers since the outbreak of the Coronavirus. Reputable sources of information can be found at
NHS.uk and Gov.uk.

Daily Routine

Try to maintain/create regular daily routines. Have a rough plan of each day with goals, however small, that you want to achieve. Include tasks to complete but pencil in leisure time to pursue hobbies and interests, make time to relax. Routines help you to feel in control. Check out our video on how to set goals.

If you are working/studying from home, consider using different techniques to help you to stay focused, check out the The Pomodoro Method for example and Time Management Techniques. It is essential to plan regular working hours and separate your working life from the remainder of your day. Try to have a designated work space to help you be more productive.

The mental health charity ‘Mind’ has some useful information and tips about working from home. Keep up regular contact with work colleagues, tutors or fellow students, share problems and seek advice when needed. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Diet

Try to eat a well balanced diet, stick to regular meal times and healthy snacks. A poor diet low in essential nutrients and low blood sugar can contribute towards feelings of anxiety. Experiment with new recipes, try websites such as Pure Wow and Vegan Recipe Club.

As always stay hydrated, try to drink the recommended six to eight glasses of water every day. Try filling a glass or container and keeping it with you to remind you to drink regularly.

Exercise

Take regular exercise. It is as important as ever to stay fit and look after your own health, but it can be fun and releases natural feel-good endorphins that boost your mood. Take a look at some of our suggestions for keeping fit while on lockdown. If you have a Fitbit use it to track your activity and complete its hourly ‘get moving’ routine, if not set an alarm and carry out a short exercise routine every hour.

Socialise

Use technology to maintain social contacts, it is so important in these times of minimal physical contact to stay in regular touch with friends and family. It is easier than ever to call by phone, text or email. You can video call friends individually or create group get-togethers using various apps. Some of our favourites are Zoom, Houseparty and Whatsapp

Hobbies

In the current situation you probably have a lot more spare time at home, for instance there is time gained in the day by not having a daily commute. Use this to explore new hobbies, sign up for a course, learn a language, finish that book you just haven’t had time to read. You could even learn to play an instrument, Fender is offering three months of free guitar lessons.

Relax

There are lots of relaxation techniques, meditation, yoga, deep breathing, visualisation methods, Tai-Chi etc that can help to deal with chronic anxiety and stress. There is a wealth of information, instructional videos online and free apps available to help with this, everyone is an individual and some methods work better for some than others. However, relaxing can also mean spending time with people you live with or calling a friend, listening to music, reading a book, watching your favourite television show. Take time out to wind down.

Sleep

Sleep is important. Have a regular sleep pattern built in to your daily routine and try to keep to it. Stress, anxiety, lack of exercise and a poor diet can all contribute to poor sleep quality. Try to relax and wind down before retiring to bed, reading stimulating information and being exposed to ‘blue light’ from smartphones and laptops can also be detrimental to a restful night. If you struggle with sleeping, have a warm bath before bed, curl up with a book, try some relaxation/breathing exercises.

Conclusion

Although we have no control over what is happening currently in the world, we can control to some extent, how we deal with it. Stay safe and calm and boost your immune system and take care of your mental health by following some of our advice and tips. However, if you feel that fear and anxiety are spiralling out of control, talk to someone or seek further professional support. This pandemic is unprecedented in our lifetime, but it is important to take deep breaths and remember that it is temporary and eventually will pass.

Further reading and support
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-coronavirus-outbreak
https://www.studentminds.org.uk/coronavirus.html
https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips/?
https://www.samaritans.org/
https://mentalhealth-uk.org/help-and-information/covid-19-and-your-mental-health/

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The College Leavers Guide To The DSA

Are you a disabled student finishing college and wondering what the next steps are to ensure you have support in place for when you start University in September?

The interval between applying for funding and receiving the appropriate equipment and support may be up to three months. It is therefore advisable that you apply as early as possible, if necessary, before the confirmation of your course. 

This page has been set up with the goal of giving you all the information you need to get your support in place.

Covid-19 (Coronavirus Update)

Although the Covid-19 outbreak has affected educational institutions, we are still all working hard in student support to ensure your DSA is in place for September.  In fact it is actually easier than ever for you to get your DSA support in place! This is due to the fact that face-to-face study needs assessments are no longer required and we can complete your study needs assessment over the phone.

