Do you care for someone with a disability, or are you living with a disability yourself? Patty Kikos interviews Mackenzie Sedger-Small, who works as a Partnership Specialist for the Disability Gateway (an organisation with a ‘no wrong door policy’). Mackenzie helps define what is considered a disability and also shares some positive stories of how he has been able to assist carers when they have called the Disability Gateway for support.
Patty: {giggles}
If you could put it in one sentence, that's easy for people to identify with. What is a disability? It’s like a million-dollar question and you’re in the hot seat.
Mackenzie: {giggles}
Oh, that is such a million-dollar question, and I think it's very difficult to answer in one sentence.
I think disability is something that will differ, depending on who it is that you talk to
Patty:
It's a good point.
Mackenzie:
And in terms of the the context of the Disability Gateway and the people, that we consider to have this disability, is that we do work with anyone in Australia that identifies as having a disability, so it doesn't require someone to have a formal diagnosis.
It could be that they might have symptoms of a type of disability, but they might not be in a situation where they can maybe afford to get the necessary assessments to get the formal diagnosis.
It could be that their disability is either temporary or permanent. It could be whether they're an NDIS participant or not, whether they're an Australian citizen or have permanent residency or not be an Australian citizen.
You know, they might come from a migrant or a refugee background, but typically, for what is a disability, the symptoms or characteristics would typically fall within certain categories, so whether it be intellectual, psychosocial, sensory, speech, or physical disabilities, but the only kind of caveat in what I'm saying with all of this, is just because they can access our service because they identify as having a disability, other external services and programs might have their own interpretation and guidelines in what they're funded.
Billy:
From the Carer Gateway at the Benevolent Society, we welcome you to, Carer Conversations with your host Patty Kikos.
The Care Gateway is the Australian Government national care hub and provides reliable services, support and advice especially for carers.
This podcast is where we share interviews with guests that have specialized knowledge to help support carers to look after their emotional, mental and physical well-being.
We are recording on Aboriginal country, on lands which were never ceded. We acknowledge the traditional custodians and cultural knowledge holders of these lands and waters. We pay our respects to Aboriginal elders, past and present.
Always was, always will be.
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Patty:
Thank you so much for joining us again at Carer Conversations. I hope you and your family are well. I am thrilled to be interviewing a specialist who will tell us all about the incredible resource called the Disability Gateway today.
Disability Gateway is an Australian Government initiative that provides a free national toll-free number and website to help people with disability, their families, friends and carers find the support they need in Australia. It’s no secret that the disability sector is large and complex. Disability Gateway works to improve navigation of the disability sector by working across 10 key areas of life including but not limited to Health, Housing, Employment, Aids and Equipment and Everyday Living. It is a central point of contact and a starting point to assist people. It is for all people with disability, regardless of whether they are an NDIS participant or not.
Mackenzie is the Partnerships Specialist at The Benevolent Society working on the Disability Gateway program. Primarily, his role and function works to build the Disability Gateway referral pathway network by managing relationships with Government entities, Peak Bodies, Advocacy Organisations and other sector-specific organisations. Mackenzie has studied Psychological Science and Counselling and is fascinated by human interchange in all of its forms. Prior to his role on the Gateway, he worked in Recruitment and Disability Employment as well as a Drug and Alcohol Counsellor.
Mackenzie Small - Welcome, Welcome! I must tell our listeners that your surname is highly ironic because there is nothing small about your physical stature and there is nothing small about your bubbly personality. In fact, we will share something beautiful about your name a little later in the podcast, so stay tuned for his big news later on. Now Mackenzie, what is the disability gateway and what does it do?
Mackenzie:
Yeah absolutely. Firstly, thank you so much for having me. It's so lovely to be here. I'm really, really excited to have this opportunity to share a little bit more about what it is that we do.
Patty:
We're excited to have you and to connect. It’s like Carer Gateway’s little brother – the Disability Gateway.
