Tennessee Adult Brothers and Sisters (TABS) hosts online conversation for siblings of people with disabilities
Register today for a Zoom meeting and open conversation with fellow brothers and sisters of people with disabilities on Aug. 5, 5:30-7 p.m. CST. Click here to register for Zoom connection info.
The “Charting the LifeCourse” framework and principles were developed by families to support and empower people with disabilities and their families to develop a vision for the future, identify how to find or develop supports, and discover what it takes to live the lives they want to live. Along with Person-Centered Planning resources, these LifeCourse principles and tools can support individuals with disabilities, families, and others to map out desired outcomes, solve problems and brainstorm, and keep in mind a holistic view of a person’s life beyond just the quality of services they may receive. Presenters will provide an overview of Person-Centered Thinking and LifeCourse principles, demonstrate how families can use Person-Centered Planning and LifeCourse tools for their siblings and themselves, and share how they have used these in their own lives as siblings of people with disabilities.
Presenters:
Barb Sapharas - Independent Consultant
Barb has worked in the field of developmental disabilities for over 40 years as a speech language pathologist and service coordinator as well as providing training to professionals, self-advocates, families and community members. She is a co-founder of Ohio SIBS and a previous Chair of Ohio SIBS and the Sibling Leadership Network. Barb currently serves as co-chair of the Chapter Development Committee of the SLN. She currently is retired and works as a consultant providing information and training in Person-Centered Thinking and Practices, self-determination, and supporting families. Her passion comes from her life experience as the big sister to two brothers with disabilities who she encouraged and supported to live the lives they valued. She lives in the Cleveland, Ohio, area.
Emma Shouse Garton – TN Council on Developmental Disabilities
Emma is the Public Information Specialist for the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities and has worked for the Council since 2011. She helps coordinate the Council’s communications efforts to inform Tennesseans with disabilities and families about the issues that impact their lives. Emma also has 24-year-old younger twin brothers, Evan and Brendan; Evan has autism and lives nearby in a supported living apartment with the help of a provider agency. Emma helps lead the Tennessee Adult Brothers and Sisters (TABS) statewide sibling support network for brothers and sisters of individuals with disabilities, launched by the TN Council and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities over a decade ago. She also serves as co-chair of the Chapter Development Committee of the national Sibling Leadership Network (SLN) along with Barb. Emma lives in Nashville, TN with her husband T.J. and is passionate about helping people with disabilities and their family members – especially siblings – find the support they need to live the lives they want.
This event is sponsored by the Vanderbilt Kennedy University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities and the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities.
About TABS
Sibling relationships are often the longest-lasting relationships that a person has in their lifetime. For siblings of people with disabilities, these relationships have a lifelong impact and many siblings eventually take on some level of caregiving role for their brother or sister. Some siblings find themselves providing support to aging parents, siblings with disabilities and their own children at once. TABS is a statewide network that aims to empower and educate siblings of individuals with all types of disabilities by providing information and peer support. TABS welcomes the participation of anyone interested in sibling issues, including but not limited to “siblings-in-law”, professionals, other family members, and those whose siblings with disabilities may have passed away. For more information on Tennessee Adult Brothers and Sisters, visit the TABS webpage. TABS is the Tennessee state chapter of the national Sibling Leadership Network. Learn more at siblingleadership.org.