Category Archives for "Disability"

Jan 02 2022

Covid Ready Kit for disabled people and families

Happy New Year (!) The shit has really hit the fan across the country. This is obviously quite terrifying for many, and especially the more medically vulnerable in our community.

What can you do to get ready for what is starting to feel like the inevitable?

The first, and most obvious, is to get vaccinated AND boosted, if you can. The stats are showing on the whole pretty clearly that the sickest folks are those who are not vaccinated AND boosted.

Get yourself TWO kits together to prepare, and consider including these things.

FIRST: “At home with covid kit” –

  1. Thermometer,
  2. Pain medications, electrolytes etc to manage dehydration due to throat pain and/or diarrhoea, and throat gargle.
  3. N95 masks, gloves, PPE,
  4. Fingertip Pulse Oximeter (make sure you research or get support on how to use these appropriately – poor readings are common, so make sure you know how to use them – https://youtu.be/ifnYjD4IKus this video is from the UK, so note that our emergency phone number is 000, not 999!),
  5. Print up this resource on managing Covid at home (from the RACGP) https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/covid-19-resources/patient-resources/managing-mild-covid-19-at-home (this includes a symptom diary and managing your symptoms list) (I am still trying to source an Easy English version – please let me know if you have one!)
  6. A freezer full of food, plenty of pet food, continence/PEG supplies etc,
  7. Sanitiser (wipes, gel and spray),
  8. Air purifier (if you’re lucky enough to afford one),
  9. Rapid Antigen Tests (if you can get your hands on them).
  10. At home activities (streaming subscriptions, music, crafts, jigsaws)
  11. Child and pet care plans and contacts
  12. Emergency phone lists for people who might be able to help you out
  13. List of which of your support workers are willing to work if you are covid positive
  14. Emergency contacts for your disability support providers
  15. Bin with a lid for used PPE

SECOND: “Gotta go to hospital kit”

  1. Hospital admission plan – including a one pager of key info about you/person you love
  2. Hospital go-kit – key medication list and medications, essential equipment, comfort stuff, list of behavioural triggers/supports, key support plans (eating/continence etc)

The Queensland government have put together a useful COVID Care plan for carers of disabled people and/or children at https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/230604/A4_COVID-Care-Plan-for-Parents-Carers-and-Children_23-12-21-INTERACTIVE.pdf

There are also a bunch of FREE disability and Covid19 related useful resources at https://www.thegrowingspace.com.au/covid19/

Sep 06 2021

Meal preparation and delivery in Lockdown

So, you’re in lockdown and you can’t cook your own meals. And you’re sick of tinned tuna and corn chips?

But you’d rather not have support workers in your home any more than is absolutely necessary, so you hopefully don’t get the cooties?

And you don’t want them to cook your meals at their house and drop them off because you really have no clue how hygienic their home or cooking is?

And you’re hungry?

If your plan is self managed and you have enough budget, please, order some meals to be delivered, and claim 70% of the cost from your NDIS plan to cover the preparation and delivery portion of the cost. The Price Guide DOES NOT APPLY TO YOU and you are allowed to claim this, as long as it meets the “Can I Buy It?” checklist.

And if you’re Plan Managed, call your plan manager and explain the situation, and if they won’t budge, call your local federal minister and let them know that your (ridiculous) plan restrictions mean you have to choose between no covid or no food.

If you’re Agency Managed, you’re up p**p creek without a paddle. Sorry. Maybe call the NDIS and ask them to switch some of your funding to Self Managed?

Pic desc: a very sad white plate with three corn chips each with a little bit of tinned tuna on them.

This post is copyright of The Growing Space 2021, but you are mightily welcome and encouraged to share it, with credit and no edits.

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