Just Keep Swimming...

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming as Dory from the Disney Pixar film "Finding Nemo" says.... That's all well and good for most of us, but what if you are a wheelchair user and have specific requirements that you need in order to go swimming in the first place? Since moving to Melbourne and I needed to find somewhere local to swim as swimming compliments riding and is also one of the only ways I can exercise. I did a little bit of a Google search and found the pools in my local area. At first I thought I'd have to try out a few different ones before I'd figure out which one was best for me. Little did I know that the first place I'd go, would be the place I'd continue to go! Thomastown Recreation and Aquatic Centre (TRAC), is where I go to swim...


So what's so great about, I hear you ask? Well firstly, it is HUGE! TRAC has four pools, a spa, a sauna, and a steam room. All those facilities are wheelchair accessible bar one pool, which is the kids pool.

TRAC not only has wheelchair access to three of their pools and the spa via a series of ramps with their water wheelchairs, they also have incredible toilet / shower / changing facilities which make it possible for just about anyone to swim there. These facilities are not only big and spacious, but they have tracking in the ceiling with a hoist which moves you around the room so you can go from the toilet to the shower etc with ease and it eliminates the need for the swimmer to be able to do standing transfers.

I think photos pretty much tell my story for me!

The photos above pretty much tell the story of the awesome facilities, however there is one other really great thing about it. One of the three bathrooms has the tracking in the ceiling for the hoist that goes around the room but also goes straight out the door to enable the swimmer to be hoisted straight into the hydro pool. This also means the swimmer can not only access the hydro pool, but the spa and the teaching pool.

I tried to take more photos of the actual configurations of the pool but I was told I wasn't allowed to because of the public photo taking laws etc.

I feel like I've hit the jackpot! I've never seen such a well thought out pool which enables me to go swimming independently of other people. If I could give TRAC some kind of award, I would!

Victoria's Taxi Inquiry

I've recently been in contact with the people who are conducting the inquiry into the current Victorian Taxi service via twitter. They asked me to forward them my experiences with wheelchair accessible taxis in Victoria. I'd like to create some discussion about it, so below is what I have sent them. Tell me what you think and if you have anything else you'd like to say or suggest, please do, and I'll forward it onto them.

My I sent to them:

I have been following you via twitter as @tinymads. Here are my experiences, opinions and suggestions.

I have found that my experience with WATS have been generally good.I have heard experiences of others after speaking with them.

When making bookings, some passengers may not be able to speak effectively enough on the phone to make themselves understood and therefore this may complicate their booking. A mobile version of the current online booking service for WATS vehicles needs to be made available. The iphone application is not suitable for everyone because not everyone has an iphone. A mobile site which any user can access no matter what device they have needs to be implemented.

People with communication barriers or slurred speech have difficulty speaking with drivers who do not understand English. WATS Drivers really do need to be able to speak excellent English as this makes the situation stressful for the passenger and driver.

Some parts of the different disabilities that passengers may have, may involve them not being able to tell the driver where to go and give directions. It needs to be policy that every WATS vehicle has a GPS and the driver has training on how to use them properly.

Eftpos machines in WATS vehicles generally don't have long enough cords and therefore passengers sometimes have no choice but to reveal their pin number so the driver can process their payment.This is an invasion of privacy, and needs to be addressed.

Wait times are too long. Some people I have spoken to have had to wait up to 1 hour for a WATS vehicle.

If the pick up address is the passengers home, and the passenger is not out the front when the driver arrives, they need to knock on the door to let the passenger know they are there. Just because they are not out the front, does not mean they are not there. There may be a number of reasons why the passenger cannot wait outside. When the driver knocks on the door, the driver needs to be patient, due to our disability it may take us a little longer to answer the door, so don't assume we aren't there because we don't answer straight away.

I have had other passengers tell me that drivers switch on the meter before they begin the journey while the driver is strapping the wheelchair in. That can sometimes add at least $10 or more onto the fare. This is unacceptable.

Drivers need specific training in the safest way to strap in the wheelchair. Their vehicle should also not be allowed to accept wheelchair jobs unless they have all four restraining straps and seat belt. If a passengers wheelchair is not strapped in properly, this puts the passengers life at risk.

When traveling interstate, passengers should not have to explain to drivers what the 'interstate docket' is. I have had many incidences where drivers have refused to take the docket because I am not from their state or territory and they have had no training in what to do with interstate dockets. Passengers should also be able to request as many dockets as they require. 10 dockets per 7 days is not acceptable.

GO: I know you've all got something to say, so tell me your experiences!

NDIS... Have you written your letter?

I realised recently that all of this jumping up and down (metaphorically speaking that is ;) ), that I have been doing recently in regards to making people aware of the NDIS and the need for it is all well and good, however I realised two things:

1) People with a disability need to be more involved and more stating their needs

and

2) Signing the Every Australian Counts campaign is an excellent start, but really we should be following that up with a letter to Prime Minister Julia Gillard, telling her our story, saying why we count, and asking when the NDIS will be implemented.

So after realising all of this I have written my letter to Julia Gillard and I want everyone else to do the same.

I know it takes effort to write, print, fold, envelope, stamp and address a letter, SO what if I said all you had to do was write the letter and email to me instead? That is what I am offering: If you write the letter and email it to me at maddles_456@hotmail.com , I will print and send everyone's letters together.

If you are thinking okay, good, but what do I write? Well below is just my letter and what I wrote, use it as a guide, but really say whatever you think, but we need to not ask IF an NDIS will be implemented but rather WHEN an NDIS will be implemented.

My letter:

Dear Julia,

My name is Madeleine Sobb, I am 21 and I am from Melbourne. I was born with a rare bone growth disorder resulting in short stature. I was also born with both of my hips dislocated and scoliosis in my spine. I am able to walk short distances but I mainly use my electric wheelchair for daily living.

I am studying a Health Science degree in Disability Studies at RMIT University. I am a Para Equestrian Dressage Rider, and a disability rights activist. I spend much of my free time working on many disability related projects.

I am writing to let you know how much Australia needs a National Disability Insurance Scheme.

I am sure you are well aware of the Every Australian Counts campaign towards an NDIS. There is so much in politics and the media about equally and making sure people of all ages, race, sex, religion, gender etc, get a fair go and have a life that counts.

If I counted, I wouldn’t have struggled so much in mainstream education to receive adequate teacher’s aide funding.

If I counted, I would’ve received post school funding to help me to achieve my goals, rather than being told, I wasn’t ‘disabled’ enough to receive assistance.

If I counted, I wouldn’t spend copious amounts of time filling out forms, making phone calls, and fighting hypocrisy just to get my basic needs met.

If I counted, I would receive all of the funds to pay for the $75,000 modified vehicle I need to achieve complete independence.

If I counted, my siblings wouldn’t be financially disadvantaged because my parents are having to plan for my security in the future.

If I counted, my parents wouldn’t spend time worrying if my needs will be met after their time.

In Wayne Swan’s Federal Budget speech he said: “Australia has many capable hands, we don’t want a single pair to go to waste.” Without an NDIS, you cannot be certain that will be the case. We NEED an NDIS and we NEED it NOW! Its not about wanting anymore, its an urgent need.

So my question to you is, WHEN will we see the implementation of an NDIS?

I will look forward to hearing from you in regard to this matter.

Yours Sincerely,

Madeleine Sobb

ACT NOW: Write your letter, maybe try and keep it within 2 pages and email it to maddles_456@hotmail.com, I am going to need them to be to me no later than Sunday 5th June 2011.