NSW —
The case of Lewis Cass, highlighted in the Daily
Telegraph, illustrates the state of equipment
provision to people with physical disabilities
in NSW. Lewis Cass's case is not an
exception.
This chronically
under-funded program is vital to the lives of
people with physical disabilities, which
includes the aged, as it provides items such as:
wheelchairs; walking frames; communication
devices; continence aids; pressure care cushions
and mattresses; bath and shower equipment;
lifting hoists.
These items allow people
with physical disabilities to lead lives: to
take up their opportunities for work, study and
recreation; to be citizens of their communities;
to participate in family activities
Without these items people
with physical disabilities:
- are admitted to
hospital because they have developed pressure
problems that require specialist medical
intervention.
- develop and make worse
deformities that eventually lead to
corrective surgery, especially when equipment
is not upgraded for growing
children.
- require additional
personal support services so that a person
with a disability can leave their home to
work and go to school, to shop, and to attend
community and social activities.
- experience additional
pain as a result of unsuitable equipment,
often requiring further medical
intervention.
- are not be able to
participate in family activities, resulting
in family tension and disgruntled
siblings.
- relinquish their
independence. Given appropriate equipment, in
a timely manner, people with disabilities
need not sacrifice their
independence.
- require early
inappropriate admission to residential
care.
The Physical Disability
Council of NSW calls on the NSW government to
increase the funding to this vital and much
appreciated program to $37.5m recurrent, an
increase of $15.5m recurrent.
This is one step to
creating the decent society promised by Premier
Iemma in August 2005.
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