Inform ~ Summer edition 2014/15

SUMMER EDITION 2014InformA newsletter for our community

incorporating POLIOPerspectives

Looking after your health & wellbeingThe 5 languages of loveRetraining the brain for painThe mindfulness of hunger

2 Inform

Welcome

Inform incorporating Polio Perspectives is published quarterly by

ABN 80 973 805 243

208 Wellington StreetCollingwood Victoria 3066

PO Box 1189Collingwood Victoria 3066

T 1300 704 456F 1300 704 451E [email protected] [email protected] www.independenceaustralia.com

EDITORRebekah Goodwin

DESIGNERS Bridget Hoadley & Kelly Reynolds

PRINTER Genuine Print

Chief Executive OfficerPeter Turner

BOARD OF DIRECTORSChairmanBrian Meltzer

Deputy ChairmanCliff Wise

MembersPeter DaddoMichael DaddoJohn Llewellyn (Lyn) Davies Elizabeth Jones Jeremy Long Daniel O’Neil

Inform incorporating Polio Perspectives, is the official newsletter of Independence Australia. We welcome articles of interest and reserve the right to edit or reject submissions as we see fit. Published articles do not necessarily reflect the policies of the organisation. Any information included is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice.

Deadline for the next edition is COB FRIDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2015

Peter Turner

From the CEO

It is with great pleasure that I welcome Richard Burn to Independence Australia, as the newly appointed General Manager, Community Solutions. Richard was until recently, the Executive General Manager of Services for DASSI, a state-wide provider of disability services in Victoria, with direct responsibility for client services and business development.Richard has extensive knowledge of, and experience in, managing and developing the delivery of disability and community care services, and a thorough understanding of the emerging challenges and opportunities presented by the NDIS. He also has proven business development capability, having substantially grown DASSI’s services during his 6 year tenure, and well established relationships with major funders and government agencies. Richards’s appointment has come as part of a planned re-organisation of Independence Australia’s Executive Team, which has seen Marcia Baron transition to the position of General Manager, People & Quality, assuming ongoing responsibility for Human Resources, Occupational Health and Safety, Training, Quality and Risk, and the newly created Workforce Development function.As we welcome Richard to the team, I would also like to thank Marcia for leading and supporting the Community Solutions team over the past four years. Marcia’s efforts have enabled us to appropriately position Independence Australia for key industry developments, such as the introduction of the NDIS, whilst continuing to deliver quality services that are responsive to the evolving needs of our clients.

Peter Turner

Congratulations to all within Community Solutions on the success in re-certification! Independence Australia has undergone four external audits in under three months and now all have been successfully completed. We underwent our final stage of the Department of Human Services (DHS) Standards audit in November. The outcome – their recommendation is for Independence Australia Community Solutions to be re-certified for DHS Standards for another three years, and to keep up the good work.Thank you, to all of you who assisted in the lead up to this audit (CS team and HR) and those who participated in the two-day review. Thank you to Marcia for leading such a diligent team!

Richard Burn

Richard Burn

From the General Manager

3Summer 2014 | Inform

Veteran Clients

Veterans' Home CareRing 1300 550 450 and ask for the Veterans' Home Care program.

If you have any queries regarding your current service please contact Independence Australia on 03 9418 0430.

Please let us know if you are going away so we can put your service on hold.

Independence Australia can offer the following services through the Veterans’ Home Care program:

• Domestic Assistance• Personal care• Respite• Home and garden

maintenance

If you require a new service in any of these areas contact Veterans’ Home Care directly.

Order today!T 1300 788 855 F 1300 788 811E [email protected] W www.indepedendenceaustralia.com

Speciality Aids for everyday living.

These products are designed to make everyday tasks achievable for all ages. From putting on socks, doing up a button to preparing meals, everyday activities can now be easy with Vitility.

handSteady® is the world’s first cup with a rotatable handle stopping spills and increasing independence despite arthritis, tremor, weakness or limited dexterity.

handSteady® Drinking Aid

SummerTravel

Aids

Exclusiveto

independence Australia

Folding Walking Stick Oversized Playing Cards Walking Cane Vitility

new

WE HAVE A Winner!

THE WINNER OF THE $200 visa card COMPETITION IS...C. Duffy from Thornbury

The office will be closed from 1pm on Wednesday 24 December 2014 and reopen on Monday 5 January 2015. We wish all of you a safe and enjoyable Christmas.Congratulations

4 Inform | Summer 2014

In Home Service

A s a health psychologist I am very interested in health and wellbeing, which is much more than just the absence of disease or illness. It is a complex

combination of biological, psychological, emotional and social health factors. Wellbeing is also strongly linked to happiness and life satisfaction. Perhaps health and wellbeing could best be described as how you feel about yourself and your life.Positive psychology researchers investigating happiness have found many factors that enhance a person's health and wellbeing including:

• Close personal relationships• Regular exercise • Nutritional diet • Sufficient sleep • Hobbies and leisure pursuits • Healthy self-esteem and self-efficacy• Realistic and achievable goals • Sense of purpose and meaning • The ability to adapt to change

Independence Australia recognises the significant impact of physical disability on personal health and wellbeing. Given this we offer a range of short group programs and workshops to assist our clients to maximise their health and wellbeing and quality of life.

Currently offered programs include:

Disabling PpainprogramThis is a three day pain management program for people who have exhausted medical options to reduce their level of pain. The aim of the program therefore is not to reduce the level of pain but the level of suffering people experience as a result of their chronic pain.

Weight maintenanceThis is a two session workshop usually held with a month between sessions. This allows participants to trial making sustainable changes to their lifestyle to assist with weight loss and maintenance. We offer an additional session six months after the workshop to review progress.

health & wellbeing program Dr Andrew Sinclair

Health Psychologist


Changing unhealthy habits

Most people know what is healthy for them and what is not. What many people struggle with is changing their current unhealthy habits. This one day workshop helps people learn how to replace unhealthy habits with healthy ones.

Improving your sleep

This three session workshop is held over a number of weeks. The first two sessions are held a week apart to allow participants to monitor their current sleep pattern with the last session held a month later to allow participants to make changes to their sleep routines and monitor these changes.

Mindfulness masterclassThis workshop helps people learn about the benefits of mindfulness and to develop their mindful meditation skills. The workshop is delivered either as a full day workshop or 4 weekly sessions of 2 hours.

Stress management workshop for women with disabilitiesThis is a two day workshop specifically for women with disabilities with a week between sessions.

Stand up for yourselfThis is an assertiveness and effective communication workshop held over two days with a week between sessions. This program aims to support personal autonomy and independence.

Relationships and disability

This workshop is for couples where at least one partner has a physical disability to learn ways to build and strengthen their relationship. The workshop comprises 4 weekly half day sessions.

These programs are offered in Collingwood as demand requires and are usually free to attend with lunch provided. Generally you will be required to organise your own transport to sessions and a support worker if required. To find out more about our health and wellbeing program or to register your interest in any of the workshops offered please call 03 9418 0474.

