Prescribed to you by your doctor as tablets or capsules, if you want to use it, you need to start taking the medication as soon as possible after you develop symptoms of COVID-19.
People with disability may be eligible for antiviral medicine if they are:
Even if you’re fully vaccinated, if any of the above circumstances apply to you, COVID-19 can make you very sick and even become life threatening – which is why these treatments are available. The oral antivirals have been taken safely by more than 73,000 Australians to date.
If you want to explore the option of antiviral medication, you should talk to your doctor as soon as possible after you’ve tested positive. They can advise you about whether you should take the medicine and prescribe it for you. They can also electronically send the prescription to a pharmacy.
For more information, click here.
Across the next few months, we’re planning on highlighting a different influencer with disability in each edition of Choice and Insider.
And we’d love to hear from you! Is there someone you follow who you think the My Plan Manager community should know about? Please send us a direct message via Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn to share their details.
A fashion model, author and now disability advocate after a diagnosis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), Tara is smashing stigma and defying expectations. She lived in Australia before returning to her native Canada.
You’ll find her on Instagram as @taraandwolfie, where she shares her life as a disability advocate who uses a range of mobility aids – Wolfie is her name for her cane. Tara also has another Instagram account (@taramossauthor) for her life as a crime writer and 1940s-style enthusiast.
Or you might like to listen to her on the Mamamia No Filter podcast series, where she talks about receiving attention on the street, her ‘many lives’, her work, feeling more comfortable in her 40s than her 20s, and her disability and the embrace of the disability community.
“I’m so grateful for my mobility aids. Never let taboos and stigma stop you from getting the support you need. You deserve support. You deserve to be out in the world. You deserve to be visible as you are. YOU DESERVE IT.”
Find an average group of eight Australians, and at least one of them will be a carer. That’s about three million people across the country who are providing unpaid care and support to others.
Whether it’s adults caring for parents or relatives, siblings caring for siblings, or children and young people caring for parents or family members, carers not only enrich the lives of the people they support, but they also contribute an enormous amount to the Australian economy.
And of course, anyone can become a carer at any time.
Carers provide unpaid care and support to family members and friends – often people with disability or those who are ageing – but also people with mental health conditions, drug or alcohol addictions, chronic health conditions, and terminal illnesses.
Because they’re unpaid, carers are estimated to save the Australian economy and society almost $80 billion every year – at least, that’s what the Australian Government reported for 2020 alone. At the same time, carers and their families also bear significant costs. In the same year, the Draft National Strategy for the Care and Support Economy estimated that lost earnings of unpaid carers were $15.3 billion.
Run annually in October, National Carers Week recognises, celebrates and raises awareness about the caring role undertaken by people across the country. An initiative of Carers Australia, National Carers Week shines a light on the work carers perform and highlights the importance of ensuring carers themselves are supported.
So, what supports are out there for carers and how can we, as individuals and a community, help care for carers?
If you’re a carer you may be eligible for payments from the Australian Government if you’re unpaid and providing someone with full time care or daily support.
The Carer Payment is available if you provide constant care for someone, while the Carer Allowance is a supplementary payment if you provide daily care. You may be eligible for both payments.
These payments may also be paid to you alongside other payments you might receive, including the Disability Support Pension, Youth Allowance or Parenting Payment. You may also be eligible for the annual Carer Supplement.
If you care for a child with disability, there’s an annual payment for carers receiving the Carer Allowance, called the Child Disability Assistance Payment.
The Carer Adjustment Payment is a one-off payment for carers of a child younger than seven. The payment supports families with a child diagnosed with a severe medical condition or disability following a catastrophic event, where they demonstrate a strong need for financial help.
Find out more about payments available to carers here.
There are about 235,000 young carers aged under 25 years across the nation. Young carers often have the unique juggle of balancing their caring role while also studying or training – and sometimes, when caring takes priority, everything else can slip.
The Young Carer Bursary program, funded by the Australian Government and administered by Carers Australia, provides bursaries (grants specifically for study and training) to support young carers to continue with their education and reduce their need to undertake paid work at the same time as their study and caring duties.
Supporting young carers to remain in education or training – or return to their studies – can help their long-term prospects, improve employment opportunities, and recognise their identity outside of being a carer.
