Information for Adults

Download one of the guides below for information on community resources in your area.

Lehigh Valley

Berks and Lancaster Counties

Northeast Area

Do you or your loved one have juvenile myoclonic epilepsy?

You may be eligible to participate in a research study.

View the flyer for Individuals HERE.

View the flyer for caregivers HERE.

Every state regulates driver’s license eligibility of persons with certain medical conditions. The most common requirement for people with epilepsy is that they be seizure free for a specific period of time and submit a physician’s evaluation of their ability to drive safely.  Another common requirement is the periodic submission of medical reports, in some states for a specified period of time and in others for as long as the person remains licensed. To view PA state’s driving laws visit: https://www.epilepsy.com/driving-laws.

Another great resource can be found here: https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/obtaining-license-with-epilepsy/.

It’s true, having active seizures can keep you from driving a car. It can be frustrating, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to get around and live your life. There are plenty of places that are easily accessible by public transportation. Philadelphia’s public transportation system, SEPTA, is cheap and convenient. It’s always important to plan out your trip ahead of time to help keep from getting confused on the way.

Please note that the following information is offered for informational purposes only. There are no warranties of any kind for quality of service, consistency of time schedules, etc.

SEPTA – Serving Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties

Visit www.septa.org to learn about public transportation options in southeastern Pennsylvania. Use the “Trip Planner” option to see all of your train, trolley, and subway options. You can find more information on transportation passes and tickets at shop.septa.org. Also, tokens that are good for subways and buses can be easily purchased at any SEPTA station.

SEPTA offers reduced fare privileges in some cases. An application is required and the reduced fare is restricted to off-peak hours. You can learn more about this option by calling SEPTA Customer Service at (215) 580-7800.

Trained service animals ride free of charge. NOTE: The service animals must be leashed and under the owner’s control. SEPTA personnel are not allowed to take leashes or harnesses, or interfere with duties of service animals in any way. For more information, call 215.580.3424.

The Broad Street Line is great for going to the sports complex that houses the Phillies, Eagles, and 76ers professional sports teams. Philadelphia’s famous Italian Market, Avenue of the Arts, and Center City are also easily accessible on the Broad Street Line subway.

You can access many of Philadelphia’s most popular neighborhoods easily by riding the Market-Frankford Line. Travel quickly between Northern Liberties, Old City, Center City and University City on this line.

If you live outside the city or need to head to the suburbs, there is nothing better than SEPTA’s Regional Rail lines. Most trains run every hour, with more trains during busy hours. Click here to view the Regional Rail schedules. 

SEPTA CCT Connect Paratransit Program (CCT)

This program provides door to door transportation service (with advanced registration.) An application is required and in order to be eligible the applicant must be functionally unable to use regular, accessible public transportation. Think you might be eligible? Contact us at 215-629-5003.

Uber/Lyft

By now you may have heard about a new service similar to taxi’s called UBER or Lyft.  To use this service, download the UBER of Lyft “app” through your mobile phone.

• You will need to set up an account and enter in a credit/debit card to be charged per ride. Enter the destination address and the driver will pick you up from your home.
• A percentage of the fare paid to the driver is taken by UBER as its fee. Inasmuch as UBER states it is not a “transportation company” but merely acts as a dispatcher, it presently is not subject to regulations concerning, for example, liability coverage, accessibility and background checks of its drivers. You may be able to split your fare if there are others sharing the ride.

**We’re excited to announce the relaunch of the partnership with SK Life Science, Inc., for a first-of-its-kind Uber ride share campaign. Through this initiative, people with epilepsy and their caregivers are eligible to receive a $50 Uber ride share voucher. Simply contact EFA’s toll-free Helpline at 1-800-332-1000 (en Español 1-866-748-8008) (9 AM – 5 PM EST Monday through Friday) to request a voucher.

For a complete overview of greater Philadelphia transportation services, download our Transportation Guide here.

If you are planning a trip, make sure you first visit https://www.google.com/maps to search for public transportation directions. After you type in your destination click on the picture of a bus to get accurate and step-by-step public transportation directions.

For more information about exploring Philadelphia specifically, visit http://www.visitphilly.com/getting-around/

Need help navigating one of these websites? Not computer savvy? Give us a call and we can talk you through it!

Getting to area hospitals

Wondering the best ways to get to your doctor’s appointments? Most hospitals have directions online with maps of their campus. Below is a short list hospitals in the area. Likewise, if you are having difficulty covering the cost of traveling to appointments, there are assistance programs available. The J. Kiffin Penry Patient Travel Assistance Fund provides reimbursement for those traveling more than 50 miles from their home to review FDA-approved medical treatment. Click here to learn more. 

Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Jefferson University Hospitals, Neurology

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Lehigh Valley Health Network

Riddle Hospital

St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children

Temple University Medicine

Lancaster General Hospital

Geisinger Medical Center

Reading Health System

Penn State Hershey Medical Center

Sadly, despite the efforts of patients, doctors and organizations like the EFEPA, epilepsy is often misunderstood. As a result people with epilepsy sometimes find they are treated differently or unfairly. But remember: you have rights just the same as anyone else. If you have struggled with this, we are here to help. We hope you’ll find the information below helpful, and our staff are here to answer any questions you may have.

Benefits

Sometimes, epilepsy and health concerns can be so serious that it isn’t a good idea to work. Therefore, the federal government offers financial assistance and health insurance for those who qualify. The first program is Social Security Disability (SSDI) for people with disabilities and/or their “dependents” (family members or survivors) who have worked a certain length of time in the past and paid Social Security Taxes. On the other hand, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is for people who meet the requirements for having a disability and special income levels. Under this program you may also be able to get Medicare or Medicaid coverage. For a more complete overview of federal benefits, click here. Or give us a call at 215-629-5003.

