The Scene

Issue 13, 21 August 2006

Back to The Spastic Centre

Features

Strength Training for People with Cerebral Palsy
A La Trobe University training DVD to help young people with cerebral palsy has been voted the year’s best
audiovisual product by the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine. Developed by a team of physiotherapists, this unique DVD helps young people with CP, their families, health professionals and fitness specialists to use strength training with weights to overcome muscle weakness.

The exercise program follows four years of research by a team that includes the Head of La Trobe’s School of Physiotherapy, Professor Karen Dodd, who worked with Professor Kerr Graham, Director of the Hugh Williamson Gait Laboratory at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.

The DVD and booklet costs AUD$25 plus $8.50 postage and handling. For further information phone 03 9580 5945 or denise@australianbarbell.com.au.

Correction...

FamilyCare Workshops
Please note that dates for the upcoming FamilyCare Workshops were inadvertently swapped in the last issue of The Scene. The correct dates and locations are as follows…

Locations: The Spastic Centre
Ryde - Monday 11 September - 10am to 12 noon - 3a Smalls Road
Prairiewood - Thursday 14 September - 10am to 12 noon - 224-244 Restwell Road
Allambie Heights - Wednesday 27 September- 7pm to 9pm - 189 Allambie Road (Head Office Boardroom).

For bookings, please phone Penny Clarke at The Spastic Centre, 02 9975 8227 or email pclarke@tscnsw.org.au.

Recreation

Monthly Junior Wheelchair Sports Days
The NSW Wheelchair Sports Association (NSWWSA) holds monthly ‘Come n Try Days’ for athletes (beginners to advanced) aged 5–17. Come along, meet new friends and try a range of wheelchair sports including athletics, archery, swimming, tennis, basketball, and track and field.

The next Sydney event will be held at Anne Clarke Centre, Church Street, Lidcombe on 10 September, 8 October and 19 November from 11am to 1pm.

The next Wollongong event will be held at Beaton Park Leisure Centre, Foley Rd, Gwynneville on 17 September and 26 November from 11am to 2.30pm.

For further information contact Janyne at NSWWSA on 02 9809 5260 or email jp@nswwsa.org.au.

Wheelies With Wings
Wheelies with Wings is an organisation that offers people with physical disabilities the opportunity to gain flying experience with specially adapted controls. It also awards scholarships for limited flying training, based out of Cooma Airport in the Snowy Mountains region of NSW. Worth in excess of $5000, the scholarship covers all accommodation, meals, ground and flight training and reasonable travel expenses. (Terms and Conditions apply).

For further information visit www.wheelieswithwings.com.au/index.htm.
[Source: e-bility]

Parents

Let's Play Projects
Let's Play Projects is a fantastic website from the Buffalo Center for Assistive Technology. It features information on selecting toys, universal design, assistive technology and a wonderful resources section with books to download on playing with switches, a ‘how we play’ calendar for parents, computer play for children with disabilities, a host of factsheets on play topics and much more.

For further information visit http://letsplay.buffalo.edu/index.html.

Transition School Leaver Services 2006 Expo (Hunter)
24 August 3006

Targeting Year 10 to 12 students, their parents and teachers, this expo brings together a huge range of after-school pathway information in one place. Talk to the representatives of each organisation, find out what each can offer and how to register with them.

Teachers can take away an updated copy of the excellent ‘School Leavers Directory’ and meet staff from key disability services for young people.

The expo will be held at Mayfield Ex-Services Club, Auditorium, Second Floor, 58 Hanbury Street Mayfield on 24 August 2006 from 9.30am to 1.30pm. The venue is accessible via lift in foyer and parking is available in the Club’s car park.

For further information contact Simon Johnson, Regional DADHC Coordinator phone 02 4925 4010, or Kay Dean, Regional Disability Liaison Officer phone 02 4921 8844.

