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Therapies Offered by Disability Services in Geelong

Cropped image caregiver helping to disabled patient walking with rollator equipment reduce load and joint pain with arthritis. Physical therapist and therapy, neurological cerebellar disorders concept

Disability services typically offer a range of ways to assist those living with disabilities. A good team of support staff will be made up of carers with not only experience and adequate training, but also the necessary willingness to uphold standards to meet the dynamic needs of individuals under their care.

Fair Go Access is a qualified team able to accommodate a variety of needs. We are genuine and happy to provide support to clients by adapting to their true needs and wants. Here we explore three examples of the therapies offered by our disability service providers.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is perhaps one of the most well-known forms of therapy, with good reason. Among the many benefits of physiotherapy is the restoration of function and mobility, reduction or elimination of pain, potential avoidance of surgery, and a boost in strength, plus many others. 

Physiotherapy is suitable for a range of concerns. A well-trained physiotherapist knows how to help a diverse range of people. Check out our physiotherapist page to see how we can help you with long-lasting and positive change. 

Podiatric Acupuncture

Podiatric problems are all too common in the modern world and adversely affect the lives of people of all diversities. Time and complications that come with disability may exacerbate these issues. This is where podiatric acupuncture can help. 

Once considered a slightly obscure form of treatment, acupuncture has seen a dramatic rise in popularity over recent years, with good reason. Our podiatric acupuncture service not only serves to relieve pain generally but can also assist with arthritis, bone spurs and corns, among other concerns. 

Bowen Treatment

Another form of treatment that has seen an increased profile in recent years is Bowen treatment. Bowen treatment provides pain relief by gently stretching the fascia, that is the soft tissue covering your muscles and organs, using rolling hand movements. 

Generally, Bowen therapy is performed to treat all sorts of musculoskeletal ailments but may also assist with gastrointestinal and respiratory issues. 

These a just a few examples of the treatments Fair Go Access provides, alongside our disability services and associated products. 

To find out how we can help support you and your unique situation, call Fair Go Access on 03 5298 2746.

Person-Centred Learning Disability Services in Geelong

Mid section of female doctor helping a blind patient in reading the braille book

Just as every person is unique, so are the circumstances they face. This is especially relevant for individuals living with learning disabilities. That is why it is important to access disability service providers that understand your needs. At Fair Go Access, we recognise this and offer person-centred learning disability services to ensure adequate care and help for people with disabilities.

Person-Centred Planning is Key

Person-centred planning is an integral concern when sourcing disability services able to properly support additional needs children and adults with learning disabilities. Despite this, there is often a gap between official discourse and actual delivery. That is why treating each person as an individual and planning accordingly is perhaps the most important aspect of satisfactorily assisting individuals with a learning disability.

Making Appropriate Choices

Ensuring choice and control over one’s treatment affords a better quality of life than a blanket approach for all. That’s why we encourage those with learning disabilities to get involved in deciding what treatment or therapies are best for them. 

Involving the Whole Family

Part of planning person-centred learning disability delivery is considering other members of the family. Seeing other family members as part of the overall approach will help maintain relationships with both family and friends. Fair Go Access has been providing assistance for people with disabilities for decades and consider family involvement a must when seeking help through disability services.

A Dynamic Approach to Dealing with Learning Disabilities

Person-centred care is by its very nature, a dynamic and ever-changing approach. It considers immediate needs while also looking forward to planning for the future. It considers the needs, wants, concerns and opinions of both the individual and their support network of family and friends. The aim is to ensure care is tailored rather than a blanket approach. It is for this reason that we treat everyone as an individual. 

Integration with their Local Community

Fair Go Access provides help for people with disabilities. We know that effective person-centred learning disability services go beyond care-specific concerns. If the goal is the realisation of life goals and a fulfilling life of happiness, learning disability services must help connect adults and children with special needs to their local community. This ensures a move towards inclusion and the facilitation of their life goals. 

