Ranching, farming with arthritis workshop to be held

Workshops to help producers with arthritis farm and ranch are in Worland, Riverton and Wheatland this February. “More than 80 percent of ranchers and farmers experience some form of arthritis,” said Randy Weigel, human development specialist with the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service (UW CES) and project director for Wyoming AgrAbility. “Ranchers and farmers are heavily affected by this condition, which can reduce their ability to perform work tasks efficiently.” Topics include learning the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of arthritis, myths and facts of arthritis and ways to manage pain while ranching and farming. Examples of assistive technology devices that can make life less painful and what to look for when buying assistive technology devices to help protect joints are also part of the workshop...[link]

As I search the internet each night to find relevant articles to post, I've been seeing all kinds of stories about similar workshops, although this is the first one I've seen on arthritis. Now I'm handicapped from an autoimmune disease myself, but I think this is a bunch of bunk. Why aren't there workshops for carpenters with arthritis? Truck drivers with bad backs? Carpet layers with bad knees? Wayward women with the round heel disease?

I'll tell you my suspicions. I'll bet USDA has a passel of ADA money, and they are passing it out to the CES to put on these workshops. To me, the people who are really crippled are the politicians who fund these programs. They need brain surgery.