The other day I received a message: “Hi Marlena, I wanted to see if I could pick your brain on something. I am managing a support provider team here in XXX. We have just set up a house that will have respite/day programs/our office. I wanted to chat with you about how I can make […]

After recently spending some time in the hospital supporting new patients, a common question was about ‘attending events and functions with mates and family’ and whether it was possible. The answer is yes, you can! Booking these events are a little different, more detailed and time-consuming. The reality is you need prior preparation. Preparation and […]

“Inclusion isn’t a word that is commonly used by the general community. However, the word is used quite commonly by people that are fighting for themselves or others for the very right… to be Included” I have never really known anything else but to be included and accepted in my various communities throughout my life. […]

When I think of all the good times in my life or the times that have made me smile the one common thing is that during these times I have always had my friends beside me. Having a disability, the importance of friendship is a vital ingredient to living a good life and a life […]

What would you say to your younger self if you had the opportunity? Wheelchair User Jessica Cochran thinks about this topic and writes the following letter: Dear Younger Self, You are going to face challenges in your life that you’ve never imagined, at times it will be hard, and times your life will hang in […]

What do 4-year-olds and 80-year-olds have in common? Considerably more than you might think, including (but not limited to) painting, dancing, reading, walking, singing, cooking and story-telling! These are just some of the potential activities incorporated into intergenerational care programs, in which Aged Care and Day Care are combined, and the residents/attendees of each group intermingle […]

Heading down the hospital corridor the hall echoes with the squeal of rubber tires on linoleum and the soft pitter-patter of paws. As we wait in the crowded waiting room I feel a light pawing followed by a gentle push of weight against my legs. Curious eyes watch on and people smile gently at what […]

During rehabilitation I took part in weekly gym sports activities –  different things ranging from 10-pin bowling, rugby, and going to the movies. Not only did I do physiotherapy and got my body moving, but I also wanted to become more independent. I remember when I wanted to go snow skiing six months after my discharge, my physiotherapist was […]

A bath lift  is a battery operated chair designed for easier and safer bathing. By simply pressing a button on a hand control, a bath lift gently lowers you into the water and then lifts you up securely once you are ready to get out. They help when getting in and out of the bath […]

TV tends to underestimate people with disabilities. All too often, inclusivity means people with disabilities are represented by characters that are rather one-dimensional: either desperately tragic, implausibly heroic, or miraculously ‘recovered’. This means that it’s particularly delightful to come across characters that defy these worn stereotypes that rob characters with disabilities of human complexity. Embed […]