‘Disabling Pain’ workshopEmma Thompson Provisional Psychologist

Independence Australia’s Psychology and Counselling team have developed a series of pain management workshops, entitled ‘Disabling Pain’. Our aim is to deliver a series of free, fully accessible workshops that assist people with disabilities to better understand their pain and develop effective pain management strategies. I had the opportunity to facilitate the first of these workshops in November/December of 2013 with Independence Australia Health Psychologist, Dr Andrew Sinclair. From the facilitators’ perspective, the workshop was a great success. The content was well received by the participants and their feedback has been mostly positive. The interactive and supportive nature of the workshop meant that the participants were able to share their perceptions and experiences of pain with one another. This was reported to be both reassuring and validating amongst the group.The impact of long-lasting pain on wellbeing and quality of life can be devastating and the treatment of chronic pain conditions is often complex. However, the Psychology and Counselling team at Independence Australia are committed to providing ongoing support for people with physical disabilities who live with chronic pain.

If you would like to know more about managing chronic pain or if you are interested in attending a ‘Disabling Pain’ workshop, please contact Dr Andrew Sinclair on 03 9418 0474.

Being told to live with your pain is not the end of the road – it’s just the beginning.Pain is an unavoidable reality for many people with physical disabilities. Its effect on mood and quality of life can be devastating.


Psychology and Counselling

The five ways to show and receive loveOne of the key factors that underpin health and wellbeing is personal relationships. The key to close personal relationships is to foster connection, by showing love and appreciation. It doesn’t matter what our intimate relationship status is (single, dating, married, separated etc.) we are all human beings and all desire to feel love and appreciation.

4

We have many relationships in our lives worth fostering including family, friends, the wider world and even with ourselves. In his bestselling book ‘The five love languages’, Dr Gary Chapman has identified five different ways that we can show and receive love. Here are the five ways that people can feel appreciated:

Words: Verbal compliments or words of admiration are very powerful ways to communicate love. Some people respond

best to positive words of appreciation or expressions of love. This means they actually

prefer a card to a present! You can help these people feel loved and appreciated by sending them a card with beautiful words inside, a thankyou email, inspirational quotes, a poem or the words to an appropriate song.

Physical touch: Physical presence and touch can be crucial for some people to feel and show love. Some people would rather have a

pat on the shoulder, hold hands, or have a hug, than receive an expensive gift.

Quality time: Spending quality time with some people is the main way they know they are appreciated and rewarded. This could be

as simple as talking with them and giving your undivided attention, or doing an activity together

such as watching a movie and being totally present when you do so. This will mean a great deal to them, particularly if they know you are very busy and pressed for time.

Gifts: A gift is a visual symbol of thought and an expression of love. Some people do actually prefer to receive a present and they

like it wrapped, even if it's small. Gifts can be purchased, found or made. It is also one of the

easiest ‘languages’ of love that you can learn to foster.Acts of service: Doing things to show your love, which require planning, thought, time, effort and energy. Some people prefer you to

do things for them as an act of appreciation or love. At home this might include taking the

garbage out, making dinner or mowing the lawn.At this time of the year we often get together with family members and friends. It is a great opportunity to express your love towards others and to notice how they show their love towards you. Over the next couple of months, make the time to notice how important people in your life show and receive love. You may even like to ask your significant other, friend, or family member what it is that helps them feel loved and appreciated by you and vice versa. If appropriate, try and look for the opportunity to tick off each of the different ways to show your love towards these people and notice how this makes them, and you, feel.

Jessica Newhouse Provisional Psychologist

3

2

1

5



What can psychology offer in chronic pain management?Anyone who suffers from persistent pain knows how much it can severely impact health and well being. Although it may seem strange to think so, psychology has come a long way in helping people manage persistent pain. Psychological factors such as mood, beliefs about pain and coping style have been found to play an important role in an individual’s adjustment to persistent pain. In many cases, people respond well to psychological interventions, particularly those that target pain self-efficacy (PSE) and pain catastrophising (PC). PSE reflects the confidence people have in performing activities whilst experiencing prolonged pain. It relates to feelings of control a person has over their pain symptoms and self-management. Interventions that increase understanding and a sense of control over pain have been shown to improve PSE. PC relates to a person’s unhelpful thinking styles and exaggerated negative concepts around the experience of pain. In addition to causing distress, high levels of PC have been linked to disability and depression in chronic pain sufferers. Here at Independence Australia our psychologists are trained in a number of techniques that can help increase pain self-efficacy and reduce pain catastrophising.

Cognitive behavioural therapy for chronic painCognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for chronic pain utilises similar techniques that are used in any CBT intervention, however, the focus is on the psychosocial factors that influence a person’s pain. Therefore, the first goal is to help people alter their perceptions of their pain. The task of the therapist in this instance is to help people see their pain as something that they can learn to manage, rather than something that is overwhelming to them. The second goal of CBT is to provide self-regulatory and stress management skills. Self-regulatory skills include relaxation training, guided imagery and distraction techniques which are all designed to help reduce the client’s autonomic negative response to the pain. This helps the person reduce anxiety around their pain by physically altering their unhelpful physiological



responses. In addition, stress-management skills involve teaching the client how to communicate, problem solve, time manage and plan to ensure they can adequately manage their work and everyday activities, despite their debilitating pain.

Acceptance and commitment therapy for chronic painIn contrast to CBT, which involves cognitive restructuring and challenging thoughts, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) emphasises observing thoughts and feelings as they are, without trying to change them. ACT stresses that even when a person is experiencing chronic pain; it is the struggle with pain (e.g., the client’s pain catastrophising) that causes suffering. For this reason it is fundamentally important that the person continues to behave in ways that are consistent with their valued goals and life directions despite their experience of pain. Within the ACT framework, pain is seen as an inevitable, and in some cases necessary part of living that can be accepted. The extent of a person’s suffering is directly related to the extent to which the person believes and acts on their pain related thoughts. The aim of ACT therapy is to help the client develop greater flexibility in the presence of thoughts, feelings and behaviours associated with pain. Mindfulness is a key element in ACT therapy for chronic pain. By practicing mindfulness strategies, the client can learn to be the observer of the pain, rather than an active participator. This observer perspective is also helpful in maintaining neutral thoughts when unhelpful thoughts and feelings arise. Chronic pain can become debilitating, demotivating and tiresome for those affected. It can wear people down. In the ACT model, value illness is a condition where a

person puts valued activities on hold in order to reduce pain symptoms. Over time, this can affect the person’s relationships, social activities, work satisfaction, and general meaning of life. This severely compromises a person’s self-efficacy. ACT incorporates exercises that help a person identify their values, and identify the extent to which they are living in accordance with those values. The therapy helps the client specifically identify which values are compromised by their activities to avoid or manage pain. It helps them devise strategies for managing pain, whilst maintaining their values, and thus increasing PSE.In recognition of the prevalence of chronic pain in the disability community and the significant impact on people’s lives, Independence Australia offers both individual and group options for Chronic Pain Management. If you would like to learn more, or would like to speak with one of our psychologists please contact Psychology and Counseling on 03 9418 0474.

Arthur Stabolidis Provisional psychologist

Introducing new Team Leader Case Management TeamLisa Booth

Hi! My name is Lisa Booth and I am the new Team Leader of the Case Management team. I am returning to the organisation following a seven year stint at the Transport Accident Commission, where I was the Senior Case Manager. Some of you may recognise me as I previously worked for ParaQuad as a Case Manager from 2004-2007.

