Rural Solutions

Providing Solutions for
Rural Iowa Families

Easter Seals Iowa’s Rural Solutions Program helps Iowa farm families with disabilities continue to do what they love - farming.

We help farm family members and individuals living in towns with a population less than 2,500 make modifications to their farm equipment and homes.  Rural Solutions promotes increased independence through adaptive equipment, modifications and support services that provide the opportunity for a family to continue its livelihood on the farm and remain active members of their communities.

For many farm family members and rural residents with a newly acquired disability, Rural Solutions represents their only hope of returning to farming and their communities.  We offer agricultural work site and home modification consultations, peer support, services for the family, information and referrals, and equipment loan services.  Our staff is knowledgeable about resources throughout the state that can address the unique needs of rural family members with disabilities, and actively pursue services that will enhance their lives.

Since the inception of the program in 1986, Rural Solutions has served nearly 1,500 Iowans with disabilities from all 99 counties.  Rural Solutions provides a unique service to rural family members that is not available through any other entity in Iowa.

Family members involved with Rural Solutions may access any of these resources as needed:

Agricultural work site and home modification consultations

• A rural rehabilitation specialist travels to your home and performs assessments of your home and farming operation.  Changes are recommended for each family to continue the rural way of life.
  
• Our staff suggests modifications or locates volunteers or specialists to design assistive technology devices for the home and farm. 

Peer Support Services

• Support is an integral part of helping rural families continue their livelihood after a disability or illness.
  
• Volunteers (rural family members) who have a similar disability provide emotional support to others who have recently been disabled.  One-on-one support is also provided to help families adapt to their new lifestyle and to use assistive technology.  The combination of personal and professional guidance has had a profound and uplifting affect on many rural family members.

Services for the Family

• We work with the entire family unit, not just the person with the disability, to determine the best way to assist them.  Sometimes the solution is an adaptation to an everyday tool.  Other times it involves suggestions on how to design a home for increasing mobility and convenience.  Any rural family member with a disability or individual with a disability living in a town with a population less than 2,500 is eligible for services through our Rural Solutions Program.

Education

• Rural Solutions includes a safety education component that teaches farm family members with disabilities how to prevent secondary injuries (which are very common among farm family members who have disabilities, many of whom “make do” rather than seek professional guidance on how to safely continue farming).  This is an extremely important part of the program, which helps farm family members continue to farm safely for the long-term.

 For more information, contact us at info@eastersealsia.org or 515.309.1783, or
 515.289.4069 tty. 

We look forward to helping you.