Mackenzie:
That's us! So, the Disability Gateway is a new Australian government initiative that really is a national information and referral service. The Disability Gateway is a free national information and referral service helping people with disability, their families, friends and carers find the support they need in Australia. Our service also supports providers, organisations and professionals who may be working with people who have disability, their families, friends and carers.
In a nutshell, Disability Gateway works to improve navigation of the disability sector, which is renowned for its diversity and complexity, by making it easier for our enquirers to find helpful and trustworthy information and services. We do this through several ways. The Disability Gateway website is a central online information hub where people can search for government or government-funded programs, services and information across ten areas of life and by their state or territory or navigate through to helpful tools like ‘Ask Izzy’, ‘Clickability’ and the ‘NDIS Provider Finder Tool’ to find more localised services as well as helping people understand and interpret public health orders.
Patty:
I see. That's actually pretty detailed. Can you give us a bit of the history of the Disability Gateway? Is it targeted for anyone specific?
Mackenzie:
In 2020, The Benevolent Society tendered for and was successful in attaining the Disability Gateway program which was being funded by the Department of Social Services.
We commenced providing the service on the 27th January 2021 with a soft launch before officially launching the program on the 4th July 2021.
The initial pilot project was funded for 18-months and in December of 2021, parliament voted in Disability Gateway to become an ongoing program. The Benevolent Society currently delivers the service in partnership with the Department of Social Services.
Patty:
How wonderful.
Mackenzie:
It was really, really great.
Patty:
What a testament to its success.
Mackenzie:
Absolutely. So the team were beyond thrilled. You know, we see it as such a vital and important service that we know and we're seeing it is meeting a real need within the Community.
But in terms of the people that is targeted for, it really is for all Australians that identify as having a disability, their carers, whether they be in a paid or unpaid caring role. Their family members so that family unit, whether they be a sibling, whether they be apparent auntie, uncle, grandparent, you know, as well as the providers and the professionals that are linked in with them too.
Patty:
Yeah, what is the value that your clients are feeding back to you?
Mackenzie:
It's a really good question so. We regularly receive feedback from the people that get in touch with us through a variety of different channels. As part of our normal process, whether it be informal, just in their conversations with our consultants, but it could also be more of a formal process like capturing certain data through surveys after they've engaged with our service, but I would say that the the feedback that we're getting is overwhelmingly positive. I think our satisfaction scores were somewhere around 94% at the moment, which is.
Patty:
That's almost unprecedented.
Mackenzie:
Yeah, exactly so we're seeing it have a really positive impact and really positive feedback from the people that are engaging with those surveys and providing that feedback. The feedback we receive is varied and ranges from people appreciating that when they call us it’s a safe place to be heard and be listened to by someone who cares to express gratitude about great outcomes and services we have linked them in with.
Our no wrong door policy too means that we answer all sorts of enquiries and connect people to information and services helping to reduce that dreaded ring around between services.
I would say the biggest value that gets fed back to us is that we are good at helping people understand and access the services they are eligible for, helping them navigate services and making the process less overwhelming.
Patty:
It's so important because it's hard to do that, and it's hard to navigate and to advocate for yourself when you're overwhelmed. So when someone calls the disability gateway talk me through the process when someone calls or when someone emails.
Mackenzie:
So if someone would call or email the Disability Gateway, those inquiries are answered by what we call our Community Services Consultants. So phone calls are answered in a pretty short amount of time, so normally within a minute you're speaking to a human being. Which is where to understand what it is that you're seeking. So whether it be, you know, Allied Health, it could be looking to find a psychologist. It could be looking for a day program or looking for a support group if you're looking to connect with community.
Patty:
Like a peer support group as well.
Mackenzie:
Yes, like a peer support group. So the consultant would run through a series of questions, more to determine where you are in the country, whether you are a carer or a person with disability, or whether there's NDIS funding involved or not. If we need to take into account any specific requirements, or whether there's maybe a cultural need for the individual, or diagnosis specific needs for the individual, and then we work to locate services based off of that criteria. So, really, putting our clients as the expert in their own lives and using the criteria that is important to them when we're assessing what is going to be the appropriate service or information that's going to assist them in getting where they want.
