To become more independent and gain more choice and control, she decided that enough was enough, and it was time to get a car and modify it for her needs.
Through support from family, friends, and the community, Alison was able to purchase the car she wanted and, through working with a HenderCare Occupational Therapist, get the modifications funded through the NDIS.
We sat down with Alison to chat about her experience.
Why did you make the decision to purchase your own car?
Alison: I got frustrated with taxis not turning up and having to be on a schedule with them. You had to catch a taxi when it wasn’t a busy period for them. If you only wanted to go short distances, they wouldn’t come because it wasn’t worth their while. It really got to me in the end.
After purchasing your own car, what type of modifications needed to be completed?
Alison: The floor needed to be dropped; it has a ramp on it, so it’s lightweight, and the front straps retract. It’s an 8-seater, so they had to remove the back row so I would have more room. I also had to consider my workers working around in it – they need to buckle me in and stuff, so it had to be practical for everyone.
How was your Occupational Therapist able to support this process?
Alison: I rang Adam (her OT), and he said, “You want to do what?!”. Adam was supportive all the way – even though he got a few frustrating phone calls throughout the process.
He knows a lot more than what I do; he is an encyclopedia, that man. It was an experience he had never done before, so he was learning along the way.
How are things now that you have your own car?
Alison: I have no restrictions now. I’m catching up with my best friend, and we’re spending a few hours together. I don’t know where we are going, but I told her, “To choose the destination, and I’ve got the transport”.
It means that I don’t have to rely on a time schedule, and I don’t have to choose just one destination. Now, we can just stop at multiple places on the way.
Do you have any plans now that it is easier to access the community?
Alison: I want to make a documentary called “Inaccessible Adelaide”, which I couldn’t do without a car. I want to showcase the hard bits. I honestly think that the disabled community is a forgotten community. It’s very early stages.
We are glad to see Alison so happy with her result. It looks like Sky (Alison’s dog) is also very happy with the new car.
If you would like to follow her accessibility journey on social media, you can follow her at @inaccessible_adelaide on Instagram.
We reached out to Alison’s Occupational Therapist, Adam, who had this to say:
“It has been amazing to be able to work with Alison to achieve her goal of increasing her independence in accessing the community. This was, I believe, roughly 2-3 years overall from the original idea to us trialling and applying for the vehicle modifications and then the modifications occurring.
Alison is such a motivated yet patient person – I know it was a long time for it all to come together, but I am so glad Alison’s goal was to be made possible.”
To learn more about Occupational Therapy services with HenderCare, click here.