To learn more about our person-centred learning disability services, call Fair Go Access today on 03 5298 2746.

Supporting Parents of Special Needs Children in Geelong

Montessori implement. Sorting by the colors. DIY at home from cardboard box and ice-cream sticks. Easy 5 minute craft. Early preshool eduaction for toddlers.

While every bit as rewarding as raising any child, caring for children with additional needs has the potential to make parenting a more intense experience. Many aspects of everyday life can be magnified. 

You may find yourself spending more time doing this or more money on that. While many selfless parents spend all their time addressing their child’s unique needs, it pays to look after oneself too. That’s why it’s vital to access disability services resources, such as those offered by Fair Go Access, to ensure you and your child get the help, support and access to services that you need. 

Identifying Individual Needs

Each and every child is unique and parents of children with additional needs will find that those needs are indeed unique and special to them. The needs of your child will have a distinct impact on the family. 

For example, parents of a child with learning issues or developmental delays will face different challenges from those with a child living with a chronic illness or those providing support for children with physical disabilities. This is where disability services help parents with support coordination tailored to their needs.

Helping Parents Find Financial Support

For many families with additional needs children, accessing financial support is the main contributing factor to easing stress and anxiety. Fortunately, there are payments available to help. 

Focusing on Positives

Many parents will tell you that caring for additional needs children and offering support for children with disabilities is the most rewarding thing they’ve ever done. While it can sometimes amplify anxieties, it can also enrich your life and your family. 

The life lessons learnt along the journey will help teach both parents and other siblings about inclusivity, tolerance and diversity. This will offer the whole family the chance to bond and grow, sharing their unique perspective on life. 

Look Towards a Bright Future

The great news is that with high quality support, such as that provided by the team at Fair Go Access, there is a better future for additional needs children and their parents. Professional assistance from registered disability services such as ours can brighten the future of the whole family and ensure your child reaches their full potential. We can help you set goals and properly understand your child’s needs. 

To learn more about how you can provide your child with the support they need, call Fair Go Access on 03 5298 2746.

Hope and Support for Children with Disabilities in Geelong

Young man with disability using wheelchair by himself on public ramps in hospitals or schools background, Pictures of the facilities or equipment and transportation for people with disabilities.

It may seem to some as though a child living with a disability has limited opportunities to be healthy and happy. Whether living with a physical disability, ADHD, the autism spectrum, or one of the many other disabilities that can come into a child’s life, it may seem to those on the outside like a hopeless situation. At Fair Go Access, we know that this is not the case. Children living with disabilities can have rich and fulfilling lives through love, encouragement and support. Disability services such as ours can provide support for children with disabilities so they can reach their true potential while considering both the child’s and parent’s needs.

The Power of Parental Influence

Whether living with a disability or not, for a child there is no greater influence than that of their parents. That’s why it is important to approach any situation with not only hard work but also optimism and a good sense of humour. In this way, your child will be able to take your lead in dealing with any challenges that arise and see them as tiny speed bumps rather than roadblocks. Get help and support with Fair Go Access disability care services.

Focus on Strengths While Acknowledging Boundaries

It is important that your child is aware of their limitations. But these should be learned by the child, not taught by someone else. The best support you can provide to children with disabilities is to place more emphasis on their strengths than their weaknesses. Everyone has their natural gifts and talents. Celebrating and embracing these with your child will help them concentrate on what they are able to achieve. 

An Individual Learning Plan

Disability services and government agencies can help develop an individual learning plan for children with special needs. These set clear educational goals for the child to ensure they learn according to their own specific needs, furthering their ability to continually engage with their community. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are either required or recommended for children with disabilities and they help to track a student’s progress against tailored and measurable goals. 

With disability care services by your side, you can learn more about how you can assist your child to achieve their full potential. We’re also here to provide any other assistance in ensuring hope for your child or children living with disabilities. To find out how we can provide you with support for your child and family, call our team on 03 5298 2746. 