We've worked to locate those services, we work to provide options so really upholding the value of choice and control for individuals. So typically, it would be providing probably three options to someone running through kind of what those options are and leaving it to them about what they would like.
It could be that they might need support in accessing that service so our consultants can facilitate a warm transfer into other services, so we'd call that provider or that organisation. We can stay on the line and be a support person.
Patty:
That is absolutely incredible!
Mackenzie:
Isn’t it? So we've seen that it's had a really great impact on people being able to advocate for themselves as well as that kind of service entry. But I guess a point of differentiation where our service model really goes above and beyond, is where for those complex enquiries where there's a lot of things that we need to take into account when trying to connect someone to support and research.
So what we'll do is, we'll collect all the information that's reasonably necessary to resolve that enquiry will then de-identify the individual and we'll do the outbound in the outreach on your behalf, so we'll be talking to professionals. We'll be talking to services will be running through what it is that you're looking for and confirm that program and service can meet.
And before we bring it back to you, that process takes anywhere from 2 to 3 business days or up to a business week, depending on the complexity. But what that essentially does is it kind of it takes away that dreaded ring around for services, because I think you know something that we've often heard from people who might call the service.
They might not be able to help, so whether they're at capacity, or they might not be able to provide the support that you're looking for. And you follow this kind of rabbit hole and this calling around trying to find a service that can help. So we take that burden off people’s shoulders and we do that for you. So, the information that we're providing comes validated and trustworthy, and pretty much you can get in touch with any of those options.
Patty:
That's incredible. That's really supportive for your carers and your clients, because there's nothing worse than being overwhelmed and then calling a service, then realising that it can't help you, it makes you disengaged, doesn't it? It's the whole “I can't be bothered, as the energy it would take for me to research this again and call back again is not part of the energy that I even have”.
Mackenzie:
Absolutely, and we find that you know if people are having those experiences, they're also much less likely to be reaching out for support when they probably need it the most when they're having these experiences repeatedly over time. But once we've got all that information back to our people, we do give them the option if they'd like us to follow up.
So, if they consent to a follow up call we check in with them a couple of weeks later, and that's about making sure that they're progressing towards a certain outcome or a goal that they had in mind when they gave us a call, it could be that something might have fallen in the equation. So, we can help to reconnect parties. It could be that maybe they didn't like the options that they were given. We can look for different options for them, but really it is about making sure that they continue to progress towards that goal and connect with that support that they were looking for.
Patty:
And that's where the service ends?
Mackenzie:
Yes, yeah yeah, but that can be re engaged at any point.
Patty:
That's amazing! So, when we call who do we chat to and what's their background?
Mackenzie:
We've got about 25 people in our team at the moment, and they all come from very different backgrounds, so the staff that we work with might have backgrounds in psychology, education, social work, disability support, local area coordination and disability employment to name a few. And so really we come from all walks of life, which I think has been really great for developing the service, because we can all apply that experience to its internal development as we've kind of worked together over the last 18 months.
But what's something that is really great about our service is that we really value diversity in all its forms, and the service is run and operated by, I think it's about 40% of our staff have got direct lived experience with disability, or caring for a person with disability, which was really important to us when we were setting up the service, to really be a service that was by and for people with disability and really including the voices of people with those lived experiences within the internal internet development.
Patty:
I think it's crucial to understanding clients. Yeah, so Disability Gateway is now 18 months old like you've mentioned. What are your goals for the future of this program?
Mackenzie:
Another good question, so it's just I've been having several meetings to brainstorm some ideas recently and I'm a bit of a big picture kind of person as I think I'm a big dreamer. And I'm very passionate about what it is that we're doing, and I think in an ideal world I would really like to see Disability Gateway become more of a household name. I would love for us to be more known in community for the work that we're doing.
