Ohio

Farmers, growers, and any agriculture workers dealing with a disabling condition can find tips on how to cope with their condition while continuing to farm thanks to fifteen new fact sheets from the Ohio State University Extension's Ohio AgrAbility Program.

The fact sheets are designed to provide useful information and resources to any farmer or agricultural worker who has a disability, injury, or illness, said Kent McGuire, Ohio AgrAbility program coordinator.

"Much of the focus of this series of fact sheets is on helping farmers prevent injuries, including secondary injury, and how to manage serious conditions such as arthritis or Parkinson's disease while being able to continue daily farm activities," he said.

The fact sheets also seek to provide farmers with tips on how to use assistive technology to be able to remain productive on their farms and can be useful to any grower or producer, McGuire said.

"They provide useful information on health and various strategies that can be used to help with a particular issue in farming," he continued. "The fact sheets help farmers, growers, and producers to continue to be productive in order to maintain their life and livelihoods on the farm and reduce the potential for secondary injury that may be caused by an original disability."

This group is the second in a series of 40 new fact sheets the Ohio AgrAbility Program is planning to produce over the next year. This second set is available to download as PDF files now at http://ohioline.osu.edu/lines/farm.html#FSAFE. Topics are:

• Farming with Lower Extremity Amputation, AEX-981.9-11: Amputations to toes, feet, or legs can pose a specific set of limitations to those involved in agriculture.
• Farming with Upper Extremity Limitation/Amputation, AEX-981.10-11: Amputations to fingers, hands, or arms can pose a specific set of limitations to those involved in agriculture.
  
• Secondary Injury Prevention: Understanding Concussions, AEX-981.11-11: A focus on mild traumatic brain injuries known as concussions. Includes signs and symptoms of concussions.
  
• Secondary Injury Prevention: Repetitive Motion, AEX-981.12-11: Repetitive motion injuries are linked to type of work conducted, the tools used, and the design of the work area.
  
• Injury Prevention: Types of Cold Stress, AEX-981.13-11: Awareness of cold stress injuries associated with completing farm tasks in adverse weather conditions.
  
• Injury Prevention: Working in Cold Weather, AEX-981.14-11: Reducing the risks of prolonged exposure to cold, wet, and windy conditions in a farm environment.
  
• Managing Arthritis When Farming, AEX-982.1-11: Strategies to minimize the effect arthritis has on completing farm tasks.
  
• Farming After a Stroke, AEX-982.2-11: A look at the demands associated with farming when recovering from a stroke.
  
• Managing Stress for a Healthy Heart, AEX-982.4-11: Reducing the stresses associated with farming to increase heart health.
  
• Farming with Parkinson's Disease, AEX-982.5-11: Awareness and strategies for farming with Parkinson's disease.
  
• Farming with Diabetes, AEX-982.6-11: A resource based on daily farm activities and limitations associated with diabetes.
  
• Assistive Technology for the Farm, AEX-983.2-11: Devices, modifications, or services that will help a person with a disability work and live more independently on the farm.
  
• Initial Farm Injury Emergency Response, AEX-984.1-11: Guidelines to handling the initial response to a traumatic farm incident or injury.
  
• Primary Caregiver for a Farm Family Member, AEX-984.2-11: A resource to assist those who are primary caregivers in an agricultural or rural setting.

For more information about the Ohio AgrAbility Program, contact McGuire at mcguire.225@osu.edu or 614-292-0588, or visit the website at www.agrability.osu.edu.

Submitted by Kent McGuire