Have you ever used a demountable ramp, also known as a modular ramp, installed at home as means of accessible entry?
Would you like to share your experience and opinions to improve supports for people with mobility impairments?
We are looking for volunteers to participate in a study on demountable ramps.
Your participation would involve an individual interview conducted by a researcher from the Home Modification Information Clearinghouse, Faculty of the Built Environment at the University of New South Wales. This interview will last for up to one hour and will contribute to a better understanding of the advantages and limitations of using demountable ramps as a solution for enabling home access.
An information statement will be provided to the participant and the participant will be required to provide written consent (signature or equivalent) for audio-recording of the interview and photographs of ramps prior to the interview.
If you think you might be interested or wish to find out more about this study, please contact: Yong Moon Jung (Research Associate): 02 9385 6252 or y.jung@unsw.edu.au.
Eligible households across Southern and Central NSW, the ACT and the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area are encouraged to opt in to the Australian Government's Household Assistance Scheme (HAS). HAS is available to people receiving the maximum rate of the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension or Carer Payment, or the Department of Veterans' Affairs Service Pension or Income Support Supplement who do not have access to digital TV.
For more information regarding eligibility and timeframes visit the HAS page on the Digital Ready Website (see under Govt Assistance) or call the Digital Ready Information Line on 1800 20 10 13.
The highly acclaimed Walk On program opened its doors in Melbourne on 10 January 2012 – and welcomed clients who have been anxiously awaiting the program being offered there.
The program is being delivered under a collaborative partnership arrangement between Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA) and Victoria University’s School of Sport and Exercise Science and is now operating from the University campus situated at Whitten Oval, West Footscray – also the training base and administrative headquarters of the Western Bulldogs AFL team.The three new Walk On staff welcomed their first clients and look forward to working with all those who have accepted a place in the program to date. “Places have filled quickly and we expect many more enquiries as the word spreads” commented Kierre Williams, National Operations Co-ordinator for Walk On. “Some of those starting have already travelled interstate to Sydney or Brisbane for the program and it is great that they can now access it in Melbourne – we look forward to growing the program and offering it to as many people as we can” she added.
For further details about Walk On Melbourne please phone 1800 819 775 or email walkon@scia.org.au.
Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC), Department of Family and Community Services, has committed $60 million over five years through Stronger Together – Two, to provide a Supported Living Fund. The Fund will provide a total of 300 packages over the next 5 years across NSW.
The opportunity to formally register an interest in accessing a Supported Living Fund package is now open. People with a disability who are planning or considering moving to a supported living arrangement are encouraged to register with ADHC.
For more details please viist the Supported Living website - http://www.supportedliving.org.au/
The SCIA Independence Expo is a unique one day event aimed at giving people living with spinal cord injury, their family and friends access to an extensive range of the most current products, services and resources all under one roof.
The expo will be held on Saturday, 17th March 2012 between 10am - 5pm at the Southee Complex, Sydney Showgrounds, Sydney Olympic Park.
Our Peer Support program is an integral part of the planning of this inaugural event. Through the inpatient and community Peer Support programs, SCIA’s Education Officers’ have an extensive product and service knowledge, and they would like to share that with you!
Key elements of the Expo include:
To find out more and to be kept up to date with the latest information about the Independence Expo, please visit our Expo page.
The ACI Emergency Care Institute (ECI) was formally launched by the Hon. Jillian Skinner MP, Minister for Health, Minister for Medical Research, on 4 November. The inaugural symposium attracted 250 emergency care clinicians from across NSW.
The ECI brings together clinicians, consumers and key stakeholders across NSW to promote and disseminate evidence based care including new models of care to address challenges in emergency care and to encourage and support emergency care research and innovation.
The ECI is keen to engage consumers directly in the work of its committees, which will meet quarterly in 2012. For more information on the terms of reference of ECI committees and the members and to view keynote presentations from the inaugural ECI symposium visit the ECI website: www.ecinsw.com.au.