But I would also really like to see us doing some more work with First Nations communities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people living in regional and remote Australia as well as people that are LGBTQ. So there could be various projects where we might be working on pieces of work, where we were actually putting something back into communities. But rather than being, you know that information referral service, we're also utilising our networks and we're utilising our resources to be able to put these things back into community in a variety of different mediums that can be utilised to further enhance and grow the service.
Patty:
Yeah, and so you say you've had meetings. Who do you have meetings with, so I wonder what exactly is your role? What do you love most about your job and what inspires you to go to work every day?
Mackenzie:
I am the Partnerships Specialist here at the Disability Gateway. Primarily, my role establishes and maintains relationships with Government entities, peak bodies, advocacy organisations and sector-specific organisations to create and maintain our referral pathway network. Essentially, what this means is that we build stronger pathways from our service into others so that we can better help and connect our clients to support across the country. I also work to promote the Disability Gateway by doing information sessions and talk about how people can use and get the most out of the Disability Gateway. I also work on a number of projects to continuously improve the service. Basically, I have a lot of meetings, talk a lot and do a lot of writing.
What I love most about this role is that the sector is incredibly diverse and there is so much within it and so many people from all walks of life that it makes it very interesting. I am constantly learning something new, either about the sector or learning more about different types of disability. I get inspired most by the advocacy organisations and peak bodies, I have had some really great conversations with them to understand more of the grass roots reality for people to then work out how I can apply those learnings into developing our service further.
Patty:
So what sort of aspects are in your personality that make this role accessible for you, but also something that seems to be so easy for you to do.
Mackenzie:
{giggles} I don't know. I think my background and recruitment really helped with this role, so it had a really heavy business development focus, but also a lot of communication and having to speak to, I guess, a wide variety of people, so I think that's really served me well in kind of starting out in this position in building those relationships. The thing is, well, my background in psychology and counselling, I think it gives me a really great tool kit to use to understand people and I've always been very much a heart person.
My mum always refers to me as a heart person. Where I think I've just got a capacity to really appreciate people no matter where they come from.
Patty:
So, a heart person who is meticulously organised. {both giggle} I already know this about you. So would you say you're more of an extrovert? Which is why this role might come a little more naturally for you?
Mackenzie:
It's a very common misconception. People think I'm an extrovert. I would say I'm an extroverted introvert where in situations that demand it of me, I can be extroverted. I can be a good communicator, but I very much love my own space. I love my own time. I love a quiet book, and cuddling my cats, and just taking a walk and just kind of disconnecting and just having that space to recharge.
Patty:
Because it's how you regenerate your energy, right? That’s why you give such good service!
Mackenzie:
Yeah, pretty much.
Patty:
Actually, Speaking of your good service, can you give us an example of when the Disability Gateway specifically helped a carer?
Mackenzie:
So, I guess in a general context, carers make up a very significant portion of the people that get in touch with us for obvious reasons. And in a general context we can support carers connect to services like the Carer Gateway or you know support groups or connecting their care recipients to support. We help many carers in our day-to-day work. Carers, both paid and unpaid, make up a significant volume of our enquiries.
We can help carers connect to support services like the Carer Gateway, support groups and by connecting their care recipients and loved ones to support.
This might include a carer of someone with an intellectual disability and is looking for further information (as information is power) and learning more about it and guiding them to the new MyLivedID website which has amazing information about intellectual disabilities, or similarly, MyCPGuide for Cerebral Palsy.
We recently helped a carer whose daughter was receiving job seeker payments, however, had been exempted from her job search requirements due to significant mental health factors. The mum and daughter both felt that she was not ready to work at the moment but were fearful that Centrelink may not accept another extension on the exemption so wished to pursue applying for the DSP. Because the daughter belonged to the LGBTIQ+ community, we found a really great inclusive organisation who was able to support her in applying for the DSP and provided counselling and psychology services to support her mental health. We saw a really great outcome for her in this instance and mum was very happy her daughter had the support she needed.
