Kids & family

Aids for independent living

Updated 15 Jan 2010
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Introduction

From simple kitchen gadgets to advanced computer systems - there's a whole range of products to make life a bit easier.

According to the 2006 Disability Survey by Statistics New Zealand: "an estimated 660,300 New Zealanders reported a disability representing 17% of the total population. More than 8 out of 10 people with a disability were adults living in households."

We look at some of the products and services on offer to aid independent living for the disabled and elderly, and tell you where you can find out more detailed information.

Getting around

Occupational therapists

Occupational therapists treat patients of all ages, from the frail elderly to teenagers. They assess needs and offer advice that help patients take part in everyday activities as independently as possible. This may be a case of recommending special equipment, housing modifications, or teaching other ways of doing things.

For this level of help, it's best to ask your GP for a referral to an occupational therapist. The GP completes a referral form which gives information - about medication, hearing difficulties, family contacts - which the therapist needs to know. You can also contact a therapist by calling your local district health board (DHB) and asking for Community Health services.

Help around the home

Some people have problems with strength and grip - opening lids or using keys, for example. Others find it difficult to reach or bend. Small aids such as tap turners, angled knives, lid removers, key turners, reachers and long-handled tools can be useful. See Gadgets that can help.

For people with disabilities that severely impair their mobility, equipment such as hoists and wheelchairs can be provided. Even major housing modifications - such as wet-area showers - are possible. To obtain these services you will require an assessment by a specialised assessor - call Enable New Zealand for details of assessors in your area.

For approved housing modifications costing more than $200 and for items of equipment costing more than $37, you can apply for Ministry of Health funding from either accessable or Enable New Zealand. Both these agencies work under contract to the Ministry of Health. If your disability is the result of an accident, you'll need to contact ACC or your ACC case manager to discuss your needs.

Future proofing

It's wise to plan for the future when buying a home for your retirement. Avoid properties with stairs or too many steps. Look for wide hallways and a toilet close to the bedroom. A shower over the bath is not a good idea.

Mobility parking

If you use crutches, a walking stick or frame, or a wheel chair - or if you can't walk without someone's assistance for more than 200 metres - you may be eligible for a Mobility Parking Permit card to display on the windscreen of your car. This entitles you to use car parks showing a mobility parking sign. It also allows you to use standard car parks or time-restricted parking zones for longer than the stated times.

CCS Disability Action administers the Mobility Parking Permit scheme. You can get an application form from your doctor or from CCS Disability Action - you need to get signed approval from your doctor. A long-term (five-year) permit costs $45.

A short-term permit is useful if you're recuperating from hospital treatment. The fee for a 12-month permit is $30.

Easier on the eyes

Visibility aids

The Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind supplies a wide variety of aids for people with impaired vision. Some examples are pictured above.

These can be as simple as large-print playing cards, or as complex as a closed-circuit TV which enlarges print on to a large screen.

The three most popular items sold by their equipment services are medium-tip pens, "bump-on" adhesive dots for marking keyboard keys and remote buttons, and a talking watch. Signature guides and large-print items are also popular.

Sock holders are useful for anyone who keeps losing a single sock in the wash - the socks stay in them at all times (except when you're wearing them).

Computer issues

You can set up your computer to make it easier to use.

Do you have difficulty seeing things on a screen? The size of the text and icons can be adjusted, colours can be set to high contrast, and the cursor "blink speed" can be slowed down.

Having trouble using the mouse or keyboard? You can choose the Sticky Key option: instead of having to press several keys at once, such as when you want a capital letter, you press them one after the other. You can also slow down the mouse pointer for moving it around the screen, or use the number pad instead of the mouse.

The Apple and Microsoft websites explain how to set these and other options.

Gadgets that can help

You can buy useful tools from some pharmacies or from a specialist supplier. An occupational therapist can provide contact details.

Examples of some helpful aids.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Readers' tips

We asked Consumer readers for tools and gadgets that made life easier - and you came up with some very practical solutions.

Hard-to-undo lids were clearly a bugbear. People suggested various means of attack: coarse sandpaper, non-slip matting or even a nut cracker.

Here are a few other useful ideas:

  • If writing quickly is difficult, keep a calculator by the phone. When you need to take down a number, tap it out on the calculator and write it down later.
  • Satin sheets make it easier to turn over in bed.
  • A magnet on a piece of string is a quick way of picking up dropped pins, keys or other metal objects.
  • A touch lamp by the bed means you don't have to grope for a switch (it must have an approval number for electrical safety).
  • Sock pullers are invaluable if you can't bend easily, or if you have difficulty pulling with your fingertips.
  • "Universal" bath or sink plugs are easier to pull out - or you can attach a curtain ring to an ordinary plug.
  • Kitchen tools with thick, chunky handles are easier to grip.
  • "Finger-hole" plugs on appliances are quick and safe to release.
  • An electric can opener makes a practical gift.

More information

Many local authorities have information and services specifically for people with physical disabilities. Contact your local authority's service centre or check out their website. See ConsumerBuild or the Local Government New Zealand website for a list of local authority websites.