Initial meetings of the ECI committees are as follows:
All meetings will take place at ACI offices in Chatswood, Sydney. It will be possible to teleconference in, if you are unable to attend in person.
Ideally ECI is looking for consumers with direct experience of accessing care in Emergency Departments in public hospitals within the NSW health system, carers of such patients, or representatives of health or disability non government organisations with relevant experience.
If you are interested in joining an ECI committee, please let Maeve Eikli know by phone on 02 8644 2169 or by email Maeve.Eikli@aci.health.nsw.gov.au.
It is with great sadness that we report the unexpected death of our Director David Prast.
David was a leader, and inspirational thinker whose determination led to major improvements for those, like him, who suffered a spinal cord injury.
A few years after his accident in 1995, he became a director of SpinalCure Australia (SCA) and set up the first of several state government’s Neurotrauma Research Program in WA.
He later became a director of Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA), and launched the burgeoning Walk-On facility, now going national, to help people with intensive exercise after an accident. He was also one of the brains behind The Spinal Cord Injury Network.
Internationally, he pioneered a global campaign to cure paralysis (International Campaign to Cure Paralysis). His achievements resulted in greater awareness and improved funding for this under- researched condition.
But David was so much more than spinal injuries. Career wise, by the mid 90s, he had already achieved outstanding results as a top sales manager for a major computer company. And it was his generous nature, sense of humour and love of life that made him attract friends wherever he went. Amongst his many passions, he loved music and a good red wine.
David’s significant contribution lives on. We will miss him hugely. Our profound sympathies go to his wife Michelle, and family.
When: 24-26 October 2012Where: Sofitel Melbourne on Collins
Australia and New Zealand Spinal Cord Society 2012 Annual Scientific Meeting
The theme of ANZSCoS 2012 "SCI - New Approaches and Challenges" will bring together delegates in the specialised field of the management of persons with spinal cord impairment (paraplegia and tetraplegia).
Complete the online Expression of Interest form to ensure you are added to the mailing list and receive up to date information as it comes to hand.
For more information visit www.dcconferences.com.au/anzscos2012.
We would like to speak to people with spinal cord injuries about the impact of spinal cord injury on their lives.
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia and the Social Policy Research Centre at The University of New South Wales are interested in speaking to people in NSW with spinal cord injury about the impact of spinal cord injury on their lives and about their life choices and the ways in which they can live the way they want to.
You are invited to participate in an interview about this, at a time and location of your choosing.
Interviews will take between 45 minutes and 1 1/2 hours. All participants will be given a $50 gift voucher in recognition of their contribution or participation.
We are interested in talking to a variety of people and would like to include:
If you are interested in taking part, please contact Saul Flaxman at the Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW on (02) 9385 9776 or s.flaxman@unsw.edu.au.
Please note that we may not be able to interview everyone who contacts us. We will be running a larger electronic survey of people with spinal cord injury early in 2012 and are still very interested to hear your view.
Gail Oldroyd recently held the very first Flame-On Down Under event at the Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale (NSW) over the October long weekend.
The event was to showcase Australia’s best hot glass artists in various categories including wearables (beads), sculpture and marble/paperweight.
The artworks created by such artists as Loren Stump, Robert Mickelsen, Mark Elliott, Justin Rossi, Chris Arnold and Laurie Young were donated to SCIA and made available on ebay for auction.
For more details about the event, please visit www.flameondownunder.com.
The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis is currently doing a survey about sleep habits and problems associated with spinal cord injury. This is a great opportunity for people with paralysis to contribute their thoughts and experiences. The survey is at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/sleepsurveykiosk.
Research participants wanted for a study on mobile shower commodes for adults with SCI.
If you are over 18 years old, have a spinal cord injury and use a mobile shower commode for showering and/or toileting, we need your help. We would like to talk with you about your experiences using your mobile shower commode.
For more information, please contact Emma Friesen on 0403442027 or emma.friesen@uqconnect.edu.au
This study will involve an interview via phone or Skype.
