Ohio AgrAbility promotes success in agriculture for Ohio’s farmers and farm families coping with a disability or long term health condition.
What is Ohio AgrAbility?
The Ohio AgrAbility Program is part of a national program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that promotes independence for people in agriculture who want to continue to farm after experiencing a disabling condition. The Ohio State University has partnered with Easter Seals to help bring this program to you at the local level. Our Program’s goal is to provide education, resources, and technical assistance to those individuals and their families so they may continue to be successful in agriculture.
Why is there a need for AgrAbility?
Agriculture consistently ranks as one of the nations most dangerous occupations. Each year agricultural workers in Ohio experience injuries that limit their ability to perform essential tasks.
Some agricultural workers acquire disabilities in off-the-farm incidents or through illness and health problems like heart disease, arthritis, or cancer.
Senior farmers often experience limitations, such as decreased vision or hearing and loss of strength.
Who can use Ohio AgrAbilty?
The Ohio AgrAbility Program can assist those engaged in agriculture, who have a disability. Some disabilities may be present at birth, while others may be a result of accidents, illness, or age–related conditions and may include:
-
Arthritis
-
Head or Spinal Cord injury
-
Amputation
-
Paralysis
-
Back pain or injury
-
Stroke
-
Diabetes
-
Visual or Hearing Impairment
-
Respiratory Problems
-
Cerebral Palsy
-
Parkinson’s disease
-
Repetitive Motion Injuries
* On-site assessment and technical assistance.
Ohio AgrAbility provides on – site home and agricultural worksite assessments to help you find solutions that will meet your specific needs and recommend assistive technologies and universal design concepts to help you to continue to farm. This may include how to restructure work tasks or the agricultural operation; modify farm equipment or tools; or explore alternative agricultural enterprises.
* Provide peer support
Ohio AgrAbility connects you with other people, who have had similar experiences for sharing ideas and support.
* Secondary Injury Prevention
Ohio AgrAbility creates awareness and provides information on preventing further injuries or disabling conditions.
* Information and Referral
Ohio AgrAbility provides information and resources about farming with a disability and other referral information on services available in agriculture, rehabilitation, and your community
* Training and Education
Ohio AgrAbility provides training and education about farming with a disability for rehabilitation / health care providers, ag professionals, emergency response agencies and other community agricultural groups.
* Direct Education and Community Programs
Our team is eager to educate Ohioans about resources available for farm workers and their families whose lifestyle and businesses have been impacted by a disability. We encourage Ohio’s agribusiness sector to partner with the Ohio AgrAbility Program in order to train professionals to better serve and understand agricultural customers.