Arthritis and Disability: Becoming A Good Self-Advocate May 5, 2010

Are you prepared for the level of disability brought on by a chronic health condition or other life-altering disorder? How do you handle the depression and economic impact on your family? What can you do to take charge of your life and your care?

These are among the questions addressed in “Arthritis and Disability: Becoming A Good Self-Advocate.”

Speaker David W. Smith, D.ED, DABPS, DACFE, MACF, FACFEI, will discuss the process of becoming better informed in order to be a self-advocate, including some actual cases. Dr. Smith is director of the Disability Assessment Research Clinic (DARC) at the Arizona Arthritis Center at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. The clinic is the only comprehensive assessment center in Arizona that evaluates a person’s medical, psychological and vocational abilities and helps people sort out their abilities, disabilities and vocational and benefit options. Dr. Smith also has been a patient advocate for his son who was unable to direct his own care after suffering a life-threatening injury.

Gina Corteza, who volunteers with DARC, also will speak about how she has taken charge of her life despite having rheumatoid arthritis. Ms. Cortesa, a former IBM employee, was referred to the clinic after her rheumatoid arthritis made it too difficult to work. She currently is on long-term disability, thanks to Dr. Smith’s advocacy, but her goal is to return to work at IBM at a job she can manage according to her physical abilities.

The lecture is part of a series of “Living Healthy with Arthritis” monthly talks presented by the Life Compass initiative of the Arizona Arthritis Center at the UA College of Medicine and supported through the Susan and Saul Tobin Endowment for Research and Education in Rheumatology.

For more information, contact the Arizona Arthritis Center, (520) 626-5040, or e-mail LivingHealthy@arthritis.arizona.edu