Please download the Participant Information Sheet
The SURE Trial
Single-use versus Reuse Intermittent Catheterisation
Reuse of intermittent catheters has been a method of self-catheterisation utilised by patients for many decades. It is a preferred method of bladder emptying for many patients with voiding dysfunction.
Reuse of Nelaton catheters was common until 2003 when TGA regulations stated “devices labelled single use only must not be reused”.
Purchasing catheters for single-use only places a huge financial burden on patients.
The Pelvic Floor Unit at St George Hospital is conducting a study to compare the health and cost implications between two different ways of performing self-catheterisation – single use catheterisation versus reuse catheterisation.
The study runs for 16 weeks, during which participants receive FREE catheters.
To be eligible for the trial you must be:
For further enquiries or to confirm your eligibility for the trial please email Hayley.Leek@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au or phone 9113 2632.
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia has received a grant from Lotterywest to establish Walk On in WA.
The money will go towards the establishment of a Walk On centre at Edith Cowan University's Health and Wellness Institute, situated at ECU's Joondalup campus.
Walk On Parent Elizabeth Boutet, CEO Peter Perry, Director David Prast, The Hon Helen Morton MLC, Vice Chancellor Kerry Cox.
The program is expected to start at the end of October. For more details please see the media statement from the WA Minister for Disability Services. To read more about Walk On and to apply for the program, please visit Walk On on our website.
Edith Cowan University (ECU) is pleased to announce a partnership with Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA), which will result in the development of a state-of-the-art Walk On rehabilitation program at the Joondalup Campus.
A direct result of funding from Lotterywest, the program will provide individually tailored exercises to assist people with spinal cord injuries in their rehabilitation. SCIA will utilise ECU’s acclaimed Health and Wellness Institute as the home of the program, which will train ECU staff and students, allowing them to develop specific rehabilitation exercises while utilising the University’s state-of-the-art equipment.
Minster for Mental Health and Disability Services, the Hon. Helen Morton MLC will present a $320,315.00 cheque to a Director of SCIA, Mr David Prast, to mark the beginning of the project.
"SCIA has a proud tradition of advocating for and providing services in support of people with sci. Walk On is our latest initiative providing the spinal cord injured community in WA the opportunity for functional recovery promoting independence and improved quality of life," said Mr Prast.
ECU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kerry Cox, will also be in attendance, and is excited that ECU has been chosen as the base of this program.
“Spinal cord injuries affect hundreds of people each year, and significantly changes the lives of those affected, their families and friends,” said Professor Cox.
“It is a credit to ECU that we have been selected as the location of this new program, which will not only help change the lives of those affected by spinal cord injuries in Western Australia, but will also provide a wonderful training opportunity for our staff and students.”
The presentation will also be attended by ECU Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health Advancement), Professor Cobie Rudd and SCIA Chief Executive Officer, Mr Peter Perry.
This is the third program to be set up in Australia, with successful programs already established in Sydney and Brisbane.
Photo opportunities and interviews can be arranged on request.
For more information visit http://scia.org.au/walk-on.
- ends –
Media contact: Natasha Richards, Corporate Communications Officer, 6304 2208
was held on the 7 – 8 July 2011.
The Living Life My Way Summit Report, outlining the outcomes from the summit, has been released. It can be accessed on the Ageing Disability and Home Care website at www.adhc.nsw.gov.au/pca.
SYDNEY NURSING SCHOOL
LIVING WITH AND PROVIDING SUPPORT TO PEOPLE WITH SPINAL CORD INJURY
INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN A RESEARCH PROJECT
If you answered "yes" to all those questions, you are warmly invited to take part in a study to explore the experiences of partners and other family members who are living with and supporting a person with spinal cord injury.
This study has ethics approval from the University of Sydney (HREC No 12701). The research will be conducted by Ms Laynie Pullin, a Registered Nurse, as part of a PhD award.