The Key to Successful Injury Management and Return to Work is Good Communication

Ankle Tape Job on a varsity athlete in the clinic

The Key to Successful Injury Management and Return to Work is Good Communication

Did you know over 500,000 Australians are injured at work each year? While it’s certainly not ideal to be injured or ill on the job, it is an unfortunate reality, and something for which employers should be prepared.

Allied Health services make a difference in injury recovery by ensuring employees are on the mend so they can plan for an eventual return to work. If you are hurt at work and going through recovery, then it’s important to maintain good communication. Let’s take a look at a few reasons why.

Clear the Air

Good communication is key to successfully managing employee injuries and their return to work. After an injury incident, it’s best to clear the air and make sure both parties are on the same page about the initial injury assessment and chronic injury management.

Monitor Progress

Not only does keeping the employer and employee on the same page help clear the air, but it also opens up the opportunity to discuss progress. For example, if you are injured on the job and expected to be off for six months, each injury assessment will provide an update on how your recovery is going and when you’re expected to be back.

Highlight Goals

Communication is valuable to injury management and recovery as it allows you to discuss your recovery goals, too. Depending on what you learn from your acute injury assessment, you can establish reasonable goals and celebrate your recovery benchmarks as you look towards a return to work.

Prepare for the Future

Lastly, good communication supports future planning, from the first injury assessment to the last. As long as communication is clear, employers can ensure the staff member is supported with the appropriate accommodations in place for their return to work. After all, there are lots of takeaways from an acute injury assessment that inform what you may and may not be able to do in the future.

Explore Acute or Chronic Injury Management

Whether you need an acute injury assessment or chronic injury management to guide injury recovery and an eventual return to work, personal support specialists can help.

For more information about injury management in Geelong, contact the disability support specialists at Fair Go Access.

How Do You Prepare a Patient for Tube Feeding?

Feeding Pump medical device purple color to supplement nutrition liquid food to tube enteral feeding fluid set bag with clamp hanging on stand.

How Do You Prepare a Patient for Tube Feeding?

Allied health services assist millions of Australians with disabilities and health concerns every day. Tube feeding is a big part of professional medical help for people with disabilities. After all, tube feeding formulas contain water, proteins, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals, which are all the nutrients you need every day.

The Importance of Feeding Tubes

Feeding tubes are particularly important for a variety of disabilities and medical conditions, such as cerebral palsy, cancer, and short bowel syndrome. When people cannot chew and swallow food on their own, then tube feeding formulas deliver the necessary nutrients. 

Before getting feeding tubes inserted, patients need to avoid food, water, and other liquids for at least six hours, and they may also have restrictions on diet and medication. Once the tubes are in, patients and caregivers need to follow these steps for successful tube feeding.

1. Handwashing

Sanitation is key for any healthcare or personal support service, especially tube feeding where contamination could result in serious illness, infection or intoxication. All individuals involved in the tube feeding process must wash their hands before prepping the formula or the patient. Thorough handwashing with soap and water is ideal, although alcohol hand sanitiser works well too.

2. Formula Preparation

To properly prepare tube feeding formulas, the top of the can should be washed, and the caregiver should wear gloves to follow the no-touch technique. Sterile water should be added to powder or liquid concentrate formula, and if it was refrigerated, the formula should be left out at room temperature for 15 minutes. Don’t forget to shake the formula bottle thoroughly before opening and store any remaining formula in the fridge for a maximum of 24 hours.

3. Tube Feeding Position

When administering tube feeding formulas, it’s important to follow the recommended positions to ensure the patient receives as many nutrients as possible and is comfortable throughout the feeding. Tube feeding should never be done while lying flat, as choking may occur. The correct positions are either sitting up straight in a chair or propped up in a half-sitting position on a couch or in bed. In the second position, the head should be raised between 45 to 90 degrees. 

Feeding Tube Help for People with Disabilities

If you’re looking into professional help for people with disabilities, whether it be with tube feeding or other healthcare needs, rest assured reputable support services are available. Learn more about Allied Health services here. 

