Living with any chronic condition or disability can sap your energy. Sometimes that’s directly due to the way the condition affects your body. Sometimes, it’s due to living in a world designed for able-bodied people. Sometimes, it’s a mix of both. In 2003, a close friend of writer Christine Miserandino asked her what it was…

Cars are indispensable these days. We rely on them to get to work, run errands or enjoy a change of scenery. The safest way to travel in any vehicle is by using the seat and seatbelt fitted by the manufacturer. Not everyone can do that, though, usually due to the degree of disability or…

Watch any episode of the popular children’s TV show Bluey, and you’re struck by Bluey and Bingo’s delight in discovering their world. They play in the creek, slide down piles of dirt and enjoy family days out at Brisbane’s beautiful Southbank Parklands. They even teach their dad, Bandit, the joy of seeing the world…

What were you most excited about when you moved into your first home? Was it having the space to decorate the way you liked? Or maybe you’ve got a great garden to grow your favourite fruit. Whatever it was, it’s important to make your house feel like a home – through creature comforts, testing…

Imagine this scenario: You look forward to your art group each week. It’s a place where you connect with friends, express your creativity and have fun. But, all too often, you arrive late – or don’t get there at all. Why? Because you’re stuck waiting for a maxi taxi!That frustration and limitation are some of…

“If these walls could talk!” It’s a phrase expressing the life in a building – the love, laughter and tears. The family home must adapt to many changing needs over the years. Toddler years mean stair gates and play spaces. Teenagers may need both privacy and connection. Parents may need or choose to work…

Becoming an occupational therapist (OT) takes years of training, study and supervised clinical practice. Once qualified, you’re engaged in meaningful, rewarding work that significantly changes someone’s life.Too often, though, it comes at a high cost. You bring more freedom to someone else but at the cost of your time, quality of life and well-being.…

Annelise Costelow was born into a family of nurses. She learnt the importance of deep, genuine care from an early age. She learnt to see the real person, not their limitations. And she learnt that sometimes, patient-centred care meant having the courage to do things differently. By her teenage years, Annelise knew in her…