Your central hub for information, support tools, and practical advice.

We have a wealth of knowledge to share with you about living with a spinal cord injury (SCI), and have pulled this together in this section to help you access the information you need, when you need it.

Neuroplasticity and The Human Body

For this episode of Have the Nerve, Susan talks to Dr Camila Quel de Oliveira, and Hannah Maslen about the...

Travel Blog: Hollyhall Farm Where Our Family Escapes to

Hollyhall Farm is a working cottage and Equestrian Training Centre set in The Southern Highlands, between Sydney and Melbourne.

The Importance of Diversity in Politics with Senator Jordon Steele-John

In this episode Susan speaks to Western Australia Greens Senator, Jordon Steele-John about diversity and politics.

The Psychology of Grief, Pain and Complex Trauma

On this episode I talk about the complexities of grief and trauma with clinical psychologist, Skye Dong.

Peer Support Education Series: Shoulder Prevention

Our ACT Peer and Family Support education series will focus on shoulder health and preservation, so that you can look...

Peer Support Education Series: Pain Management

Pain after spinal injury can leave you tired, irritable, depressed and unable to do even the most basic of tasks...

Socialising is associated with better mental and emotional health for anyone since social connections and relationships can provide emotional support and a sense of belonging. It’s significant for people with spinal cord injuries who may face challenges in their daily lives.

Benefits of socialising

Socialising helps us reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
It promotes physical activity via group sports, BBQ parties and more, positively affecting physical and mental health.
Socialising also stimulates the brain and enhances cognitive functioning, which can benefit people with SCI who may be at risk of cognitive decline due to inactivity or other factors.
And more.

Socialising is a valuable way to connect with others, engage in meaningful activities, and maintain physical and mental health and well-being.

Challenges of socialising

However, people with spinal cord injuries face many challenges in socialising for some reasons. For example:

We may have physical limitations that make it challenging to participate in certain activities.
Limited mobility may stop us from going to some places where we can socialise with others.
Some people with SCI may experience fatigue as their injury, which negatively affects their social activities.
Some of us may experience depression and anxiety, which is another challenge for us to interact with others and maintain social connections.

Solutions to improve socialisation

Fortunately, there are more solutions than there are challenges. We have listed several methods that may help you participate in socialising activities.

Use assistive technology. Many assistive technologies can help us participate in social activities and communicate with others.
Join a support group. Joining a support group can help us comfortably connect with others facing similar challenges. Meanwhile, the group can also provide a sense of community, offer support, encouragement and more opportunities for socialisation. We have an excellent Peer Support team that can support with lived experience of spinal cord injury.
Attend social events. It can provide more opportunities to socialise with others on different occasions, such as parties, concerts, and community gatherings.
Use online platforms. We can build connections using social media like Facebook, Twitter and more. Moreover, we operate an online program: EmployAbility. Our team will provide you with support, training and opportunities on the journey to work if you want to return to the workplace.

Undoubtedly, the above is not all methods that can help us improve socialisation. Read more about our Peer and Family Support Team, who operate out of the spinal units, and in the community in New South Wales and Western Australia.