It’s Ok to Not be Ok – by Alicia Kapa
Life can get really hectic at times. Sometimes for a few days or weeks, but sometimes it can feel like forever and that there is going to be no end. Today, the world is completely different from what it was in January. It is full of uncertainty, anxiety, stress and a lot of tears. But there is also a lot of love and things to be grateful for if we take a moment to stop and think.
Meet Nutthaya Taeng-on (aka Nutty), Invacare’s Customer Service Representative in Thailand
Nutthaya Taeng-on (aka Nutty) is our Customer Service Representative in Thailand, and she loves the flexibility her role offers and dealing with so many different people from around the world.
“My responsibilities involve both export and domestic, and they provide me with many opportunities to connect with people, which I love. My role also includes a great deal of cultural diversity and I enjoy learning about different cultures and relish supporting these people in meeting their goals.”
When standard mobility equipment doesn’t work, what other options are there? – by Luke Meighan, Biomedical Engineer
Throughout my professional career, I have used a considerable amount of time and brainpower looking for solutions to people’s equipment needs. The cookie-cutter approach rarely works best, everyone is different, each situation is unique. This is reflected in the mountain of products available today, try Googling ‘wheelchair’ and see what comes up. How you navigate through the jungle can be no easy feat, thankfully there are many in this area who can help guide you through the selection and trial process, funding applications and more.
Meet Ranunthorn Kooramasuwan, Regulatory Affairs Manager-Asia Pacific.
Ranunthorn loves her job and says that she is drawn to the challenges it presents her each day. “My role is Regulatory Affairs. This means that I deal with the authorities, for instance, Thai Customs, Thai FDA and the Excise Department. Invacare is a medical device importer company, so we have to follow the rules and regulations of each authority in each county. For every medical device and accessory, we have to obtain official approvals.”
How to endure pain – by Ian Walker
Discomfort, ache, agony, soreness are all words that mean the same thing. Pain!
Now pain is something that generally I try to avoid, however, this is not always possible because as many who also suffer from an incomplete spinal cord injury as I do will know, we endure pain every single day.
However, I discovered ways to ease the pain, to soften it, to pad it with something, so I don’t have to feel the full impact of it:
Dreaming of Tokyo – by Susan Seipel
The Summer Paralympics in Tokyo should be on right now, August 23rd- September 6th. The Games were, of course, postponed for the first time in history because of the coronavirus outbreak.
In early March this year, the WHO called Covid-19 a pandemic, that same week I was competing at the Paracanoe selection trials. Having satisfied all the selection criteria by winning both my kayak and outrigger canoe races, I was excitedly awaiting the official announcement of my selection onto the Australian Paralympic Team.
What living with a disability has taught me about self-care and connecting during isolation - by Jess Cochran
No matter who you are or where you’re from we are all finding ourselves in a truly unique situation of a globally shared journey and challenge. COVID-19 has impacted everyone around the world, there isn’t a place or person it hasn’t affected in some way. Although it’s definitely a scary and uncertain time we have also learnt just how important it is to connect and practice self-care.
Having your say on public policy and affects you – by Geoff Trappett OAM
How do you go about having your say on public policy decisions that are important to you as a disabled person? Why should you?
Whether it be commenting on the development of a new National Disability Strategy, the Australian Building Codes Board consultation on accessible housing or reviews of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport (DSAPT) there are many pieces of work underway that will have a direct effect on how you as a disabled person interact with the world as an Australian citizen.
Speaking your language – by Charlotte Palmer, Physiotherapist
Upgrading the equipment of a hospital or rest home could make staff and patients’ lives easier, or make a normal task more of a chore. We have recently won the tender to replace the Canterbury District Health Board’s mattresses. This includes training on the Softform Premier Active 2 mattress and pump for 12 hospitals, all of which are different sizes and have different patient demographics.
Meet Thepdanuj Danswasvong (Kare), Invacare Asia’s Marketing Associate
Thepdanuj Danswasvong (Kare), Invacare Asia’s Marketing Associate, loves the culture of his workplace and the working environment of the company, saying that, “we help and support each other.”