Carer Gateway has been designed especially to support carers. An initiative of the Australian Government, Carer Gateway provides free services in person, online or over the phone.
Its services include:
If you have different communication needs, Carer Gateway is accessible in a variety of forms, including:
Respite care gives both carers and the people they care for the chance to take a break. Whether it’s getting some rest, seeing some fresh faces, or meeting new people, it’s important for everyone to take time for themselves.
Carers who receive the Carer Allowance or Carer Payment can access 63 days of respite each year, without it affecting their payment. Respite may be planned or might be needed quickly in an emergency – for example, if a carer needs to go to hospital.
Read more about respite care here.
Are you a brother or sister who’s caring for your sibling with disability? Whatever your age, Siblings Australia has information and support for siblings (as well as parents and professionals).
Whether you’re looking for support and information, or you’ve been thrust into a role where you have more responsibility for your brother or sister and you need to think about future planning, Siblings Australia may be able to help.
Read our article about the supports available to siblings of people with disability here.
But what if you’re not a carer (yet), but you know someone who is?
National Carers’ Week has suggestions for providing practical and emotional support to the carers in your life.
You could:
Newsflash – with 3 million Australians being carers, it’s highly likely you’re employing people who clock off from their paid work with you and then leave to care for someone they love.
So, how can employers support carers?
Carers + Employers provides network membership and accreditation for businesses and organisations to become employers of choice for carers.
Here’s a fact sheet from the program with 10 tips for a carer friendly workplace. Want to know more? Click here.
Whether you’re a carer or you know a carer, National Carers Week – and every week – is the time to recognise the vital work unpaid carers do. From individual support, right up to nationwide impact, we wouldn’t be the community we are without carers.
Want to know more about carers in our country? Here are all the facts and figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
13 September 2024
The 22 year old uses an eye-gaze device to support his communication and explore his interests, with a camera built into the assistive technology device to track Christopher’s eyes and enable him to focus on and select symbols for communication, search YouTube videos and play music.
Christopher loves a wide variety of music, with Eric Clapton, Bob Marley, and Bruce Springsteen among his favourites. However, his all-time favourite video is Survivor’s ‘Eye of the Tiger’ – and it’s hard for anyone to persuade him to select anything else! But recently, Christopher surprised his speech pathologist, Nur, with an unexpected video selection.
Nur recently mentioned to Christopher that her favourite singer was Adele, and soon after their discussion she heard Adele’s mezzo-soprano voice playing from Christopher’s computer. Using his eye-gaze device, he had scanned Adele’s videos on YouTube, then maintained his gaze long enough to activate his selection – a milestone moment.
“Christopher usually looks at the top right of the screen, but to choose Adele, he had to look to the centre and left. This was a fantastic achievement,” said Nur. “I’m really happy for Christopher and delighted to see what he’s achieved with his eye-gaze.”
Assistive technology is a ‘life changer’ according to a report issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). In Christopher’s case, it has supported him to communicate more effectively with his community, explore his interests, and even to do something special for others in his life, like Nur!
For more than 45 years, NovitaTech – a division of South Australian disability services provider Novita – has been providing assistive technology and equipment services for people with disability. Recently, it opened the largest and most comprehensive assistive technology retail experience in Australia to provide people with disability, people rehabilitating from injury or surgery, and older people with direct access to the equipment they need to live independent and fulfilling lives.
The NovitaTech store, located in Adelaide, spans more than 1000 square metres of showroom space, and features more than 1000 products and equipment items – from consumables and off-the-shelf products to complex, scripted disability products – designed to support independent living.
The store includes a wheelchair basketball and sports court, fully equipped homecare displays, and a café operated by participants in Novita’s Transition to Work program, which supports school leavers with disability to enter the workforce. Individual and private therapy consultation rooms are another feature of the NovitaTech store, enabling therapists – both Novita-based and external – to meet with clients to discuss the devices and equipment they need.
“We’re so proud to bring this new concept in mobility and independent living solutions to light,” said Novita CEO, Greg Ward. “It underpins Novita’s commitment to innovation and improving outcomes for clients like Christopher and their families.”
