Page 9 - LINK Magazine April 2015

respite paCkages up For grabs iN Carer CompetitioNDisability services provider Just Better Care (JBC) is running a competition to recognise the outstanding work that carers do in their local communities.Chief operations officer Trish Noakes said there are 2.7 million unpaid carers in Australia – or one in ten people.“Carers are amazing people who provide support for a friend or family member, who due to illness, disability, age ormental health issues cannot cope without their support. They are unpaid and often unrecognised, but are the backbone of our communities,” Mrs Noakes said.The competition asks people to nominate a carer they know by entering their name and postcode on www.justbettercare. com/carer before June 30, 2015. They will then go into the draw to win one of30, four-hour respite packages, worth over $5000.Mrs Noakes said with the aged population set to skyrocket in coming years, the role of carers would be increasingly significant. “Carers save the taxpayer billions of dollars each year – so it is important to recognise their important role and celebrate their dedication and determination.”goverNmeNt FuNdiNg For disabiLity CoNFereNCesTwenty-five organisations that support Australians with disability have received $250,000 in Federal Government funding to encourage more people with disability to participate in conferences.Assistant Minister for Social Services Senator Mitch Fifield said the funding has been provided to increase participation of people with disability at disability- related conferences.“The funding will help to facilitate the open discussion of important issues facing people with disability and the organisations that support them, particularly as we transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme,” Minister Fifield said.He said the funding will assist with conference fees, accommodation andtravel for people with disability, and the provision of Auslan interpreters.Minister Fifield said the funding for disability conferences builds on the Government’s commitment to supporting vital social services in communities across Australia through the DSS grant process.Further information is available at www.dss.gov.au/grants.kids piLates program boosts mobiLityWestern Australia’s The White Zebra Foundation will introduce a pilates program for children with physical disabilities, thanks to a $28,000 grant from the Jon and Barry Brealey Trust.Designed by Wize Therapy’s Senior Physiotherapist Jodie Kariyawasam, the nine-week program will initially work with six children using a specially modified pilates ‘reformer’ to improve mobility, function and participation in daily activities.The reformer is comprised of a movable platform that has a series of pulleys and springs attached, enabling users to perform assistive or resistive exercise sequences.“Over the last two years we’ve been observing unusual gains in motor functionin children participating in our functional Clinical Pilates program,” says Jodie.Georgia Farnan (pictured), 5, has made significant improvements using the pilates reformer at Wize Therapy. Diagnosed with Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy, Georgia has gone from being solely reliant on her walker to using quad-sticks and, at times, walking hands free.“The confidence in her movements through increased coordination, strength and flexibility has allowed her to participate in more playground activities more often,” says mother Claire Gardiner.The Jon and Barry Brealey Trust was set up by Ailsa and Bert Brealey in the name of their two sons, both of whom lived their lives with neurological diseaseGeorgia Farnan, who has Cerebral Palsy, is benefitting from a new pilates program.Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome. The White Zebra Foundation is their not-for-profit arm, providing financial assistance to those who cannot afford much-needed services for their children.June 2015 — Vol 24/2linkmagazine 07