I am excited about this new position and have been busy trying to establish the new face of Case Management in alignment with the organisational

updates that are currently underway. On a personal note, I am originally from Canada where I completed my Bachelor of Social Work. In 2003 I spent a year in England and then travelled through Europe before settling in Melbourne with my partner. We have three beautiful daughters aged six and under, and enjoy a quiet lifestyle in the beautiful Macedon Ranges.If you have any questions about Case Management and how our team is evolving, please feel free to come have a chat!


Community Workforce Innovations (CWI)Health and Wellbeing through training and employment.

What will YOU be doing in 2015?Participating in learning and work can be one of the most satisfying activities in life. It helps maintain our sense of worth, utilise our knowledge and skills, actively engage with others and nourish our sense of purpose. As an individual with a disability, have you considered the idea of delivering training to those who want to become support workers?This could include formally accredited and non-accredited training and whilst your personal

experience is important, it’s also important to have relevant qualifications, like a disability qualification and/or a training and assessment qualification. It could be your opportunity to teach others about topics you know intimately and relay to support workers the knowledge they need regarding caring for individuals with disabilities.

Interested in knowing more about training possibilities?Register to attend an information session or find out more about the opportunities which exist call 1300 360 185 or contact www.cwi.com.au

Interested in knowing about employment opportunities for disability trainers? There are many providers that deliver disability qualifications and programs and their details can be found at www.myskills.gov.au

Training and Courses

MINGLECarers Victoria Mingle events (September – October 2014) continue to be hugely popular with more than a thousand carers, from all backgrounds and ages, coming together across Victoria. They all joined in for a well-earned break taking a few hours out from their responsibilities to care for their own wellbeing, catch up with each other and Carers Victoria staff.The theme this year was “Mind, Body and Spirit” and many enjoyed good company, a few surprises and lots of laughs, some even trying out a few new Bollywood dance moves. Community Workforce Innovations and Independence Australia joined them at the Ballarat, Geelong and Melbourne Mingle events. This was a terrific opportunity for Independence Australia to meet with an important group of people within the care sector. Carers Victoria would like to say thank you to all their Mingle event sponsors including City of Melbourne, Melton City Council, City of Ballarat, City of Greater Bendigo, East Gippsland City Council, City of Greater Geelong and The Gwen and Edna Jones Foundation.


Our News

The new Australian Spinal Injury Alliance launched

The Alliance Committee, Tim McCallum (left) and Peter Turner (right).

On 7 October, the Australian Spinal Injury Alliance, representing eight of Australia’s state-based spinal cord injury organisations, launched its vision and approach to deliver a National Spinal Cord Injury Strategy that will lay the foundation for better outcomes, both social and economic, for all Australians who have sustained a spinal cord injury (SCI).The announcement came ahead of Spinal Cord Injuries Awareness Week (9-15 November, 2014) and was welcomed by Senator, the Honourable Mitch Fifield, Social Services.The Hon. Mitch Fifield commented, “The Alliance’s threefold approach of working with stakeholders, promoting coordination and monitoring outcomes will lay the foundation of a sound strategy.”“This collaborative, holistic approach is a good fit for the new world heralded by the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, with its focus on helping people with disability achieve their own goals through a combination of services and supports they have chosen for themselves,” said Senator Fifield.Every day in Australia someone’s life changes in an instant due to a spinal cord injury, with an immeasurable emotional, social and financial impact on the individual, their family, friends and community. The current outcomes for people living with a spinal cord injury in Australia are well short of international best practice. The Alliance’s approach for a National Spinal Cord Injury Strategy is threefold:1. To work with all stakeholders to

agree a set of outcomes most valued by people with a SCI

2. To facilitate discussion, promote coordination, set priorities and actions of the service system to achieve those outcomes

3. To start to measure and monitor outcomes, and take necessary action in response

Tim McCallum, who sustained a Spinal Cord Injury in 1999 due to a swimming accident at a local Perth beach, gave a personal perspective at the day’s launch and commented, “The proposed National Spinal Cord Injury Strategy has the potential to seamlessly connect people to all the support services they need at the time they are needed, and most importantly deliver outcomes of most value to each one of us who has sustained a Spinal Cord Injury. I do believe that the collaborative approach The Spinal Alliance is taking to bring together separate organisations and services will help achieve a goal that would be otherwise difficult to achieve.”

Key outcome priorities include access to support services; equipment; healthcare; information; employment; education; community services, and research. A National SCI strategy would also help to collate robust data on the number of Australians who sustain a Spinal Cord Injury every year.


Our News

On April 29th 1989 whilst playing Australian Rules football for Warrandyte in the outer Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Gary Allsop suffered a broken neck in an on field incident leaving him a quadriplegic. Gary was no longer able to work as a nightclub DJ; had to sell his house and his marriage fell apart. Never one to be negative, Gary slowly picked up his life and set about educating thousands of primary and secondary students about life in a wheelchair and the dangers of diving. He continues to speak to varied community groups about overcoming hurdles, coping with adversity and self-motivation.

Tell me Gary, what are you passionate about?I’m passionate about and committed to, promoting awareness of spinal cord injury, campaigning for spinal cure research funding, as well as talking to schools and community groups about living with a spinal cord injury and spinal injury prevention.

Tell me about your audiences?My audiences have ranged from primary and secondary schools, students at Melbourne and Monash Universities, to AFL Clubs as well as local football clubs. I have also spoken to Lions and Rotary Clubs, Riding for the Disabled, official government press conferences and events, scientific forums and workshops and various other community groups.

What message do you share with these groups?I tailor my presentations to suit the particular audience I am speaking to, although the underlying motivational message remains the same with a common thread to all groups of people.I try to invite each person, (in a friendly, informative and humorous way), into my world and I share with them what it is actually like to live with a spinal cord injury, the personal struggles I have endured, the mental strength and attitude it has taken to cope with my disability, not only now, but also in the initial stages of my injury. I inform my audiences about the many and varied activities I have been involved in, to explain to them that it is possible to live a full and productive life, in spite of having a major disability. My hope is that each person takes away something positive - that is motivational for them personally.

Introducing Gary Allsop

Jo Hall from Channel 9 and Gary Allsop

Your presentations sound inspirational and uplifting. Tell me, what is your motto?It would have to be to never take life for granted and make the most of every moment you have, as you never know what can happen.

How do you take care of your health and wellbeing?Over the years I have gotten to know my body very well and a sense when something may be wrong, but I make sure I have regular visits with my experienced spinal doctor and that I attend all health checkups at the Austin Hospital on a yearly basis. Other than that, all you can do is try to eat a healthy diet, do some exercising if you can and go with the flow of life. However, I do believe it is important to have something to focus on in life, whatever it might be; otherwise life can become very routine, a little bit boring and mentally tougher to cope with!

Of what achievements are you most proud?In May 2003 I held a fundraiser Celebrity Shirts for Spinal Cord Research and with some help from friends and family we raised $90,000. After being involved in that event, I received a Tattersalls Award in March 2004 for enterprise and achievement having demonstrated persistence and determination above the norm. However my proudest achievement was lobbying the Victorian State Government to contribute $63 million into spinal cord research in 2005. This resulted in the birth of the Victorian Neurotrauma Initiative (VNI), which funded many scientific projects into spinal cord and acquired brain injury research.Additionally through an application to the AFL Players Association in 2008 and in conjunction with a nomination from North Melbourne legend Glenn Archer, I was also presented with a grant of $10,000 towards Spinal Cure Australia. Along with many Monash University and International


scientists, Professor Richard Boyd and I then helped form the ‘Monash Neurotrauma Consortium’ that hopes to bring the latest cutting-edge stem cell technology to Australia to help find a cure for spinal cord injury.