To find out more about the new NovitaTech store, or to shop online, visit novitatech.com.au or call 1300 668 482.
When Charles Brice agreed to participate in a new disability inclusion campaign for the Government of South Australia’s Department of Human Services, he didn’t expect a response from the Billboard Music Award-winning band, Nickelback – but that’s exactly what happened.
Created by the Adelaide team of advertising agency, Showpony, the ‘See Me for Me’ campaign aims to shift the narrative of what it means to live with disability. It reminds the community that we all have diverse tastes and opinions, regardless of our physical abilities and other attributes.
“To stand out in a category historically portrayed with solemn imagery, sombre music and emotional first-hand accounts from people living with disability, we decided on a humorous approach to get our message across using… wait for it… solemn imagery, sombre music and emotional first-hand accounts from people living with disability. But with a twist,” said Showpony creative director, Rory Kennett Lister.
And a twist is exactly what the audience gets.
In the campaign video above, solemn music plays as Charles nervously shifts his wheelchair to face the camera.
“I know how uncomfortable it can make some people feel – friends, family, colleagues,” Charles begins. “There’s a fair bit of time I’ve felt embarrassed and ashamed.”
“I’ve come to a point where I don’t care what anyone thinks.”
The music cuts, and Charles declares: “I love Nickelback.”
Shortly after the video’s release, Nickelback retweeted it on Twitter – with a promise:
When asked what he thought about Nickelback reaching out, Charles said he was surprised the band had seen the ad at all.
“Having them reply is great for the reach of the campaign and just goes to show how strong the messaging is,” he said. “Hopefully they do tour soon, so I can watch from backstage.”
The ‘See Me for Me’ campaign forms part of the South Australian Government’s State Disability Inclusion Plan. It is currently running on South Australian radio, television and outdoor advertising, as well as online through Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Visit seemeforme.sa.gov.au to view all the campaign videos and download resources.
We sat down with Claire to get her perspective on the disability landscape in Australia today, to ask her view on the opportunities and challenges for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) moving forward, and to find out what gets her up in the morning.
Claire: An inclusive Australia is where an individual can choose and access activities that they want to. There aren’t barriers to entry – which some views of disability can create – so everyone has the freedom to access and do what they want to be able to do.
Claire: Because all Australians are investing in the NDIS, I think there’s greater awareness of disability, inclusion and acceptance. Whether it’s been through negative or positive publicity, most Australians understand that there’s a scheme in place for many people with disability that provides them choice and control.
People know that together we are creating a fair Australia because we believe that, regardless of your situation, everyone should be able to have a basic quality of life and the NDIS provides a certain level of funding to enable that. That’s what being a civilised society is about – making sure no one is left behind.
Claire: The empowerment of individuals. Giving individuals the ability to self-determine, the ability to hope, and the ability to plan for their future. That’s what I’ve loved seeing, and that’s what made me want to contribute to the shift from the old block funding model to the new NDIS model. People now have choice and control. They’re able to reflect on what they want their supports and services to look like, and they’re not locked in – they can try different things.
Claire: I don’t know what the NDIS will look like in 10 years’ time, but what I do know is it will evolve and change as people with disability become better at exercising their choice and control, and as they find more ways to discover what works for them.
I think there will be more data to learn from and better technology and platforms – like Kinora – to share those learnings. I truly believe plan management can play a crucial role in understanding and assisting people with that knowledge and those learnings so we can fast track them to show them the opportunities that might exist for them, without them journeying the long and hard way.
We can be that mechanism to show them the potential of what their package is. We have always done this – but there will be new and improved insights and knowledge to help.
My vision is that purchasing services and supports becomes seamless – that people don’t have to feel like their NDIS money is disability money, it just becomes part of day to day purchasing. How that evolves, I’m not sure yet.
Claire: I think there’s roughly 1600 plan managers now. To think that plan management – which was so foreign to people – is now an option given to everyone, talked about in every planning meeting, and accessed by 54 per cent of participants is surreal, and definitely my proudest achievement!
Plan management is part of the NDIS now and is something that has demonstrated its ability to assist people to have an easier experience with the NDIS.