Technology

Assistive Technology Training Online Project
The Assistive Technology Training Online Project (ATTO) from the University of Buffalo provides information on AT applications that help students with disabilities learn in primary school classrooms. With everything from AT Basics, to AT decision making, to tutorials on commonly used AT software, this colourful and easy to use site is a fantastic find.

For further information visit http://atto.buffalo.edu/.

Google Website To Aid People with Vision Impairment
Accessible Search is an early Google Labs product designed to identify and prioritize search results that are more easily usable by blind and visually impaired users. Regular Google search helps you find a set of documents that is most relevant to your tasks. Accessible Search goes one step further by helping you find the most accessible pages in that result set.

To access Accessible Search and view its FAQs go to http://labs.google.com/accessible/

Travel

Science Discovery
Planning a trip to WA? Science buffs will revel in the news that a new fully accessible Gravity Discovery Centre has just been opened, two hours north east of Perth. This fascinating complex brings together scientists and the public to answer some of the most intriguing questions about physics and the cosmos. A newly built Cosmology Centre houses the largest publicly accessible telescope in Australia, which will soon have the capacity to allow people in wheelchairs to view the stars. The Gravity Discovery Centre is located on the Wallingup Plain on the way to the Pinnacles and New Norcia.

For further information visit www.gdc.asn.au/ or read more on the e-Ability website.

Health & Wellbeing

New Depression Information Line
The national depression initiative ‘beyondblue’ has launched a new information line to provide information about depression, anxiety and where to get help for these conditions. The service is open to everybody, although initially the service will be heavily targeted at men in rural areas.

For further information call the beyondblue info line on 1300 224 636 (cost of a local call) or visit their website www.beyondblue.org.au/.

Employment

Job Access
JobAccess is an information and advice service funded by the Australian Government, designed to support the employment of people with disability. JobAccess comprehensive website and a free telephone information and advice service where you can access confidential, expert advice on the employment of people with disability.

The JobAccess website features step-by-step guides and checklists on recruitment, job searching, adjusting a workplace, employer incentives, understanding rights and responsibilities at work and much more. You can browse the site at your leisure or use the ‘self help’ site search to explore information on particular disabilities or disability related employment issues

For confidential expert advice on matters relating to the employment of people with disability, including workplace modifications and adjustments, contact the JobAccess Advisers free of charge. Phone 1800 464 800 or submitting an online enquiry form available on the website.

Your Rights
Since the introduction of the federal Government’s new WorkChoices industrial relations laws earlier this year, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) has been reminding people that federal and state laws still prohibit employers from dismissing people on the basis of race, sex, disability and age through its ‘Work out your Rights’ campaign.

Information and resources for employees and their advocates can be found on the ‘Work out your Rights’ section of the Commission’s website.

This section features a range of resources including: information sheets on anti-discrimination laws and employment, conciliation and complaint information, employment-related case studies, frequently asked questions, conciliation information in various community languages and several posters and brochures to download.

Employees With CP
How can employers make life easier for people with CP? A good overview from the US Job Accommodation Network describes some of the practical considerations such as checking for obstacles in hallways, modifying workstations, and so on.

For further information visit .www.jan.wvu.edu/media/CP.html.

Research

Brain Computer Interface
A recent scientific journal article sparked a series of news items about a newly developed technology that allows people paralysed by spinal injury to control a computer by using their 'brain waves'. What does this mean for people with cerebral palsy? A new article on the UCP Research Foundation website provides some insights - the key question being whether “the control of normal movements within the brain remains unimpaired within the areas of trauma that gave rise to the CP."

The article is available at www.ucpresearch.org/confact_directbrain.htm.

Epidemiology of Cerebral Palsy
In February 2006, an article was published in the journal Disability Rehabilitation, The Epidemiology of Cerebral Palsy: incidence, impairments and risk factors' which gave some good statistics on the prevalence of CP, associated impairments, and known risk factors.

A summary of this article is now available on the UCP Research Foundation website at www.ucpresearch.org/confact_epidem.htm.

