Talking Disability

The latest health and disability news in Australia

L-R: Jack Heath, Sophie Raphael, Dr. Chris Groot, Dr. Michelle Blanchard and Professor Sarah Wilson [Source: Supplied]

Partnership to explore stigma and discrimination surrounding complex mental health

Tags Education Mental Health Research Posted 1 month ago by Nicole Pope

Two organisations have partnered together to help drive positive societal change and improve the lives of Australians… Read more

The new National Strategic Action Plan for Pain Management will set out ways to improve access to and knowledge of best practice pain management, over the next three years [Source: Shutterstock]

New national plan to improve pain management for people living with chronic pain

Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

A new Government action plan will help improve the pain management of the one in five Australians who live with chron… Read more

Medibank was named a Top Performer in the Australian Network on Disability’s 2018-19 Access and Inclusion Index [Source: Shutterstock]

Medibank recognised for inclusion and accessibility

Tags Accessibility Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

Private health insurance company, Medibank has been recognised for its accessibility and inclusion of people with dis… Read more

Dysphasia affects 60 percent of children with developmental delay and around 50 percent of stroke survivors [Source: Shutterstock]

Groundbreaking conclusion challenges "reasonable and necessary" NDIS funding criteria

Tags NDIS Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

Australians living with swallowing difficulties, such as dysphagia, could soon have required nutritional support fund… Read more

People with disability are 1.5 times as likely to have experienced emotional abuse from a partner than people without disability [Source: Shutterstock]

Report shows scale of violence against people with disability

Tags Research Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

A second report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has revealed people with disability… Read more

Giving young people in aged care a voice

Posted 2 months ago

SPONSORED STORY - Not-for-profit disability service provider, Youngcare is giving people with disability living in ag… Read more

The paper details the anonymous experience of 23 current NDIS participants and how the Scheme helped improve their lives and achieve their goals [Source: Shutterstock]

New paper shares positive NDIS experiences

Tags NDIS User Stories Research Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

Independent social-profit organisation, JFA Purple Orange has released a paper sharing the positive experiences of cu… Read more

Two disability providers have been forced to "scale down" their NDIS services due to financial pressures [Source: Shutterstock]

NDIS service providers “scale down” disability support

Tags NDIS Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

People with disability living in New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) will begin the des… Read more

Generic medications will become available for MS disease-modifying therapies, in particular, the drug Teriflunomide (Aubagio), used to treat relapsing MS [Source: Shutterstock]

Generic MS medication options provide more choice

Tags Conditions Accessibility Research Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

People living with multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic condition affecting the central nervous system, will be afforde… Read more

Bill Shorten has been appointed Shadow Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Shadow Minister for Government Services [Source: Shutterstock]

Bill Shorten’s leadership continues in disability space

Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

As Anthony Albanese takes his stand as Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten will continue to support Australians wi… Read more

Vanessa Vlajkovic was boarding her Jetstar flight from Perth to Adelaide when she was advised that she would not be able to fly without a carer [Source: Shutterstock]

Peak bodies call on more inclusive, respectful airline practices

Tags User Stories Accessibility Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

Peak disability bodies have called on airlines to be more inclusive and respectful to travellers with disability, aft… Read more

A survey of 45 people with intellectual disability found limited support from family members and carers was a key barrier to electoral participation [Source: Shutterstock]

People with intellectual disability face voting barriers, report finds

Tags Conditions Accessibility Research Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

Ground-breaking, Australian first research from La Trobe University’s Living with Disability Research Centre has ca… Read more

280,000 people with disability used support services funded by the NDA, with about 40,000 (or 14 percent) people transitioning to the Scheme during 2017-18 [Source: Shutterstock]

Report provides a snapshot of National Disability Agreement

Tags NDIS Research Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has released a report recapping disability support services fun… Read more

Mentor Jeremy Hautsolo likes seeing the students grow in confidence [Source: Supplied]

Popular creative program for young adults with autism heads to the Gold Coast

Tags Autism Education Employment Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

A popular games, animation and creative design program designed for young people on the autism spectrum is expanding … Read more

Emma best practice tips for how to support and communicate with someone who is non-verbal [Source: Shutterstock]

Treat me like everyone else: The dos and don’ts of non-verbal communication

Posted 2 months ago

SPONSORED STORY - “People assume that I have an intellectual disability just because I’m non-verbal. Read more

The Hon. Stuart Robert will be promoted to Minister for Government Services and the NDIS, while Senator Anne Ruston has been elected Minister of Families and Social Services [Source: Shutterstock]

PM appoints new Ministers overseeing disability sector

Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has appointed his new cabinet with some changes set to affect the disability sector. Read more

These grants will help organisations deliver disability services to regional and rural Victorian communities [Source: Shutterstock]

Grants help NDIS provide better supports in regional Victoria

Tags NDIS Finance Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

Organisations providing disability support services in regional Victoria could soon benefit from grants helping incre… Read more

The policy will address the use of screen readers, visual design, including contrast and background, audio content, captions and transcripts and use of images [Source: Shutterstock]

Online toolkit and policy to boost digital accessibility

Tags Accessibility Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

The South Australian Government is supporting online platforms in becoming more accessible with the launch of its new… Read more

Peak disability bodies and advocates plan on holding Scott Morrison to his promise of improving the NDIS [Source: Shutterstock]

Peak bodies turn to ensuring re-elected Government fulfils NDIS promise

Tags NDIS Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

Peak disability bodies are urging the re-elected Liberal Government to turn its attention to fulfilling its National … Read more

Some Brains is written by Melbourne author and former stand-up comedian Nelly Thomas [Source: Supplied]

Children’s book series expands to celebrate neurodiversity

Tags Autism Education Accessibility Posted 2 months ago by Nicole Pope

A new children’s book celebrating neurodiversity is the centre of a crowdfunding campaign to get it on the shelves … Read more