It really has been such a pleasure speaking with George Taleporos in his Reasonable and Necessary podcast, discussing such a relevant and important issue. COVID-19 will probably affect us all, or at least someone close to us.
Angela (Anj) Barker’s Experience – I got COVID-19 and was forced into hospital
The Summer Foundation’s Information Service and Lived Experience Advisor, Emma Gee, again chats with one of the organisation’s Lived Experience Facilitators, Shanais Nielsen, about coming out of lockdown and planning to live in the new ‘COVID’ world.
The Summer Foundation’s Curator, Emma Gee, chats with 1 of the organisation’s Lived Experience Facilitators, Shanais Nielsen, about their experiences of living in lockdown.
The new ‘Call-to-Test’ COVID-19 service is a topic of discussion for many people with disability at the moment.
This free service is for people in metropolitan Melbourne, who have COVID-19 symptoms but cannot leave home due to injury or mobility problems. To access this service, a referral to a GP is needed from a telehealth consultation.
Once you have a referral you can call the 1800 675 398 hotline.
A nurse will visit your home within 48 hours of the service receiving the GP referral. You will be encouraged to remain in isolation for a few days until the results are given to you.
Gina, a Summer Foundation Program Officer in our Lived Experience Team interviewed some people with disability in our network about their experience of this new ‘Call-to-Test’ Procedure.
“Smile Em,” my sister instructs from behind her camera.
I’m sitting fully masked (posing as directed) with my nieces and nephew standing at the required COVID distance.
Personally, COVID-19 hasn’t really impacted me in a bad way and has actually been a lovely opportunity to spend quality time with my family. I have really missed my support workers though, as they have not been able to come to my home during this time.
Q: What has been your biggest concern during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Staying COVID-free mainly… Especially in a household where we have support workers coming and going. Luckily I have a great team of women supporting me who understand that keeping me safe means keeping themselves and their families safe too. As long as everybody is doing their part to do that, we can prevent the spread amongst ourselves and our loved ones.
Q: What has been your biggest concern during the COVID-19 pandemic?
My biggest worry is getting COVID-19, because I have no idea and no control over who people who come into my home are mixing with outside my home. I worry someone will have come into contact with COVID-19 and then I will get it. It was really difficult to get masks, gloves or hand sanitiser.
Q: Why is having easy access to PPE important to you?
Because it hard to access anything especially PPE. PPE protects me from catching COVID-19 and I feel safer when people are at least wearing masks when they are in close contact with me.