Community Information

2006/2007 Hunter Disability Directory Released
The 2006/2007 Hunter Disability Directory has been updated and revised with all the latest information on over 400 services for people with a disability in the Hunter Region and beyond. The directory is available in two easy to use formats: an electronic version (Excel) and a traditional paper version.

Both the electronic version and hard copy versions are $33 (+ $7 postage & handling for hard copy). For further information contact DASH on 02 4927 0111 or email dash@dash.org.au.

Conferences .. Workshops .. Forums (People with disabilities / Families / Carers)

Physical Disability Forum – Coffs Harbour & Dubbo
19, 26 September 2006

Have You Missed Out? During September, the Physical Disability Council of New South Wales (PDCN) is holding two forums/ consultations for people with physical disability or parents of children with physical disability. The forums are being held in two locations, Coffs and Dubbo. John Moxon (Vice-President, PDCN) will be conducting the consultations. More information about Have You Missed Out?

Conferences .. Workshops .. Forums (Service Providers)

Play Therapy: Principles and Process
22-23 August 2006

An introductory seminar on the practice of play therapy for mental health professionals. Combining underpinning theory and experiential exercises, the seminar will be presented by Helen Power - Social Worker, Art Therapist and Play Therapist.

The seminar will be held at AASW NSW, Branch Office, Block C, Rozelle Public School, 663 Darling St, Rozelle on 22 and 23 August 2006 from 8.30am to 4.30pm both day and the cost is $300 (includes materials and handouts). For questions or further information contact Helen Power on 0416855466 or Hkmpower@aol.com.

Disability & Sexuality Workshop in Coffs Harbour
4-5 October 2006

Sexuality & Disability workshop is for residential carers, case managers and teachers. This workshop is designed to review sexual health and relationships from 'first principles', with a view to enhancing the capacity, enjoyment and quality of life for people living with a disability (developmental or acquired [intellectual, physical], single or dual/triple diagnoses).

This is a 'firstline' level workshop suitable for professionals who are new to the field or for those who want to revisit the issues and to share ideas and strategies with others in the field. Topics covered include sexual identity development, sexual health issues including contraception, STIs, sexual safety, case management strategies, policies and protocols review, resources review. The content is consistent with DoCs and DET policies.

The workshop will be held at Coffs Harbour Golf Club on 4 and 5 October. Early bookings are essential and applications close 22 September. The cost is $220 pp (GST free) - includes tea, coffee (lunch not included), materials and the facilitator is Reet Kabi DipTeach, BA MPsychEd MAPS.

For further information call 0412 157421 or email lifeworks@bravo.net.au.

Attachment – Theory and Application
17 October – 21 November 2006

Learning Links and The Australian Association for Infant Mental Health (AAIMHI) are conducting a series of six workshops on attachment theory at Peakhurst. Topics include attachment over the lifespan; secure attachment and insecure attachment; avoidant, ambivalent and disorganised patterns.

Read more about Attachment - Theory and Application workshop.

For Sale

Humphrey Stander
This Jenx Humphrey Standing Frame is second hand but in immaculate condition.

Purchased for $3100 will sell for $1500 ono.

The stander is located at Cranebrook, 10 minutes north of Penrith.

For further information contact Karla Tremethick 0425 810936 or email Karla at karla@tremethick.com.

PDF (print-friendly version) of this issue of The Scene.

What would you like to see in "The Scene"? Email Robyn Cummins Information Manager at The Spastic Centre if you would like to contribute any ideas, advise of any future events or know of any websites that might be of interest to others.

Disclaimer
Opinions expressed in items of The Scene are the individual opinions of the respective authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of The Spastic Centre or the editors. Products and companies featured in The Scene are not necessarily endorsed by The Spastic Centre. The Scene is intended to be informative only and should not be relied on as medical or other technical advice on any matter. The Spastic Centre and editor take no responsibility for the information published in this newsletter or any person's actions in reliance on that information.