Contact us online for Geelong’s disability support specialists, to learn more information on tube feeding.

How Can You Help Students with Additional Needs?

Smiling girl with down syndrome is uses a laptop with her teacher at library. Education for disabled children concept

How Can You Help Students with Additional Needs?

Did you know 10% of Australian school students have a disability? 1 in 8 school students with a disability are diagnosed at a severe or profound level, which is why classroom support systems are so important.

Care providers, teachers, support staff, Allied Health and families can work together to support students with additional needs, improving their chances of succeeding in school and even getting a job with a disability. Here are a few ways you can help students with additional needs.

Establish an Individual Learning Plan

Students with additional needs can benefit from an individual learning plan, with teachers, support staff, and parents all aware of the agreed-upon learning accommodations. Personal support may be arranged in line with the individual learning plan to ensure every student has the resources to meet their full potential at school and in the outside world.

Implement Classroom Accommodations

One of the main concerns for people going to school or getting a job with a disability is classroom accommodations. To ensure adequate help for people with disabilities, teachers and school staff should accommodate different needs throughout the day. This could include anything from seating students in a quieter part of the room to allowing more time for assignments and tests.

Simplify Lessons and Learning Materials

Not only is it important to have an organised classroom with mobility equipment as required, but it’s also best to have modified learning materials and simple lessons for those with special needs. Students with a learning disability like dyslexia or language processing disorder could benefit from slower, simpler lessons as part of in-classroom disability service. This help for people with disabilities at school should encourage students to keep learning and working hard by meeting them where they are.

Explore Student Disability Services in Geelong

The good news about modern disability services is that there are resources in place for students needing extra help during lessons or in getting a job with a disability. Professional help for people with disabilities can enhance a student’s educational experience and set them up for future success in the classroom and beyond.

Contact us here at Fair Go Access in Geelong to learn more about disability support services for students and everyone with special needs.

5 Things to Look For in a Disability Service Provider

Mother helping her son on wheelchair up the ramp in the park with sunset in background, warm filter

5 Things to Look For in a Disability Service Provider

About 1 in 6 people or 18% of all Australians have a disability, and this statistic is one reason why disability home services are in high demand. Allied health services and disability service providers have a positive impact on the lives of people with disabilities and their loved ones. 

A disability service provider supports people with special needs and chronic conditions through in-home personal care. If you’re thinking about disability care services, here are the top qualities to look for in a disability service provider.

Experience

First, it’s important to look for disability service providers with decades of experience that you can trust. The more hands-on experience and knowledge they have, the better for everyone involved. After all, your loved one deserves a highly qualified carer who can help them navigate the challenges of life with a disability.

Compassion

When looking into disability care services, you should also consider how compassionate the team seems about your particular situation. Not everyone is cut out to work in disability services, and those who are naturally compassionate and caring offer the best care.

Patience

Caring for people with disabilities requires a lot of patience, too. When meeting with a prospective provider, you should feel comfortable asking any questions, and they should respond with kindness and understanding. A patient disability service provider will give your family greater peace of mind.

Reputation

Something else to look for in disability home services is the provider’s reputation. Go with a company you can count on based on testimonials and their overall reputation in your local community. Someone with a long history and a clear passion for their work will be the best fit.

Professionalism

Finally, disability service providers need to be friendly yet professional. You want a carer who comes into your home and treats your loved one with the attention they deserve, while still maintaining a professional sense of safety and confidentiality. Look for a disability care provider who seems professional and approachable at the same time.

Enquire About Disability Care Services

If you and your family could benefit from additional support, then make sure you explore disability home services with a highly professional and reputable team. Get in touch with Fair Go Access for the top disability care services in Geelong.

What Does a Chronic Pain Assessment Include?

Old man with shoulder pain

What Does a Chronic Pain Assessment Include?