What are your hopes for the future?Obviously I would love to get out of my wheelchair and regain some semblance of my life back, which is the reason I have invested so much of my time and energy into campaigning and lobbying for this research. I have always had a keen interest in current research technology and am extremely hopeful of receiving even the smallest of benefits from the likes of up to date stem cell therapies. It would be great to relieve the suffering of many people living with spinal cord injury around the world, both now and in the future in the hope that one day ultimately the scientists will discover a cure. I am currently writing my autobiography, which has been many years in the making and I hope to have it published in 2015.

What is the most exciting thing happening right now?I believe there are very exciting times ahead in the area of spinal cord research! There is a lot happening in the world and many people may have heard about the Polish man who has walked again after scientists inserted stem cells from olfactory nerves taken from his nose! For a long time there has been talk about the potential of this technology, but these results are outstanding! There is also some great work being done by Dr Wise Young and his team in the US and China studying HLA-matched umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (UCBMC), combined with a six week course of lithium, and intense locomotor training. He recently sent me this latest information that, to date, they have transplanted 42 patients with complete chronic spinal cord injury (2-20 years after injury). The treatment appears to be safe and remarkably it has restored locomotor function to a large proportion of the patients.

Fifteen of 20 patients who had 3-6 months of intensive locomotor training after receiving 1.6 to 6.4 million UCBMC are able to walk at least 10 metres, 40% with some assistance and 35% without assistance. In addition, 60% of the subjects no longer required any assistance for their bowel and bladder care, including 55% of the subjects who no longer use catheters. However, although they can walk, the subjects were unable to feel their legs or move them well when they are lying down; indicating that they can initiate the walking, but the movements require sensory feedback. Wise has upcoming phase III trials planned in China, India, Norway, and the U.S and will be utilising functional electrical and vibration stimulation to see if they can improve voluntary muscle movement. I am in touch with Dr Young trying to convince him to bring this technology to Australia. To see more about his work go to www.carecure.org

‘Mum and I would personally like to thank Channel 9, James Brayshaw and all the crew from the Footy Show, everybody in the Nissan Navara Tough Love Team, Harvey Norman, Gateway Concrete Pumping, Home Timber and Hardware, Reece Australia and Recovery Tree Services for your wonderful gift to us, by doing the wonderful makeover at our house. It is all very overwhelming and beyond our wildest dreams and we thank you all sincerely for what you have done for us, it is very much appreciated. We also thank all our friends and family for your wonderful love and support and everybody in the community for your more than kind comments and well-wishes, it is truly emotional and humbling to read and we are truly grateful.’

Letter from Gary to the ‘Nissan Navara Tough Love Team’


Our News

What are you most thankful for?Naturally my mother and father who have looked after me for over 25 years and family and friends who have all been great support to me. Unfortunately my father passed away in May this year, which has been an enormous loss to our family. He was my absolute hero, best friend and role model in life and the inspiration that has given me the strength to get through all of the hard times. He was a true gentleman who is sadly missed by everybody and will always be in my heart.Recently the Nissan Navara Tough Love team from The Footy Show came to our house and built a ramp and an entertaining area at the back of our home as well as installing a new kitchen. As my letter to them shows, we are most thankful.

Bunnings creates tranquillity garden for WilliamstownResidents and staff at Independence Australia’s Williamstown house received a special visit from the Bunnings Altona team in September.To celebrate the move to their new larger warehouse, Bunnings Altona surprised us with a garden blitz in the front yard of the Williamstown house.

A team of seven Bunnings staff overhauled the garden by removing tired old shrubs and landscaping the area with striking foliage plants, timber planter boxes and decorative stones. Redwood bench seating was built around the garden beds, and a magnificent water feature installed.

The finished result is a beautiful tranquillity garden where residents, staff and guests can relax and enjoy outdoor living.

Independence Australia’s Williamstown Team Leader Judy Sweet said “We are so touched by Bunnings’ kindness. Some of the clients like to sit out the front on mild evenings, and sometimes we have lunch out there – this has made it so much nicer for them.”Shayne Weaver, a resident at the house and frequent customer of Bunnings Altona, helped supervise the work and gave it a hearty ‘thumbs up’. Shayne also attended the official opening of the new Altona store, where Independence Australia was presented with a ‘before and after’ photo collage of the project.This project has made a simple yet tangible difference in the lives and wellbeing of our Williamstown residents and staff. This very generous gift from our friends at Bunnings Altona builds upon their earlier contribution of helping us paint the inside of the Williamstown house.All of us at Independence Australia are most grateful for Bunnings’ support. We especially acknowledge Complex Manager Patrick Neicho, who came up with such a thoughtful idea and Activities Organiser Paula Ebenwalder and Operations Manager David Roddis, who helped bring it to life.

Gary is an Honorary Director and Victorian Chairman of Spinal Cure Australia; a not for profit charity raising much-needed funds for Spinal Cord Research. His work involves creating public awareness, gaining publicity and lobbying the State and Federal Governments, corporate sector and general public.www.spinalcure.org.au [email protected]


Our News

Accessibility Weekend 2014The weekend of the 15-16 November saw Victoria’s most popular tourist attractions open their doors for Accessibility Weekend 2014. Organised by Independence Australia and celebrating its 10th year, the event provides free access for wheelchair users and a carer to over 20 of the region’s top attractions.Celebrating the importance of access and inclusion for people living with a physical disability, Accessibility Weekend is held as part of the national campaign, Spinal Cord Injuries Awareness Week (10-16 November).Across the weekend, attractions including The National Gallery of Victoria, Rod Laver Arena and SEALIFE Melbourne Aquarium saw many wheelchair users embracing Accessibility Weekend. Everyone that took part really enjoyed being able to access such a variety of venues for free and safe in the knowledge that they were wheelchair friendly.We asked attendees what they enjoyed most about Accessibility Weekend and here’s what a few of them had to say:

We asked those of you who visited an attraction as part of Accessibility Weekend to send in your snaps for a chance to win a $100 VISA gift card. After looking through some fantastic pictures from across the weekend we are pleased to announce the winner as Sarah Layfield.Sarah visited SEALIFE Melbourne Aquarium during Accessibility Weekend and sent in this wonderful snap. It’s clear to see Sarah had a truly enjoyable day out – congratulations Sarah!

“The amount of people with disability who attended, it is good to see people outside their homes, happy faces, excitement, just a piece of joy.”

“The ability to be able to afford to go out with family and friends.”

“The opportunity to experience something that I would not have done if I'd had to pay an entry fee.”

“Being free from economic barriers, to be inclusive.”

Farewell to JessJess Ferry has resigned from Independence Australia after seven years of fantastic service. Independence Australia, in particular the rostering team and clients and support workers in the North West, will definitely miss her. Our very best wishes go with Jess for the future.Sue Wilson Manager Service Coordinator


Freecall 1800 625 530www.mobilityaids.com.au820 Princes Hwy Springvale, Victoria

Regain your freedom & independenceWe proudly specialise in mobility aids and electric scooters to help you walk or move with greater speed, stability and confidence.