One example I could speak of is before I moved into the partnership role, I worked on the front line as community service consultant, and I’ll never forget this enquiry that came from a mum I spoke to from Queensland, who had 3 kids all under the age of 12, and each child had a disability and her husband had lost his job during the covid 19 pandemic, so money was very tight, and she was very overwhelmed.
They were struggling to pay their bills and all the children had specific needs and for the 1st 10 minutes it was about listening to her and then breaking it down for her.
What I could answer in that phone call? So connecting her to a government scheme that could support them in paying their electricity bill. There are few charities in the area that could provide them with some food packages and food vouchers to support in them and getting some food on the table for the kids.
But then with some of the more specific needs of the children, I went and did some research, and connected with organisations came back a couple of days later. And it was really about breaking it down so. Put together almost like a to do list. You know, for child 1 child 2 child 3, here's a couple of options, and presenting it to her in that way.
I remember we were kind of just talking things through and was almost like having a bit of a checklist that she could tick off. And I remember hearing this great big sigh, and it was almost. Like in few conversations we had previously, it was the 1st time I actually heard her pause to take a breath and it was almost like this weight had lifted off her shoulders and it wasn't so overwhelming that, because she'd been given a kind of a bit of a to do list, it was something that she could do. It was something that she had control over.
Patty:
And be accountable for.
Mackenzie:
And be accountable for yes! Yeah, and so when it came to the the follow up call a couple of weeks later it was really great news. You know they had connected to that part of the government that could support them by paying their electricity bill. They'd been getting some food packages from one of the charities in the area. Their second child had connected with ‘Headspace’ to get some mental health support, and their eldest was connected in with an Occupational Therapist to see them in 3months. So, in just a short amount of time, which will always stick with me. I think it was probably one of the most cherished experiences I had, and I'll always remember working with that mum.
Patty:
I can imagine it's an honour to be able to traverse that path that journey with someone isn't it?
Mackenzie:
Definitely! Patty: {giggles}
If you could put it in one sentence, that's easy for people to identify with. What is a disability? It’s like a million-dollar question and you’re in the hot seat.
Mackenzie: {giggles}
Oh, that is such a million-dollar question, and I think it's very difficult to answer in one sentence.
I think disability is something that will differ, depending on who it is that you talk to
Patty:
It's a good point.
Mackenzie:
And in terms of the the context of the Disability Gateway and the people, that we consider to have disability, is that we do work with anyone in Australia that identifies as having a disability, so it doesn't require someone to have a formal diagnosis.
It could be that they might have symptoms of a type of disability, but they might not be in a situation where they can maybe afford to get the necessary assessments to get the formal diagnosis.
It could be that their disability is either temporary or permanent. It could be whether they're an NDIS participant or not, whether they're an Australian citizen or have permanent residency or not be an Australian citizen.
You know, they might come from a migrant or a refugee background, but typically, for what is a disability, the symptoms or characteristics would typically fall within certain categories, so whether it be intellectual, psychosocial, sensory, speech, or physical disabilities, but the only kind of caveat in what I'm saying with all of this, is just because they can access our service because they identify as having a disability, other external services and programs might have their own interpretation and guidelines in what they're funded.
Patty:
And their own criteria.
Mackenzie:
And guidelines on what they define as a disability. A really good example is the NDIS, because in order to meet access for the the disability needs to be considered both permanent and significant.
Patty:
And at this stage ADHD is not considered..
Mackenzie:
At this stage, no. And as someone with ADHD, you know I can definitely think of a number of really good reasons as to why I think it should be covered under the NDIS.
Patty:
I agree, yeah, I agree. In fact, one thing that I do like about the NDIS Board of Directors is that there are 5 on the committee that actually have a disability and I believe representation like that is so important.
Mackenzie:
And I think to have that lived experience as well, really represented at the top level, is just so vital in such an important step moving forward to have those people there, which is really amazing.
