Trina works with seniors for a community service organization, helping them connect with community supports and services, as well as providing practical supports to older adults and their families.

She has Mixed-Connective Tissue Disease, which has many of the features and symptoms of lupus, arthritis, and various other conditions.

“This limits my ability to sit on non-supportive chairs and at non-ergonomic workstations; walk or stand for long periods; and write legibly and type quickly. Therefore, it necessitates the use of adaptive equipment for many workplace tasks,” she says.

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Darren is currently looking for employment, while also taking courses to enhance his skills.

He has a C3 spinal cord injury, as well as arthritis, which led to him leaving a previously successful career due to the pain.

“[It] severely limits the types of work that are available to me,” he shares.

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Michelle is opening her own business in February, something she’s able to do thanks to equipment she received from WorkBC Assistive Technology Services.

“Without this equipment, this wouldn’t be possible for me,” she says.

“I have osteoarthritis and no cartilage in my knees which limits my mobility and the length of time I can sit without severe pain and inflammation in my legs. At my last job, I was required to sit at a desk for extended periods of time and would often end up with swollen legs and my knees would buckle when standing up.”

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Zhu is currently taking online English courses to improve his command of the language as he looks for bookkeeping work.

He has Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), a condition that makes it difficult for him to put in the time to study and work towards employment.

“I often lose my balance, and easily fall down. I suffer from back pain, can’t sit down long time,” he explains. “It is better for me to stand a while.”

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Karen started a part-time job as an administrator at her church in Vancouver. She oversees office duties, like replying to emails, answering the phones, organizing weekly worship services, and coordinating the weekly newsletter. She also deals with the different rental users of the building.

However, her workday is made harder by her disability. Since birth, Karen has lived with spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy, which affects her speech, coordination, muscle dexterity, balance, and mobility.

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Zeina has operated a successful project management consulting business for over a decade. Currently working from her home in Burnaby, she spends much of her time on the computer and in conference calls with various clients.

However, the work takes a toll on Zeina.

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Susan suffered a work-related injury at an assembly plant in 1989. As a result, she has a variety of conditions including De Quervain Syndrome, Epicondylitis, and Fibromyalgia. This affects her from the neck down — notably in the hands where her fingers will cramp while holding objects, causing her to drop them and lose feeling from the neck down.

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With many of us working from home this week, we thought it would be a good opportunity to look at some tips and best practices for telecommuting that will help you make the most of your at-home office. These tips are applicable to anyone working from home; whether you’re telecommuting due to sickness, for convenience, or you’re someone whose physical circumstances make it difficult to access a typical office environment, there’s something here for you.

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The best posture is the next posture, said Gene Kay, director of ergonomics, VelocityEHS, during the presentation “Understand and Resolve Your Complex Office Evaluation Requests,” at the 2018 National Ergonomics Conference & Ergo Expo. Office furniture and equipment vendors flooded the exposition floor with beautifully crafted office desks made of metal, aluminum, wood, and even plastic. And, the sea of chairs in delicious fabrics and textures make even those least interested in design bat their eyes. But, as we know, looks only go so far. What Kay reminded us, no matter how pretty the equipment, functionality and adjustability are most important. Does it accommodate the 25^th percentile female and the 95^th percentile male? Does it promote movement? If your answer is “no,” you may be at risk of developing a musculoskeletal disorder.

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Exercise balls (stability balls) have made their way from the gym to the office. You may have seen coworkers sitting on them or maybe the thought of trying one has crossed your mind. Maintaining balance when sitting and working on an exercise ball requires the user to engage his or her core, so it sounds like a no-brainer decision to use them. But, does the research back up the positive claims encouraging the use of exercise balls in the office?

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