Window wellness
To combat the difficulties caused by unrelentingly darkness during the winter, Swedish pharmacy Apotek Hjartat has turned its store window signage into a light therapy machine for those affected by SAD (seasonal affected disorder). Using fluorescent light bulbs in the sign to mimic the brightness, temperature and colour of sunlight and sensors within the sign to respond to motion, the sign adjusts when people wander by or stop.
apotekhjartat.se
My Sonoma strong
With a dearth of data-rich large scale studies on how to best design campaigns to treat populations coping with disaster, there are some new lessons learned from the California wildfires. Working co-operatively, professionals are not only providing mental health services but also studying how to effectively treat trauma, anxiety and depression in the aftermath of disaster. To learn more visit:
mysonomastrong.com
New symbol for access
To build nation wide support for the Dynamic Symbol of Access, The Forward Movement is working with cities to pass resolutions stating they support the new symbol. So far, a growing number of organizations have adopted the new symbol including early adopters, Holland Bloorview, Special Olympics, Toyota, Easter Seals, Impark, Stop Gap, March of Dimes, Muscular Dystrophy Canada to mention a few.
forwardmovement.ca
HIV is the infection, stigma is the disease
Targeting decades old stigma, Toronto’s Casey House, Canada’s only stand-along hospital for people living with HIV/AIDS, ran an innovative event called Healing House. At the end of November, fourteen people living with HIV were available at a pop-up spa to provide free of charge “light touch” services including hand, neck and shoulder treatments and mini-facials. With training from Melissa Doldron, massage therapist for the Toronto Blue Jays and custom oils from organic skincare line Province Apothecary, the event set out to create awareness and disprove the myth that people can get HIV from skin-to-skin touch.
caseyhouse.com/healing-house
Preserving the human animal bond
ElderDog Canada is a national, non-profit dedicated to the well being of older people and their ageing dogs and the important connection they enjoy. Run by volunteers, the organization is concerned with welfare of older dogs whose lives have been disrupted due to illness, relocation or death of a human companion as well as supporting and conducting research into the human-
animal bond with a focus on seniors and canine companionship.
elderdogcanada.ca
Instagram upgrades for those with
vision loss
Two new improvements will make Instagram for accessible from now on. Automatic alternative text will allow users to hear descriptions of their photos through their screen readers. The new feature uses object recognition technology
which will give the browser
a list of items that photos
may contain. A second
upgrade called custom alternative text will also
allow sharers to offer a
richer description of photos.
Instagram.com
ISO standards to make the world accessible
Developed by ISO in collaboration with the International Electrotechnical Commission and the International Telecommunication Union, ISO/IEC Guide 71, Guide for addressing accessibility in standards, aims to help professionals consider accessibility issues.
Source: International Or