Call today to enjoy• Free assessment, training, and home demonstrations• Full money back guarantee• Unbeatable local service support

A division of Independence Australia

FREE 7-day home trial

Independence Australia is running a series of free local workshops to support people who are caring for a loved one with a disability.The Strengthening Families program will provide assistance in developing the knowledge, skills, and confidence to respond to the needs of a loved one.

The program will develop key skills in optimism, resilience, assertiveness and well-being that will help overcome the challenges associated with supporting someone with a disability.

Delivered by Independence Australia’s fully qualified trainers and psychologists, the Strengthening Families program will consist of four workshops that are run over a two or four week period.

The Strengthening Families program will be run at a variety of locations across Victoria:

Strengthening Families workshops

• Collingwood • Geelong

• Bendigo • Shepparton

All sessions will run from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. You can find more details about these workshops by calling 03 9418 0474 or visiting www.independenceaustralia.com/families.


Order your CHRISTMAS

CARDS TODAY!

Through the purchase of this card the sender has supported Independence Australia. Become a supporter.

www.independenceaustralia.com Printed in Australia.

Independence Australia is a not-for-profit organisation supporting people with a disability or other physical need

to regain, retain and extend their independence.

Through the purchase of this card the sender has

supported Independence Australia. Become a supporter.

www.independenceaustralia.com

Printed in Australia.

Independence Australia is a not-for-profit organisation

supporting people with a disability or other physical need



supported Independence Australia. Become a supporter. www.independenceaustralia.com





Through the purchase of this card the sender has supported Independence Australia.

Become a supporter. www.independenceaustralia.com Printed in Australia.














$15per 12 pack

+ FREE POSTAGE*

PACK6 DESIGNS

MIXED

TO PLACE AN ORDER CALL INDEPENDENCE AUSTRALIA ON 03 9418 0463All proceeds will assist Independence Australia in supporting people living with disabilities

each pack Includes Christmas greetings inside & post preferred envelopes

*FREE POSTAGE WITHIN AUSTRALIA ONLY.


General News

17 PRG REPORT19 SUPPORT GROUP

GOES TO EXPO 20 THE MINDFULNESS

OF HUNGER20 GOOD ADVICE FOR POLIOS20 A NATUROPATH'S ADVICE20 USEFUL INFO20 IRON WILLS AND POLIO

COOKBOOKPOLIOPerspectivesOrder your

CHRISTMAS CARDS TODAY!

Through the purchase of this card the sender has supported Independence Australia. Become a supporter.

www.independenceaustralia.com Printed in Australia.

Independence Australia is a not-for-profit organisation supporting people with a disability or other physical need



supported Independence Australia. Become a supporter.

www.independenceaustralia.com






supported Independence Australia. Become a supporter. www.independenceaustralia.com




















$15per 12 pack

+ FREE POSTAGE*

PACK6 DESIGNS

MIXED

TO PLACE AN ORDER CALL INDEPENDENCE AUSTRALIA ON 03 9418 0463All proceeds will assist Independence Australia in supporting people living with disabilities

each pack Includes Christmas greetings inside & post preferred envelopes

*FREE POSTAGE WITHIN AUSTRALIA ONLY.

PRG report – a sparkling Polio DayThe past three months have been busy, largely setting up our 27th Polio Day at Williamstown on October 25, the day after World Polio Day.Victoria was the only Australian State to hold a Polio Day and on reading reports from other countries, few events occurred around the world.

The big push for the day was the Rotary driven ‘End Polio Now’ vaccination campaign, countered in South American countries particularly, by polio survivors reinforcing the message “We’re Still Here”. There are an estimated one million polio survivors in Brazil alone, where there has been a solid campaign to establish NeuroSciences training at Sao Paulo, requiring special legislation. I was invited to make a short video supporting them, which I did, talking about how comparatively fortunate Victoria is with Polio Services

Victoria based at St Vincent’s Hospital, our support groups and PNV/Independence Australia. (Film can be found on YouTube).As reported in the last edition, we continue to work towards a more just outcome with the NDIS for polio survivors. The NDIS cuts out at age 65 making most of us ineligible. The stated solution was for us to move into Aged Care Services which has no clinical support and will need serious upskilling to cater not only for us, but for people coming out of the NDIS. On raising this problem with Federal MP Greg Hunt, co-convenor of Parliamentary Friends of Polio Survivors, he invited me to write a formal letter to be submitted to Social Services Minister Mitch Fifield which I have done. A similar message was taken to Canberra by Polio Australia delegates on October 29.Our Polio Day however, saw us settle into basic issues of taking control of our lives. The theme was ‘Take the Plunge’, inspired by Bev Watson after I worried about people finding our preferred and magic waterfront

Mary-ann Liethof giving us a pre-launch look at the new Clinical Study put out by PA, Managing Muscles and Mobility for Allied Health Professionals. Details of ordering this are yet to come.


Polio Perspectives

venue at Williamstown. I needn’t have worried of course, we had a terrific turn out, more than 80 polios from around the State.The first speaker was PSV’s co-ordinator Russell Anbiah, who took us through why Hydrotherapy is our best form of exercise. He enjoys it too, getting into the water with clients. Russell’s most important point was that many councils have hydrotherapy pools, but they could disappear if we don’t continue to use them and that we should lobby for easier access, such as ramps and hoists, and water temperatures of at least 34 degrees.Next up was Dr Rowan Molnar, a leading anaesthetist, based at St Vincent’s. Rowan has treated polios and we needed to understand recent developments in anaesthetics, given our tendencies not to wake up well from the old cocktails. His talk was extremely thorough, had an excellent presentation that clearly showed how the virus affected nerve endings and muscles, and described the make up of general and local anaesthetics and how they work. He too encouraged patients to speak up and refuse surgery unless a satisfactory discussion had been held with their anaesthetist.Rhiannon Harrison came to us next from Slater and Gordon to talk about the very necessary subject of Wills and Power of Attorney. There were surprising complications in the event of divorce, so that was not recommended. She said women are mostly concerned to ensure family members get their rings, while men

want their tools to have good homes!During lunch we had the opportunity to learn to play boccia, to browse the wonderful art and craft tables, and talk enthusiastically.During the lunch break, Polio Australia’s program manager Mary-ann Liethof kindly gave us a pre-launch glimpse of the new clinical study for allied health professionals ‘Managing Muscles and Mobility’. In his forward, Dr Stephen de Graaff described it as “a must read for all polio survivors, their treating teams and carers”. The book is available from Polio Australia’s website for $20 plus postage. It was launched in Canberra on October 29.After lunch the Seniors Fire Safety program officer for Melbourne Fire Brigade, Dave Nicholson, gave a terrific talk. He said the number of fire related deaths in recent years had dropped to four from more than 500 over 10 years as people learned the benefits of smoke alarms and planned exits from homes in the event of fire.His gift to each of us was a wooden spoon emblazoned