Patty:
Yes it's crucial. And so, because you're so good at answering difficult questions. What is not considered a disability?
Mackenzie:
Another million dollar question! This is another problematic area and something that has a lot of grey matter in it. For a long time that has been an inter-relationship between both Health and Disability and argument on which model or system looks after what. Unfortunately, what happens here is that people fall through the cracks and it can prove quite challenging to get the support you are looking for.
The good news is that Disability Gateway has a no wrong door policy. Even if a person does not have a disability, we can provide general information and point them in the right direction.
In terms of what isn’t considered a disability, these would include health conditions which are best placed to be supported within the health model of care such as a GP or medical specialist or conditions that are the result of the natural ageing process which is best supported by the programs and funding supports for our Older Australians. In the instances we receive calls or emails from people that fall within these categories, we can link them back to their GP’s or help find one if they don’t have a GP or alternatively link them to organisations that might support people with that condition. In relation to Older Australians, we can link them through to My Aged Care or similar supports via their local councils or Neighbourhood centres which have great supports for the community.
Patty:
Now it might be hard to quantify what is the most common request that you're getting from your callers.
Mackenzie:
Yeah, so I think it comes as no surprise coming out of the last two years that we've had together in the COVID-19 pandemic is covid is a huge, huge trend that we see in ourselves.
Patty:
Even now?
Mackenzie:
It's starting to slow off now, it still makes up a big portion of what we do, but a lot of what we've done in that space is really supporting people. We see a lot of trends come through on a weekly or monthly basis. Our most regular enquiries by far are COVID-19 enquiries typically around vaccines and testing, connecting them to accessible clinics and hubs or pathways to get vaccines at home if their condition has them house-bound or bed-bound. Another big one is people who are not eligible for the NDIS but needing home supports (like domestic assistance and personal care) and I would say the 3rd biggest trend is people needing advocacy so people who are being discriminated against because of their disability.
Patty:
Yes, I imagine yeah.
Mackenzie:
You know that sort of stuff to connecting them to state funded programs like the Queensland Community Support Scheme. Or people with disability that have experienced or are experiencing discrimination needing advocacy, so we do a lot of referrals into advocacy services.
Patty:
Oh that's wonderful! How do you envision the Carer Gateway and the Disability Gateway working in partnership together? They kind of already do. It's been a good start.
Do you think that there's room for them to work and collaborate even more than what they are?
Mackenzie:
I do actually. I think we offer something very unique between our two services, where I think we're in such a great position to support the care unit as a whole. I think there is a lot of scope for the Gateway’s to partner together to provide a holistic approach to supporting the care unit. With Carer Gateway providing a great range of supports to carers and Disability Gateway to care recipients, I think that with combined forces we can support families across Australia achieve great outcomes and help get them where they are wanting to go.
I think in some key areas such as First Nations and with CALD communities there is scope to work collaboratively and work to build integrated pathways to support and do an educational piece around disability and caring as disability and the disability model is a very Western idea that doesn’t necessarily translate well into different cultural contexts.
Patty:
That's a great point. Yeah, that's a tremendous point, you've made.
Mackenzie:
Because I think. You know, I think there's a real kind of educational piece in which we can work together to really work with these groups of people to help them understand what a disability is, what is a caring role, even though they might not necessarily identify as being in that role. Or maybe having a disability, just the sort of support and things that they can access, and we can effectively provide that educational piece together. I think that could be a really great thing moving forward.
Patty:
I agree, OK, you're going to get some reprieve now. I think it might be time for some rapid fire wrap up questions. OK, what has been a major life experience that you've had, that has impacted the way you live your life today? Hint, hint, it may have something to do with your surname. {bot giggle}
Mackenzie:
Absolutely. So my new name is Mackenzie Sedger-Small. I just got married a month ago which was really, really exciting, but I would say the biggest major life experience that has really impacted who I am today was meeting my husband. He really inspires me to be a better version of me.
