Attendant Care

Hi everyone - I was just floundering! again & wondered if anyone has a similar problem. I have Carers for 34 hrs a week & I have trouble managing them & getting them to remember what needs doing - I get sick of asking everyday for things to be done. I write lists but we forget about them after a couple of weeks. I am really easy going (some think too easy) & the job is relatively easy as far as great equipment, nice environment not demanding, no nasty or complicated jobs.
Does anyone have some suggestions - what do you do with your carers? I am not a chatty person, & i need quiet times alone throughout the day when I become overwhelmed. But it is a great place to work (so I am told). I just need a few pointers on how to get what I need without upsetting anyone, my carers love coming here & they are great people the problem is communication on my part. I am not assertive & as I am also very sick I avoid anything stressful such as reiterating my requests. So when they have left I am always disappointed to find things not done, I have trouble maintaining concentration & focus so I easily get sidetracked & don't get to notice things until all is quiet & I am alone when I can concentrate again then it's too late & I must go without if I can't manage myself, until the next day & the whole cycle starts again!!!(quite comical really). Any suggestions to straighten me out???

Dental Health

Hi I just wanted to make sure everyone knows about the new Dental Health arrangements under the 2007/08 budget. If you have a chronic illness & require dental treatment your GP can now refer you to a Private Dentist whose charges will be completely covered by Medicare (from memory about $4000 in any one year).
This is because the NSW Dept of Health Dental Service will just never be able to cope and the amount of chronically ill people whose dental health is impacting on their general health is increasing and had some good publicity this year. Anyway this may help some of you who don't know about it - hope so ! Love Kaz

Taxi Subsidy Scheme

What do you think about our taxi vouchers - is the subsidy enough? No!!! Retired politicians are entitled to free first class air travel for life!!! I cannot go & visit two of my friends because it costs me $22 on top of my voucher to visit each one - we cannot all afford accessible vehicles, in my town we do not have an accessible Community Transport Vehicle for electric wheelchairs (they charge $10 flat rate anywhere return). My accessible taxi fare to have a cup of coffee with my friend who lives in a nursing home costs $44 return (Voucher pays for $22), what a rip off. I am being socially isolated because of my transport costs. If I had a chat & a cuppa with 2 friends a week, at their place or downtown, I would need to find an extra $44 at least a week???!!!! Where you have absolutely no other option, in the interest of our physical & mental health - our travel should be totally free. Why is it that we are treated like a burden on society - we cannot contribute if we are isolated.

Hi Everyone?

Hello all. I am very happy to be able to be part of this at the beginning, I am excited to see where it goes. How do people find out about this new site? It would be good if we could let those in the rural areas know, as there is a huge problem for us as far as isolation goes. I don't mean "rural" Penrith or Camden, I mean real rural like Cobar, Dubbo, Lightning Ridge, Nyngan etc. I can see that through this forum, there is a great opportunity for peer support on everyday issues these people have no access to. Accommodation is one of my interests - changing the way -the current options are not satisfactory as with the entire disability community, the govt, the public, need a shot in the arm to change the way we are seen & treated. Australia is so far behind in the management & quality of life for disabled, given we are the luckiest country in the world we should be leading the way.
Oops - don't get me started! sorry I do tend to get carried away.
I will watch with interest, won't it be great to see all the new members coming online.