Claire: Having a background in physical education, I love the opportunity to be physically active. Most mornings I’m walking or running on the beach with my golden retriever. I also love a challenge! I love it when people say, ‘I don’t think you can do that’ – I love the challenge of showing people what I can do. We developed the first app at My Plan Manager in the face of questioning looks. But I thought, ‘Why shouldn’t people be able to access their NDIS budgets in real time?’.
I’m determined and passionate that people with disability should be able to have the same opportunities as everyone else. It’s about fairness and equity. Everyone should be given the opportunity to blossom and be the best version of themselves, everyone should be given the opportunity to work hard and reap the benefits.
Maximising opportunities – that’s what gets me out of bed. I’ve got a strong desire to maximise my life and to make the most of every minute. I’m a Mum of four fantastic kids, and I want to provide them with the environment in which they can maximise their potential too.
What keeps me up at night is the NDIS and hoping it can take the right path to provide people with choice and control. I would hate to see the Scheme have so many constraints that people don’t have that flexibility.
Claire: It was really special. They believed in me, supported me, and even worked in the business. They offered insights into technology and what young people want to be able to do. Working together and sharing success together was such a unique and positive experience for all of us, and something I’m really grateful for.
Claire: I’m going to continue having a curiosity mindset and looking for solutions. Every job I’ve had has been about problem solving, and I’d like to continue with that license to be able to imagine how Australia can become even more inclusive and fair.
Claire: I enjoy thinking about how we can continue delivering a great service for the changing needs of our clients. So, thinking about the services, education and tools that our clients need, and what we need to do to evolve to provide these.
I still love hearing stories of staff really feeling like they’ve made a difference for clients. It’s special and rewarding to be able to have a workplace that provides a sense of purpose to an individual.
Melissa: A few things. Firstly, I’d run my own business before – a nanny service. Secondly, I have complex regional pain syndrome and I find having a distraction helps me manage my pain levels. Lastly, I’m a creative person. I’m an artist and I love jewellery, so design was another direction for me to channel my creativity.
Melissa: I’ve done lots of paintings, drawings and portraiture. Working with big canvases can get quite painful though, so working with jewellery is still as enjoyable, but much more manageable.
Melissa: My pain levels in the morning are quite bad, so I usually don’t start until 11 or 12 o’clock. Then, I’ll be doing something jewellery related for the day - that could be designing, constructing, repairing or computer work, like working on my website or social media accounts.
Some days I’m able to do more than others, so it’s important I don’t put too much pressure on myself to achieve a set list of tasks. I’m pretty lucky that my customers are understanding if I need to delay making or sending a piece by a day or two.
Melissa: In three words – intricate, bold and unique. Many people tell me they haven’t seen designs like mine before and that’s great for me to hear. All my jewellery is handmade from materials including silver, gold, jewellers’ wire, crystals, pearls and charms. I’ve created a huge range of necklaces, earrings, rings, and fidget rings for anxiety. Something else you’ll notice about my jewellery is that I like to incorporate the meaning of crystals in my creations.
Melissa: I mostly sell my jewellery through my website, and I’ll sometimes sell at local markets. I also showcase my work on Instagram (@love.creates.jewellery) and Facebook.
Melissa: My jewellery making and my business are part of my NDIS plan goals. My occupational therapist is currently working on my plan with a view to making it more supportive and useful to me. I have a team of support workers that support me with a range of things, and there’s one support worker in particular who assists me on market days by setting up and packing down my stall and speaking with customers. Market days are painful and exhausting for me, but I love being part of them!
Melissa: The main thing I do it for is to be contributing to society. If you live with disability – especially a physical disability – you may feel unable to go and work in an office at set times. When you can work your own hours and do your own thing there’s a double benefit – you get to have flexibility and ownership over what you’re doing, and you can contribute to society at the same time.
I personally hate sitting around doing nothing. I’d much prefer to be earning and contributing.
Melissa: The first thing I’d say is it’s nowhere near as daunting as you might first think! Planning is everything, so working out what you want to do is your first point of call.
Local, state and federal governments all have lots of resources and helpful information that you can access on starting a business, and getting an Australian Business Number (ABN) and a business name can be done online.
Melissa: I’d like my jewellery business to take off a bit more – that would be great! A lot depends on how my condition progresses, but I would also love to do an exhibition with my art.