The long-term aim of the study is to inform health and community-based services in this important area. The contribution of all family members living with and providing support to people with spinal cord injury over long periods of time is welcome.
If you live in the Sydney area, or within a 200 km radius of Sydney, and identify as living with, and providing long-term support to a person with a spinal cord injury, futher information and a Participant Information sheet can be provided.
Contact: Laynie Hall PullinPh: 0418 289027Email: lpul8417@uni.sydney.edu.au or laynie.pullin@sydney.edu.au
Latest News Update: The Final Report was released by the Government on the 10th of August 2011. To see the report and associated materials please visit the Report page. To read SCIA's submissions to the inquiry please click here.
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The Productivity Commission has released its discussion paper on a a long-term disability care and support scheme—which may result in a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The paper summarises what the Commission sees as the important issues, and contains a series of questions to prompt discussion. People may choose to answer these questions in their written submissions and during public hearings Read More »
Leaders for Tomorrow is an individual leadership development program which has been funded by the Australian Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs to develop the leadership capacity of people with disability. The program is targeted at people who aspire to be leaders or further develop their current leadership capacity.
There will be five intakes in total:
Applications are now open for the first intake of participants for the Leaders for Tomorrow Program. Hunter TAFE was selected as the national provider of the program and together with E-QUAL (Enhancing Quality) will provide opportunities to people with disability to develop their leadership skills.
Applications for the first intake closed 12 August 2011.
Applications for the second intake close 25 November 2011.
Further information (including the application pack) is available from the Leaders for Tomorrow website or by calling 1800 887 624 (NSW, ACT, VIC and TAS) or 1800 648 021 (WA, SA, NT and QLD).
Person centred approaches consultations across NSW
Consultations with people with a disability, their families and carers, as well as workshops with service providers will be held from August to September 2011 at a range of locations around the state. Read More »
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA) opened Australia’s first Project Walk certified facility in Brisbane in 2008. Since those humble beginnings, we expanded to Sydney in 2010, and by the end of this year SCIA will be bringing the Walk On program to both Melbourne and Perth. Twelve months ago, Victorians Rod and Danielle Watson conceptualised the Walk. Why Not? Glitz and Glamour Ball after Rod participated in the Walk On program in Sydney, and on Saturday, 13 August 2011, the Walk. Why Not? committee brought together 200 people at Melbourne’s CQ Function Ballroom to raise much needed funds to establish the Walk On program in Melbourne.
What a glamorous crowd it was! The men looked debonair in their suits and the women dazzled in their beautiful gowns. The theme of ‘glitz and glamour’ with a nod to old Hollywood was certainly felt with arriving guests being met on the red carpet by ‘Marilyn Monroe’ and ‘Audrey Hepburn’. Tasha Amaroso and band then entertained guests as they exchanged their ‘pretty pink’ feather boa gift cards at the ‘Feather Boa Bonanza’ prize table for some fabulous prizes.
To make the event truly worthy of the name ‘Glitz and Glamour’ tickets to the ‘Glitz and Sparkle’ raffle were snapped up by guests in the hope that they would be the lucky winners of the 0.75ct Diamond earrings set in white gold donated by Terrace Jewellers. Dancers from Kreationz School of Dancing and Cheerleading danced the crowd into the ballroom before comedian and Master of Ceremonies, Des Dowling officially welcomed guests. There was a frenzy on the silent auction table where more than 40 fantastic items were on display.
With all the fun and frivolity of the crowd, it was great to see the serious side of the evening taken to heart by our guests. Peter Perry, SCIA’s CEO began the speeches with a video presentation of Walk On client Nathan Handley and his experience of Walk On, and then expressed his pleasure and pride at being a part of an innovative organisation with a wonderful 44 year history that helps so many with a wide range of client focused programs. Peter then welcomed the real ‘celebrities’ of the evening – Danielle and Rod Watson.