And I think that, that love and that energy that I invest into our relationship really translates into a lot of my other works. So, you know my career, the relationship that I've got with my colleagues, my passion to do better and be better in all aspects of my life and I would say he's very much the role model behind that.
Patty:
That's so beautiful. I almost feel like I was a guest at your wedding and I witnessed the whole thing just then. But you're right, because how you do one thing is how you do everything.
Mackenzie:
I know, right?
Patty:
Yeah, I think they're all interrelated. If you had one piece of advice for carers, pray tell what would it be?
Mackenzie:
I would say reach out for support. You know. I think when we work with carers, it's very overwhelming. Sometimes they might not see their issues as important enough or worthy of support and I think it's always worthy, no matter how big your problem or your concern or your need is, or how big or small it is.
I think reaching out to support because there's so many organisations and services that are waiting with open arms to provide that support. I think it's always worth reaching out, no matter how big or small, because I think when we work together, that weight on our shoulders lessons and, being social creatures, being human, we do need that community and that support around us.
Patty:
I'm glad that you said community, because if you are a carer and you don't have friends or family that share that same context within that role, they won't be helpful to you and you need that assistance. You need someone that has that lived experience that can actually assist you. If you could share something of value to people living with a disability. What would it be?
Mackenzie:
The easy answer would be to say “exactly the same to reach out for support”, but I would say we would really appreciate feedback. If people with disabilities are interacting with the Gateway, get in contact with us, share your voices with us. You know, we'd love to incorporate your voices, tell us what you're missing and tell us what's working well.
And help us improve this service so that it meets your need, because you know, we really don't take this for granted, we see it as a really great opportunity to make a difference.
Patty:
What's the first thing you notice about someone when you meet them?
Mackenzie:
I definitely notice their eyes first. I always grew up looking, you know you look someone in the eye when you meet them.
Patty:
Yeah, culturally, yes it's part of Australian culture, isn't it? If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Mackenzie:
Oh, definitely in the mountains somewhere on a little farm with some geese, goats, alpacas, my cats. Maybe, or maybe not my husband depending. {both giggle} But definitely in the mountains somewhere.
Patty:
Oh I love it Mackenzie can you share with us once again the Disability Gateway website and the phone number?
Mackenzie:
So for anyone looking to get in touch with the Disability Gateway, you can visit us at www.disabilitygateway.gov.au and you can give us a call on 1800 643 787, or you can email disability gateway@benevolent.org.au.
Patty:
Mackenzie, you have been wonderful! Thank you for sharing how the Disability Gateway can assist our carers and their families. And mostly thank you for simplifying topics that can sometimes be overwhelming and complex for our carers.
I was very passionate about getting you on the podcast not only because some of our carers are grappling with their own disability, but because it can be overwhelming to know where to start researching when you need more information about how to advocate for a friend or a loved one. If you have found this useful or know someone that can benefit from this information, please subscribe and leave us a 5-star review. It's an authentic way to help our message get to the carers who needs to hear it the most.
Bethany Hamilton was a rising surf star when at the age of 13, she survived a shark attack. Despite only having one arm, she returned to professional surfing. She became well known for saying, “I don't need easy, I just need possible”
This is similar to our collective intention for you with this podcast, to help you know that your ability to succeed is indeed possible.
This is the last podcast interview that we’ll be releasing for this year. Festive seasons can sometimes mean extra activities and social events, and, while they can be fun, they can also be stressful if it feels like we have more work to do on top of our caring commitments.
So before I depart, I want to remind you that it's very important to look after yourself and to take the time to rest as much as you can. Until we reconnect next year, happy holidays for now and stay safe.
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Billy:
If you are caring for a relative or a friend who has a disability, a mental health condition, a life limiting health or medical condition.
Or they are frail because they're getting older. Please contact us at Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737, or look us up on www.carergateway.gov.au
And if you are a carer, you're allowed to take time to look after yourself. You are just as important as the person you take care of.