You can browse and buy Melissa’s jewellery via her website. If you’re in the mood for a podcast episode (or two), check out Melissa’s podcast ‘Shout out – all things disability.’
Quite often, I have found that neurotypical people are unable to understand the autistic way of thinking and vice versa. In many cases, autistic people – such as me – do not use subtext, sarcasm and inuendo, and so much can be lost in translation.
For me, I so commonly feel as if neurotypical people are talking in a secret code I don’t have the cypher for. This causes a huge problem for both sides of the communication coin because, as difficult as it is for some autistic people to understand some neurotypical people, it’s often just as difficult for them to understand us.
I know I can be straightforward and blunt; I say exactly what I mean. A lot of people who don’t have autism aren’t used to blunt honesty and many get offended, misinterpreting my straight talking for rudeness when it isn’t.
It doesn’t make sense to me to say one thing when I mean another, and as much as some neurotypical people may dislike bluntness, I know a lot of people like me who have a real issue with people hiding their point ‘between the lines’. I can’t read between the lines because, when I talk, there isn’t anything between my lines. What you hear is exactly what I mean and trying to discern some ulterior motive in my comments is just going to lead you down the wrong path.
So many autistic people think literally. So, when we say ‘no’, we mean nothing else but that and exactly that. I perceive ignoring that as disrespectful and for some, that can trigger a meltdown or worse. In my own case, it makes me angry when people don’t take my words seriously.
What then, is the best way to speak with an autistic person (or, at least, with me)? Here are my top tips:
Many autistic people (me included!) often struggle to talk the way neurotypical people do because we just don’t know how! It’s that simple.
The next time you have the opportunity to have a chat with me or someone else with autism, it might be a good idea to try to talk to us the way we talk – up front and completely blunt. Give it a go – even if you think you’ll hurt my feelings, it really is my preferred way to converse. Being honest with me is much more appreciated, and I tend to respect those who are honest with me a lot more than those who aren’t.
Hi, I’m Chris. I’m an autistic person. Originally from California, I ran away to Australia as soon as I could. Raised in the country, life wasn't easy with an invisible neurological difference, especially when that difference wasn't widely known about. On top of that, I didn’t even get a diagnosis until my adult years. Looking forward, I want to leave behind some small piece of myself that maybe, if I'm lucky, might make a positive impact.
Released last month, the Global report on assistive technology captures for the first time a worldwide snapshot illustrating countries’ need for, access to, and preparedness to support assistive technology.
The report also features stories illustrating the profound impact assistive products can have on people’s lives and offers evidence of the economic and social return on investment in assistive technology.
The report’s release coincides with the launch of Australia’s largest assistive technology store, NovitaTech, owned by South Australian disability service provider, Novita.
So, what exactly is assistive technology? And how can it be accessed by people with disability through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)?
Assistive technology is equipment or devices that help people perform tasks that might otherwise be difficult or impossible to achieve because of a disability. It’s a broad term that refers to many tools which can be low or high tech.
Some examples of assistive technology include:
Not all equipment or technology can be classed as assistive technology. If a tool is something that everyone uses, and isn’t related to achieving something that might otherwise be difficult or impossible to achieve because of a disability, it isn’t assistive technology. Examples include kettles, radios and everyday household furniture.
The NDIS will fund assistive technology that meets NDIS funding criteria. When assessing assistive technology, the NDIS will consider whether it:
It’s recommended that new NDIS participants seek advice about assistive technology during their planning meeting. If a participant has a current plan, they might be able to use funding in that plan for assistive technology. Alternatively, they can request a plan review.
In all cases, evidence about the assistive technology will need to be supplied so the NDIS can assess it against funding criteria. The evidence required depends on the category of assistive technology. There are three categories:
The NDIS has created helpful assistive technology guidelines which cover everything you need to know about accessing assistive technology through the NDIS. If you’d like to ask a question about assistive technology or hear about other people’s experiences, head to Kinora – a free online community created by My Plan Manager.
Kinora helps people with disability and their supporters to connect with peers, NDIS experts, disability sector professionals and service providers, assisting them to build lasting connections with the people and businesses who can support them throughout their lives. There’s lots of value in there for consumers and providers, so check it out!