Watching the crowd listen to Danielle’s heartfelt words about the daily frustrations faced by people who have suffered a spinal cord injury and the perseverance it takes to remain positive about the future, I witnessed many who were overwhelmed with emotion. It was a real eye opener to many guests who were simply unaware of how much life changes after a spinal cord injury. Rod proudly spoke of his delight with the results he had achieved with the Walk On program, crediting it with his increased strength and function. Rod believes that the next phase in his recovery is being able to be a part of an inhouse Walk On program saying, “imagine what i could achieve if I had Walk On here in Melbourne”. Guests then watched a video from another Walk On client, Rhys Tappenden.
Our MC Des then handed over auctioneer duties to Chris Bell who energetically raced around the room taking bids and starting a bidding war on the five unbelievable live auction items – a five star holiday to Norfolk Island, a Cam Sinclair/Crusty Demon experience, four tickets to the 2011 AFL Footy Show, a Puffing Billy experience to learn how to drive a 120 year old steam train and the opportunity to commission an artwork by artist, Bernice Daher. These items collectively raised $12,500, a tremendous result! Walk. Why Not? raffle and lucky door prizes also were available on the night.
But what’s a party without dancing? DJ’s Troy and Shelley of Feel Good Events cranked up the party tunes and the HSI Photo Booth was in full swing with guests using the props to create some funny photographic mementos to take home.
The ‘pumpkin’ hour arrived all too quickly and with a final announcement by Peter Perry that SCIA now has a partnership agreement with Victoria University’s School of Sport and Exercise Science to host Walk On Melbourne at their Footscray Park campus, the night came to a close.
From all at Spinal Cord Injuries Australia and Walk On, we must say a very big thank you to the Walk. Why Not? Committee: Danielle and Rod Watson, Leanne and Glen Campsell, Tara Abraham, Lisa Taylor, Emily Henderson, Lauren Horwood and Danielle Ryeland. With their amazing effort and the support of donors and guests we raised $60,000 on the night, a phenomenal effort by all.
To check out more photos of the event please visit our Walk. Why Not? Ball page here.
We look forward to updating you with all the exciting Walk On Melbourne news in the coming weeks and months. To keep up with the latest Walk On information become a fan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/sciawalkon).
If you are interested in holding a community fundraising event in your local area to support SCIA in delivering meaningful programs to those who have suffered a spinal cord injury, please contact us on 02 9356 1106.
Applications are invited for participants in the Social Leadership Development Program - an initiative of the Centre for Civil Society.
This is a twelve month program for people in communities around Australia who want to develop and exercise social leadership, that is, leadership in strengthening society and in finding solutions to social challenges.
The Program runs from 1st May 2011 to 30th April 2012. Places are limited.
Participants are required to nominate two social challenges that they are facing at the start of the program, and with other participants will undertake a shared search for solutions to these challenges as they move through the year.The Program aims to provide resources and support to participants in developing and exercising leadership in finding solutions to these challenges.
More information about the program and the application form can be found here.
The first phase of the campaign for a National Disability Insurance Scheme has been well received . To launch the next phase of the campaign, a new website - Every Australian Counts - has been launched Read More »
A new edition of the wallet sized AD Medical Emergency card for people with spinal cord injury has been developed to alert health care professionals to the principles of management of AD.
It contains some new information relevant to adolescents and an addition to the treatment guideline. Read More »
Invitation to participate in research:
Great Expectations: A Qualitative Study Exploring Reproductive Decision-Making in Men and Women with Spinal Cord Injury
The University of Western Sydney is undertaking research into the impact of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) on family planning decision-making Read More »
Following a spinal cord injury, people’s responses can vary widely. Some people may experience intrusive and recurrent anxiety from the trauma, while others do not.
Whether you have experienced anxiety or not, you are invited to participate in a project conducted by Dr. Kathryn Nicholson Perry and Ms. Jasmine Wong (University of Western Sydney), about the symptoms and rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in an Australian population with spinal-cord injury. Read More »
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