Support Group News(pun) with the message: ‘Never leave cooking unattended’. Most fires start in the kitchen, though bedroom fires are common for people living alone (ie cigarettes, candles and heaters). Hoarders were their own worst enemies too, he noted. Dave showed us the range of smoke alarms, including one for the visually impaired that has a vibrator; another with a 10 year life battery. These are available via councils more cheaply than retail. Dave urged us to throw out electric blankets after 10 years, when the wiring could be faulty. There was also a strong message on double adaptors – never double them up!Next was Jim Kerin, talking about the benefits of Men’s Sheds, which he described as the world’s healthiest lunchroom culture. The atmosphere in all Men’s Sheds that he visited were of strong fraternity, where men could discuss mental and physical issues, as well as share their skills. His message of the need to get out and contribute was well received, not only by the blokes.Travel and moving around Melbourne easily, wrapped up the day. Peter Whelan, MetroAccess worker for the City, spoke about accessible buildings and a range of community grants available for projects.Ken Haley, Independent Traveller, was the final speaker. Ken has visited 74 countries in his wheelchair and was most entertaining about the pitfalls of being stuck in a taxi in a bog in a Safari Park at night. Paraplegic rather than a polio, he has thought deeply about the psychology of disability. His view was that one’s personality resumes its former shape once the shock of losing mobility fades. (For us affected in childhood, the shape may adapt differently. But that’s another story).Ken, a ‘reformed journalist’, has written several books about his travels including ‘Emails from the Edge’ and ‘Europe at 2.4km’. A satisfying queue formed afterwards to buy them from him.Polio Day 2014 was the work of a small but dynamic committee: Bev Watson, myself and the marvellous Georgie Stayches of Fetching Events, who managed the speakers, produced bulging show bags, the magnificent venue and so many details.Next year is the turn of the East, while 2016 sees 60 years since the introduction of the Salk vaccine. This date we could mark with another city Polio Day, featuring one special guest speaker to draw attention to whatever issues may have emerged by then.My thanks to everyone who made Polio Day 2014 such a success, including the big team from Independence Australia, David Maxwell, photographers and videographers.

Fran Henke

John van Delft enjoying the view at lunchtime

Jim Kerin on Men’s Sheds

Dave Nicholson, Member of the Fire Brigade demonstrating the fire blanket


The Portion Plate

The mindfulness of hungerThe following extracts about nutrition and healthy eating habits are from the new Polio Day Cookbook, Fine Food for the Fatigued 2014, and its handy size is about making that cooking task more attractive, with polio savvy information and recipes. Proceeds from the book go to Polio Network Victoria to continue providing information and support to polio survivors around the State.What to eat and how much?Karen Binks Physiologist and Nutritionist, spoke about Eating for Energy at Polio Day 2013 in Geelong. This was a popular talk and polio-relevant, so with Karen’s permission, the talk has been mined for goodies. She first asked:

• What should we be eating? • How much should we be eating? • Why we should eat?

Karen likened our bodies to the vehicles for life. Are you:

• A paddock bomb,• A high performance model, • A city runabout or, • Something with a bit of muscle (not really us

these days)Next question was: what kind of fuel is going to give our vehicle the best mileage? In a machine she pointed out, there are mechanisms that tell us when to add fuel and how much to put in. Thinking, feeling human beings are more complicated, with all kinds of pressures on what to eat and when.“It can be really difficult to know whether your fuel tank is full or empty,” Karen noted. The answer was to enjoy a wide variety of nutritious food from these five (5) food groups – EVERYDAY:

• Vegetables - Plenty of different types and colours, PLUS legumes and beans

• Fruit • Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or their alternatives

(mostly reduced fat) • Lean meats and poultry, fish,

eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, • Whole grain (cereal) foods, eg

breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, polenta, couscous, oats, quinoa, and barley

And drink plenty of water.

Knowing how much of each of those groups to eat came next: What is a ‘standard serve’ and are we ‘standards’? No we are not. Many of us have limited abilities to burn fuel during our days spent seated with wheels, or supported by sticks. Serves of fruit and vegetables per day for example, for adults aged 50-70+ were around five serves. A standard serve of most veggies is considered half a cup, with a full cup for green leafy or raw salad vegetables.Moving on to lean meat, fish, eggs and tofu, two and a half serves daily for our age group was recommended. The guideline for a serve of meat is the size and thickness of your palm.Foods to limit were of course, our comfort foods: chocolate, ice cream, cakes, alcohol, etc. Yes, we deserve treats, but in small doses and not often.

Size countsKaren asked: What do you think matters most in weight management: the type of food we eat - or how much? This was illustrated by the Portion Plate: half vegetables; quarter protein, meat, fish, eggs; quarter carbs such as corn, rice, bread, potatoes.Meal planning is the key to eating for energy. Karen recommended deciding on the meals and snacks we will eat during a week, making a shopping list and only buying what’s on the list. Always avoiding shopping when hungry.

Non-hungry eatingDo we:

• eat more when feeling stressed? • eat because it’s time to eat, even if not hungry? • eat when not hungry or when full? • reward with food? • regularly eat until “stuffed”? • feel safe when you eat? • feel like food is a friend? • eat to calm and soothe when sad, mad, bored,

anxious, lonely, etc ?• feel powerless or out of control around food? • eat because of “childhood habits”? • have to finish what’s on your plate? • often say - “I deserve this!?"

Polio Perspectives


The Portion Plate

Polio Perspectives

Half vegetables

Quarter protein

Quarter carbs


Learn to recognise the difference between emotional and physical hunger

EMOTIONAL hunger PHYSICAL hungerEmotional hunger comes on suddenly

Physical hunger comes on gradually

Emotional hunger feels like it needs to be satisfied instantly

Physical hunger can wait

Emotion hunger craves specific comfort foods

Physical hunger is open to options – lots of things sound good

Emotional hunger isn’t satisfied with a full stomach

Physical hungers stops when you are full

Emotional eating triggers feelings of guilt, powerlessness and shame

Eating to satisfy physical hunger doesn’t make you feel bad about yourself

Suggestions for self-management of non hungry/emotional eating

• Eat mindfully and in the moment • Do your best to only eat when physically hungry • Tune into your senses • Take 5 minutes doing something else before

you choose to eat • Don’t restrict foods. Tell yourself “I can have

it if I want it, but am I really hungry for it?” • Avoid eating when you are distracted such as

in the car or in front of the TV • Eat from a plate – don’t eat out of a packet.

(you can’t see how much you are eating) • Keep a food diary • If you need to “soothe yourself” take a hot

shower or a bath/call a friend/get out into the fresh air.

Using food from time to time as a “pick me up”, a reward or to celebrate is not a bad thing, but if eating is a coping mechanism then the real feeling or emotion may never really be addressed. Learn to accept your feelings even the “bad ones”.For additional support make contact with your GP, Independence Australia’s psychologist, a local dietician or nutritionist via a Community Health Centre.

Polio Perspectives


Polio Perspectives

Good advice for polios, especially about proteinNot eating properly only increases fatigue The following advice and experiences are post-polio specific. Dr Lauro S. Halstead, professor, physician, author and polio survivor put himself on what he thought was a sensible diet but was still exhausted. He then went to a nutritionist. As it turned out, everything he was doing was wrong.Writing for Post Polio Health (Winter edition 1998) he said: ‘The bananas and orange juice were 'empty' calories, the soft drinks were a sugar fix, and my lunch was skimpy at best. My biggest sin was the small amount of protein I was eating (about 5-6 ounces per day). Dr Halstead started investigating the role of proteins:‘Proteins are in all human cells. In fact, they form the basic building blocks for each cell, its metabolism, and life itself… Most importantly for persons with post-polio syndrome, the largest "consumer" of protein in the body is muscle. For the muscles to have a fighting chance to maintain or increase their strength, there has to be a generous amount of protein in the diet. We are not carnivores by chance,’ he wrote - then he went on a "nutritional makeover."Dr Halstead chose to eat lean meat regularly, with nuts, fish, eggs, oatmeal, anything else with protein. He ate less fruit for snacks.The results? His daily intake of protein more than doubled to at least 12 ounces per day, his total

calories went to between 1800-2000 per day. His weight was unchanged. “The best part is that my "good" arm, which used to be tired all the time, feels stronger, gets less fatigued at the end of the day, and seems to recover faster when it gets overworked,’ Dr Halstead concluded.