This means we can take bookings from anywhere in the UK and you can complete your assessment from the comfort of your own home. (click here to book your assessment)

What is the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)?

The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is a UK government-funded program providing students financial grants to cover any extra study expenses a student may have due to a disability. Both part-time and full-time students can get access to the DSA including those on postgraduate, distance learning and Open University courses.

Watch the short 2 minute video below for a complete overview of the Disabled Students’ Allowance…

 

Our Guide To All Areas Of The DSA

Click to view…

1. Find your funding body. 
2. Once you have found your funding body learn about the DSA Process.
3. Booking your DSA study needs assessment.
4. What happens at your DSA study needs assessment.
5. Receiving your DSA Entitlement letter.
6. Arranging delivery of your DSA equipment.

If you still have questions we have an extensive FAQ section towards the bottom of our main DSA page here, you can also email any questions to admin@a2bassessments.com

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Guide To The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)

What is the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)?

For a brief summary of the Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) watch our video below. For a more detailed overview keep reading.

 

The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is a UK government-funded program providing students financial grants to cover any extra study expenses a student may have due to a disability.

You do not need to repay the DSA as it is not a loan and the amount disbursed will be dependent on your individual needs, rather than your income or that of your partner or parents.

Both part-time and full-time students can get access to the DSA including those on postgraduate, distance learning and Open University courses.

It is always recommended to apply as early as possible so you have your support in place for when you commence your studies and you can apply for the DSA even if you are yet to receive confirmation of acceptance into a university. If for whatever reason this isn’t possible, you can also apply at any point throughout your course.

Unlike the normal student loan, you are still eligible for the Disabled Student Allowance even if you have already completed a higher education course previously.

Who is eligible for the DSA?

“You’re disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.”

Any student in the UK can apply for the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) as long as you have evidence to show that you have a:

1. Long term illness or health condition. e.g Cancer, HIV, Diabetes
2. Specific learning difficulty (SpLD) or Autistic Spectrum Disorder. e.g. Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, Asperger’s Syndrome
3. Mental health condition. e.g. Depression, PTSD, Schizophrenia, Anxiety
4. Physical or sensory impairment. e.g. a wheelchair user, a blind person, a hearing-impaired person

You need to have been previously diagnosed with any of these conditions and have proof from a doctor when you apply. Alternatively, if you have an SpLD you will need a diagnostic report done by a specialist practitioner.

What type of support is awarded to disabled students?

The type of support available will vary depending on the individual and the course undertaken. Support can include:

1. Specialist equipment allowance – This may include things such as assistive technology software and hardware or ergonomic equipment.
2. Non-medical helper allowance – This covers the cost of the expense of certain 1:1 support (e.g. hiring a sign language interpreter, a study skills tutor or a mentor).
3. General Allowance – This is to cover disability-related expenses (e.g. increased photocopying or printing due to your condition).
4. Travel allowance – This covers additional spending on transport as a result of your approved condition.

What is the application procedure for the disabled students’ allowance?

1. Obtain proof of your condition from a diagnostic assessment given by a medical authority.
2. Send your completed DSA application along with a photocopy of your evidence to your funding body.
3. Your funding body will review your application along with your evidence and If you qualify you will receive an eligibility letter.
4. Your eligibility letter will advise you to attend a study needs assessment at a centre like A2B Assessments.  Here the assessor will determine your specific needs and requirements for your course and then complete a needs assessment report.
5. Your need assessment report is sent to you and your funding body. Your funding body will process your report and send you an entitlement letter detailing all the support that has been agreed and explaining how to put it into place.

How to apply for the DSA?

How you apply will depend on where you live in the UK:

1. If you live in England need to apply to Student Finance England. You can do so here.
   If your course is funded by the NHS, then you will need to apply to the NHS Student Bursaries office here.
2. If you are a Northern Ireland student you can find out how to apply here.
3. If you are a Scottish student then you will be funded by Students Awards Agency for Scotland and you can find out more here.
4. If you are a Welsh student you will be funded by Student Finance Wales and can learn how to apply here.

Book your DSA Needs Assessment

 

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