One in 5 Australians 45 years and older have chronic pain, with headaches, fibromyalgia, shingles, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis just a few examples of long-term health conditions. Persistent pain comes with its fair share of challenges, which is why chronic pain assessment is so important to understanding patient needs and making the most of plan management services.

To give you a better idea of pain and trauma management, here’s what a chronic pain assessment includes.

Pain Interference with Daily Life

First, pain and trauma management specialists need to assess how chronic pain interferes with the patient’s daily life. This functional evaluation involves consulting with individuals and their families to understand how persistent pain gets in the way of daily activities, whether it be work, school, social, or personal hygiene activities. This evaluation supports a detailed chronic pain management plan that addresses accommodations for daily activities, such as mobility equipment and in-home, educational, and career support.

Psychological Changes

Another aspect of chronic pain management and assessment is identifying psychological changes, such as anxiety or depression. A shift in mental status as the result of chronic injury or pain gives care providers greater insight into how the condition is impacting the patient’s physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Whole body chronic injury management may include physical therapy, counselling, and other support services, to make sure individuals are set up for a life as comfortable as possible.

Medication Requirements

During a chronic pain assessment, pain and trauma management specialists will also address medication history. For example, if a patient has been taking a low dose of pain medication for the past year, but pain is significantly impacting their daily life and mental wellbeing, then increased medication or other treatment may be required. This will all be outlined in the updated chronic injury management plan, which should be updated over time to reflect an individual’s changing needs.

Speak to a Specialist in Chronic Injury Management

A chronic pain assessment gives healthcare providers a better idea of how to treat long-term conditions. Following a detailed assessment, more informed decisions can be made regarding chronic pain management and Allied Health services.

If you’re looking for professional pain and trauma management in Geelong, contact Fair Go Access today.

What are the 3 Different Assessment Tools for Pain?

Sport injury, Man with back pain

What are the 3 Different Assessment Tools for Pain?

With around 4.4 million Australians affected by a disability, and thousands more going through painful health conditions every day, Allied Health services are very important for special needs children and adults. Part of our disability support services is pain assessment and management, which gives healthcare providers and carers a better understanding of what patients need.

Let’s explore the three main assessment tools used for pain and trauma management in Australia by Allied Health.

Abbey Pain Scale

The Abbey pain scale is used to measure pain in special needs children and others who cannot verbalise. Healthcare providers and carers observe patients and select absent, mild, moderate, or severe ratings for vocalisation, facial expression, change in body language, behavioural change, physiological change, and physical changes. This is added up to reach the total pain score, which could be 0-2 – no pain, 3-7 mild, 8-13 moderate, or 14+ severe.

FLACC Pain Scale

Another option for chronic pain management is the FLACC pain scale, which is a behavioral pain assessment used to observe pain in patients who cannot self-report, whether they are nonverbal or asleep and unable to speak. The five main categories include face, legs, activity, cry, and consolability (FLACC). Each category is scored on a scale of 0-2, resulting in a total score of 0-10. A 0 score means relaxed and comfortable, while 1-3 is mild discomfort, 4-6 is moderate pain, and 7-10 is severe.

Wong-Baker FACES Pain Scale

Doctors, nurses, and personal support carers may also use the Wong-Baker FACES pain scale, which was designed to help young patients communicate their pain through a chart depicting different facial expressions. Children are shown a picture of six faces with varying levels of pain and asked to select the one that depicts how they feel.

Schedule a Consultation for Chronic Pain Management

Proper pain and trauma management make a huge difference to special needs children and adults who may not be able to communicate their needs otherwise. The Abbey, FLACC, and Wong-Baker pain scales are all important to chronic pain management and helpful for people with disabilities.

If you’re interested in professional pain and trauma management, please enquire today to learn more from the disability support specialists at Fair Go Access in Geelong.

  • 03 5298 2746
  • info@fairgoaccess.com
  • 2/84 Shannon Ave, Geelong West, VIC 3218, Australia

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