Speed countsAt a Polio Day/Retreat talk on nutrition we were given a handful of raisins, invited to put one into the mouth, to feel it slowly with the tongue, then very slowly roll it around the mouth and finally chew, enjoying the flavour. This practice could be extended to our meals, making them more enjoyable and last longer, we were advised. Yes, fine. As long as the food involved is worth savouring.

Anti-inflammatories and PPSPolio survivor and Canadian microbiologist Marcia Falconer, on her visit to Australia, advised us to focus on anti-inflammatories. These include fish (salmon, anchovies and sardines) broccoli, sweet potato, extra virgin olive oil, blueberries, cranberries and strawberries, ginger, washed down with green tea. Dr Falconer managed to improve her mobility, also using meditation to reduce stress levels and appropriate exercise with such a diet.


Polio Perspectives

A community website for people with spinal cord injury in Victoria and throughout Australia. Visit the website for comprehensive information about spinal cord injury, how to keep healthy, how to access supports and services and tips for returning to work and leisure and engaging in the community.

Register now to contribute on discussion forums and comment on articles on the website.www.spinalhub.com.au

According to Dr. Richard Bruno, who developed the Protein Power Diet at the Post-Polio Institute, an ideal diet for a polio survivor who weighs 68 kilos includes 70 grams of protein each day. A protein-rich breakfast is especially important and should contain about 16 grams of protein, such as two eggs and an English muffin, which provide 16.5 grams. Lunch, dinner and any between-meal snacks should also contain high-protein foods, such as poultry or lean meats, dairy products and protein-enriched breads, to bring the daily protein total to 70 grams.Dr. Susan Creange at The Post-Polio Institute discovered that polio survivors with blood sugar levels in the low normal range have as much difficulty paying attention and concentrating as would diabetics with blood sugars as low as if they had taken too much insulin. Polio survivors “type A diet”– three cups of coffee for breakfast, skipping lunch and eating pizza for dinner – is actually starving their nervous systems and causing PPS symptoms,’ wrote Dr Creange. The less protein polio survivors had at breakfast the more severe were their daily weakness and fatigue.Why do polio survivors function as if they have low blood sugar and report more symptoms when they don't eat protein at breakfast? Because polio survivors are running nervous systems on "half a tank of gas". About 50 percent of all brain stem and motor neurons were killed by the poliovirus. What's worse, the metabolic apparatus – the internal power plant – of the neurons that survived the original infection was severely damaged. Dr Creange found that even normal levels of blood sugar were not enough to fuel the remaining poliovirus-damaged, metabolically impaired neurons. And that's where protein at breakfast comes in.Protein provides a long lasting, "slow-release" supply of blood sugar throughout the day. Polio survivors who had protein for breakfast reported fewer PPS symptoms because their fuel tank stayed full longer. They didn't need to "fill up" throughout the day with short-lasting

sugar fixes.

Dr Bruno summed up: ‘Polio survivors don't want to slow down or rest, not only because they're afraid if they are less Type A people won't like them, but also because they are afraid of gaining weight if they become more sedentary. But they shouldn't be afraid. Food is good! Eating properly doesn't lead to becoming fat, and it actually reduces PPS symptoms’.

Other Nutrients

Staying at a healthy weight is especially important for polio survivors, since extra weight can strain weakened muscles easily, putting stress on joints and bones. Polio survivors also benefit from avoiding saturated fats found in fatty meats, full-fat dairy products and other foods. Whenever possible, replace these with healthy, polyunsaturated oils such as olive and peanut oils, choose reduced or non-fat dairy products.

On Dr Bruno’s chart of ‘great’ foods were: cottage cheese, salmon, yoghurt, tofu, eggs. Un-great were: egg McMuffins, three rashers of bacon, coffee.

“Don’t try to stimulate a tired body with coffee or sugar. It makes more sense to nourish it” – Michael McIntyre

The protein list:

• Meats: chicken breast, turkey, pork tenderloin, lean minced beef, steak (lean cut) lamb, veal, ham

• Fish: salmon, tuna, cod, crab, prawns• Hardboiled eggs• Nuts: almonds (1oz), walnuts (1oz), pistachios,

pumpkin and sunflower seeds • Peanut butter, tofu, chickpeas (hummus),

black beans• Cottage cheese, greek yoghurt, cheese


A naturopath’s advicePeninsula Natural Therapies’ Michael McIntyre, spoke persuasively at the Polio Australia Retreats, at Mt Eliza, Victoria in 2011 about common sense nutrition and health.“So-called orthodox medicine has only been used since 1930s when doctors and pharmaceutical companies teamed up,” he said.“Genuinely traditional medicine has been used for thousands of years”.Michael said that drugs can over-ride the body’s natural healing abilities as they are synthesized from plants and not all the components are identified. A prime example was calcium made from grinding up bones from abattoirs producing calcium carbonate that the body has trouble assimilating.Victoria Wharfe McIntyre added to the discussion her list of sugar, alcohol, wheat, dairy products, processed foods, nightshades (potatoes), eggplant, capsicum and chilli as acidifying creating more inflammation and pain.

Foods that de-acidify the system included parsley, cabbage, celery, barley, green veggies and two litres of water daily, she said.Smoking leaches vitamin C while alcohol leaches vitamin B from the body, Michael said.“If you must smoke and drink replace the vitamins”.“If food comes in plastic avoid it. If it grows eat it, if not don’t – Tim Tams don’t grow on trees,” he said. A lot of obesity problems were caused by emotional problems, address those and weight falls off, Michael said.He pointed out more recently that polios may try to stimulate a tired body with coffee or sugar when it made more sense to nourish.“Have a vegie juice instead. You will feel more replete and more energized,” he advised.

Polio Perspectives

Calcium » Leafy greens: cabbage,

spinach, parsley, broccoli, silver beet

» Dried fruits esp. figs, dates, raisins, apricots, currants

» Seeds esp. sesame, sunflower

» Nuts esp. almonds, walnuts

» Avocado » Fish » Olives » Kelp, tahini, hummus » Onions » Lentils » Lettuce » Beans » Soy products

Magnesium » Corn » Parsley » Spinach » Silver beet » Brussel sprouts » Cabbage » Beans » Peas » Figs » Nuts esp. almonds,

walnuts » Grains esp. barley » Kelp

Potassium » Olives*

» Peas, beans* » Leafy greens: parsley,

spinach, kale, silver beet, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, watercress, lettuce

» Root vegetables esp. yams, potatoes, beetroot, carrot

» All dried fruits » Whole wheat, barley » Nuts, seeds except

Macadamia » Avocado » Bananas » Soybeans » Eggplant » Kelp » Rhubarb » Tomatoes » Turnips » Mushroom » Garlic » Bamboo shoots » Lentils*

Sodium » Leafy greens: celery,

spinach, silver beet » Dried figs, dates* » Lentils, beans* » Kelp, fish » Tomatoes » Green olives » Organic eggs » Strawberries » Molasses