Individuals with epilepsy often have a hard time finding and keeping a job due to their seizures or an inability to drive. Studies have showed that those with epilepsy have higher rates of unemployment and underemployment than the general population (Smeets et al 2007). There are a lot of different reasons why this may happen. It can be because your seizures happen so much, or are so serious, that it’s hard to go to work every day. Or it can be things like medication, transportation, memory issues or fear of co-workers not understanding. It’s important to remember that epilepsy is a disability protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). That means that you have rights in the workplace. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Epilepsy is a disability, even if medications, surgery or other treatments are used to help control seizures.
• An employer may not ask if you if you have epilepsy before they offer the job.
• An employer can ask about you about your qualifications for a job, like whether you have a driver’s license or can work with heavy machinery.
• If you’re applying for a job and share that you have epilepsy, and the potential employer “reasonably believes the applicant will require an accommodation to perform the job because of epilepsy or treatment, the employer may ask if he needs an accommodation and what type.”
• An employer can ask for medical information if they see performance problems that could be caused by epilepsy or they have information that epilepsy may be causing performance issues.
• The EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) states that an employer cannot tell other employees (co-workers and other managers) about an employee’s health condition, even if co-workers witness the person having a seizure in the workplace.
• Some examples of workplace accommodations might be new work schedules, installing a safety device or changing some job non-essential job duties.

The ADA does not apply to all workplaces. However, where it does apply, the core issue is whether you can perform the “essential functions” of the job. If you need an accommodation, request a meeting with your employer, and have a dialogue with him/her. Maybe there are alternative means of performing your job which will not be “unduly burdensome” on the employer.

It can be hard to stop working or change your career path because of seizures, but having epilepsy doesn’t mean you can’t live a full life. It may take thinking creatively about your future and changing what you used to have in mind. If your seizures are not completely controlled, you may want to look for something closer that you can access with public transportation and is a safe working environment. Or maybe you can even work from home! The EFEPA can help you figure out what you can do to achieve your goals. There are also programs in the area to help you find your best fit. A few include: Job Accommodation Network Career One Stop Pennsylvania Vocational Rehabilitation Services 

Source: Smeets VM, van Lierop BA, Vanhoutvin JP, Aldenkamp AP, Nijhuis FJ. Epilepsy and employment: literature review. Epilepsy & Behavior (2007) 10: 354-62.

For a great resource about successful strategies for navigating the workplace as a person with epilepsy or as an employer click HERE!

For past presentations on Employment and Epilepsy check out these videos on Youtube:

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Far too often we hear stories of people with epilepsy having a seizure in public and their behavior is viewed as disorderly, bizarre or unlawful. This is very common in cases in complex partial seizures that can be misunderstood by police officers. That’s why we have developed police training materials to educate officers about recognizing seizures, first aid steps and how to help someone with epilepsy. It’s a good idea to wear an emergency medical bracelet or other identification that can prevent an inappropriate arrest. If you are arrested for a seizure-related behavior, you can consult the Jeanne A. Carpenter Epilepsy Legal Defense Fund, created to help people with epilepsy fight discrimination. For a more in-depth look at discrimination law at the state and local level click here. 

If you are arrested, let us know the name and contact information of your attorney. We will provide materials regarding epilepsy to your attorney so that he/she will be in a better position to represent you. We will also be able to determine whether the specific police district has been offered training in seizure recognition and first aid.

Family Court matters are usually protracted. Not all attorneys, Masters, and judges are knowledgeable about epilepsy, and may wrongly assume that the parent with epilepsy presents a danger to the children. We will provide materials which may give you more credibility. If, for example, the parent without epilepsy says that it’s too frightening for the children to see you having a seizure, you may be permitted to show our materials on First Aid to bolster your position that education works to eliminate the fear. Once you know what it is, it’s not really scary.

It goes without saying that affordable health insurance is very important for someone with epilepsy in order to continue treatment. With recent changes in the healthcare system it can be confusing what steps you need to take to secure coverage for procedures, specialists or medication. The Affordable Care Act has expanded options for affordable coverage for people with epilepsy. The Epilepsy Foundation of America provides an overview of different programs here.  For questions specifically about the Affordable Care Act and how it works, check out the Pennsylvania Health Access Network Some companies offer prescription assistance programs to help offset the cost of medication.

*Epilepsy. (2014, July 30). Retrieved May 12, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/index.html The Epilepsies and Seizures: Hope Through Research. (2015, April 17). Retrieved May 12, 2015, fromhttp://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/epilepsy/detail_epilepsy.htm

Traumatic brain Injury (TBI) is the leading and common form of injury or head trauma in service men and women. Post-Traumatic Epilepsy (PTE) is a seizure disorder that is caused by TBI. A severe traumatic brain injury could increase your chances of developing PTE. There’s information to help you learn more about the link between head trauma and epilepsy. Please see: https://www.epilepsy.com/living-epilepsy/epilepsy-and/veterans & https://www.epilepsy.com/living-epilepsy/epilepsy-and/veterans/veterans-program. For information on the signs and symptoms of mental health challenges, descriptions of research-based treatment options, and videos of Veterans sharing their own inspiring stories of recovery check out: https://www.maketheconnection.net/

For resources for veterans coping with substance misuse check out: https://startyourrecovery.org/who/veterans-military

For resources for veterans coping with alcoholism, visit: https://www.alcoholhelp.com/alcohol/victims-alcoholism/veterans-alcohol/

For resources for veterans coping with substance misuse, visit:

https://startyourrecovery.org/who/veterans-military

*Epilepsy. (2014, July 30). Retrieved May 12, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/index.html The Epilepsies and Seizures: Hope Through Research. (2015, April 17). Retrieved May 12, 2015, fromhttp://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/epilepsy/detail_epilepsy.htm