Iron » Leafy greens: spinach,

parsley, silver beet, cabbage, lettuce, asparagus, leeks

» Dried legumes: lentils » Dates, figs, raisins » Barley, wheat, oats » Radish, onion, beetroot » Pumpkin, fish » Kelp, poultry, eggs » Organic meats

Silica » Oats, barley » Dates, dried figs » Strawberries

Phosphorous » Leafy greens: brussel

sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, watercress,

» Kale, beans » Grains esp. wheat,

barley, rye, oats, corn, rice

» Cucumber » Pumpkin » Radish » Rhubarb » Mushrooms » Soybeans, lentils, peas » Almonds, walnuts » Meat, fish, egg yolk

Fluorine » Leafy greens: spinach,

watercress, parsley » Garlic, egg yolk

» Goats milk, seafoodChlorine » Leafy green esp.

cabbage, spinach, lettuce, celery

» Lentils, tomatoes » Dried figs » Kelp, fish » Beans

Sulphur » Leafy greens: spinach,

cabbage, watercress, brussel sprouts

» Horseradish, radish, carrots

» Beans, onions, garlic » Dried figs, dates

Zinc » Sunflower, pumpkin

seeds » Seafood esp. oysters » Mushrooms » Soybeans, brewers

yeast » organic meats

Chromium » Brewers yeast, whole

grainsSelenium » Garlic, onions » Brewers yeast » Broccoli, tomatoes » Whole grains esp.

wheat » Iodine

» Seafood, kelp, tuna, herring

Manganese » Dried fruit, nuts, whole

grains, buckwheatCopper » Seafood esp. crayfish,

prawns, mussels » Organic meats esp.

lambs fry » Nuts, dried stone fruit » Dried legumes

Vitamin A & Carotenes » Carrots, pumpkins » Leafy greens » Organic meats

Vitamin C » All fruits, veges esp.

sprouted seeds » Rose hips/ citrus fruits » Green peppers » Cherries

Vitamin D » Fatty fish esp. salmon,

herring, sardines, tunaVitamin E » Nuts, seeds, cold

pressed oils, liver, meatVitamin K » Leafy greens: broccoli,

cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower

» Milk, yoghurt, egg yolk » Pork, organic meats

Nutrient Rich Foods * extra good source of the mineral


Useful Information

Polio Australia

03 9016 7678

Polio Services

Victoria

03 9288 3900

Post Polio Victoria

0431 702 137

Breakdown Service

(RACV)

131 111

Carers Australia

1800 242 636

Centrelink (Disability)

132 717

Centrelink (Aged)

132 300

Commonwealth

Respite & Carelink

Centres

1800 052 222

Council on the

Ageing (COTA)

03 9654 4443

Disabled Motorists

Australia

03 9386 0413

Independent Living

Centre

03 9362 6111

TADVIC

03 9853 8655

State-wide

Equipment Program

1300 747 937

Polio Support Groups

BallaratWednesday (bi-monthly)Bayside (Hampton) First Tuesday (monthly)BairnsdaleBendigoSaturday (bi-monthly)EasternThird Saturday (monthly)GeelongFirst Monday (monthly)

EchucaHumeSecond Saturday (monthly)Knox-Yarra RangesSecond Tuesday (monthly)Mornington Peninsula Second Saturday (monthly)Northern (Coburg) First Saturday (monthly)Shepparton

South Eastern Second Saturday (monthly) TraralgonThursday (bi-monthly)WarrnamboolFourth Tuesday (monthly)

For more information regarding the groups, contact David Maxwell on 03 9418 0460.

Support group goes to ExpoMornington Peninsula Post Polio Support Group took the opportunity to have an information stall at Peninsula Health’s second annual Ageing Well Expo, held during Seniors Week in October.The Expo was designed to showcase services and facilities on the peninsula for seniors. Free buses were put on from Frankston, Mornington, Blairgowrie and Hastings, which gave people the opportunity to attend. These were well used, judging from the packed halls of the New Baptist Church at Mt Martha.

Exhibitors included Medicare Locals, Beyond Blue, Community Health Centers, residential aged care villages, Alzheimers Australia, CFA, Probus, U3A, aids and equipment suppliers.

Checks were available for blood pressure, vision loss, hearing, balance, and diabetes risk. Nutrition was seen as important with a talk on Eating across Generations plus Cooking for One demonstrations.

Given the peninsula’s big population of retirees, the group believed it would be a good opportunity to find other polio survivors who were not members as well as talk to stall holders about post polio syndrome.

We visited each of the other stalls, handing out our directory, the PNV poster, and were well received. We found several ‘old polios’, a lapsed member of the group, and numerous people with friends or relatives who had polio. Well worth the effort.

Fran Henke

Fran Henke, Peter Harradine and Mornington Peninsula Post Polio Support Group chair Dennis Lloyd at the Peninsula Health Ageing Well Expo, held at Mt Martha on October 8 2014

Polio Perspectives

Iron Wills – Victorian Polio Survivors’ storiesTold by Victorians struck down by the poliomyelitis virus, these stories describe how lives changed, mostly in early childhood, from diagnosis, to treatment, school, work, and to the dreadful discovery that worse was yet to come: the late effects of polio.Their accounts reveal often painful and funny, highly personal, aspects of the epidemics. How families managed the often tough treatment meted out, also many wonderful ongoing relationships with physiotherapists, nurses and doctors.Then comes the bombshell: how could there be a comeback? It took years to convince the medical profession and even family members that Post Polio Syndrome was a reality. But through the fraternity of survivors through support groups, our own research and self-management has been the salve.Illustrated by photographs from family albums, as well as historical pictures, the aim is to validate the journey, to provide a unique record for others to learn from, before it’s too late.

Polio Network Victoria

Victorian Polio Survivors’ StoriesIron WillsA unique account of epidemic and aftermath

Iron Wills – Victorian Polio Survivors’ Stories

A unique account of epidemic and afterm

ath

PNV IronWillsCover 2012.indd 3 10/09/2012 1:57:18 PM

Iron Wills $20 each Order Quantity

Polio Cookbook $15 each Order Quantity

+ Postage (AU $3, Intl $15) Total $

My Details

Name

Address

Phone

Email

Payment Details

Cheque Money Order (Make payable to Independence Australia)

Visa MasterCard Amex Diners

Cardholder Name

Card Number

Expiry / CCV (3 digits on back)

Signature

Iron Wills and Polio Cookbook order form

Please send completed form to David Maxwell [email protected] Independence Australia, 208 Wellington Street, Collingwood VIC 3066

The Polio Day Cookbook – fine food for the fatiguedMore publications were found in a recent archives clean up. Only $15 per copy. A new edition is planned for early 2015 which will include extra recipes. Stay tuned for more information.


Independence Australia offer a wide range of specialist community support services and accommodation options.

Our services include:

Supporting people with a disability or other physical need to regain, retain and extend their independence

• In-home Support• Accommodation and Housing• Respite• Counselling• Case Management

• Outreach Support• Recreation• Information• Post Polio Support

For enquiries please contact us on 1300 704 456 or service.enquiry @independenceaustralia.com

CS AdvertA4 2012.indd 1 29/03/2012 11:33:14 AM

Documents

Inform ~ Summer edition 2014/15