Jun 13, 2018

Domestic Violence: Notes from the Womentalks Teleconference

Vicki Alipasinopoulos

 

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On March 22nd, 11 members of the National Women’s Branch took part in a teleconference to talk about a disturbing topic for women today, domestic violence.

During the link-up, participants heard from Psychotherapist and author Marina Bakker, who spoke about her book Dangerous Liaisons: Red Flags of Dating and Relating, which is available in audio through the Vision Australia Library.

Two recommendations came out of the session:

  1. That regular phone-based Womentalks continue to discuss specific topics, such as Safety Planning;
  2. That refugees are educated on the needs of, and issues faced by, women who are blind or vision impaired.

Participants were provided with the website for the service, 1800Respect, listed below, which offers information about:

  • Domestic violence/ abuse;
  • safety planning;
  • Services available to people who are experiencing domestic violence/ abuse.

1800Respect also provides a 24-hour phone counselling service on 1800 737 732 as well as online counselling.

If you would like to talk further about any matters related to violence and abuse against women, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me by phone or email, using the details in our contact directory.

 

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Jun 13, 2018

Report from the National Women’s Branch

Janene Sadhu, President

 

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2018 is proving to be a busy year for our branch.

We are continuing to focus on the important subject of domestic violence and abuse against women, and are planning to develop a practical resource for women, and a mechanism to offer ongoing support to women who have experienced violence and abuse. These projects are being coordinated by Vicki Alipasinopoulos.

We conduct regular Womentalks teleconferences, where women can get together to talk about specific topics of concern or interest. These have included domestic violence and abuse (more details in this BC News), wellbeing with guest speakers NWB members Meredith Prain and Pearl Sumner, and the pros and cons of working with a dog to enhance mobility, an informative discussion led by NWB committee member Lisa Hayes.

Further Womentalks will take place in July, September and November this year. If you have not taken part yet, are a female member of the Women’s Branch and would like to get involved in this excellent way to share information and meet other branch members via the phone, please contact me using the details provided in the directory at the end of this issue. Participating in a Womentalks teleconference will cost you the charge to a Melbourne phone number on your current phone plan.

Our branch is again hoping to present workshops at BCA State Forums later in the year. News about these will be distributed through New Horizons, SoundAbout, radio programs presented by Peter Greco, and on our Womentalks and VIP Grandparents email lists.

We are also concerned about keeping in touch with those branch members who maybe feeling isolated or a bit lonely. To this end, we would like to invite anybody who would welcome an occasional phone call from a fellow NWB member to get in touch. A chat over the phone is a great way to talk about what’s happening in the world, share your news with someone, and make a new friend. It’s the next best thing to having a visit with someone and distance is no barrier.

So please don’t be shy in putting your name forward if you’d like to receive a call.

As NWB members know, the summer issue of our Aspirations magazine was Jenny Dawson’s final edition as Editor; we now have two co-Editors for the magazine, Rowena Dowling and Vicki Alipasinopoulos. We look forward to reading their first magazine later in the year.

Our Scales Away cook book is still available on MP3 disc or thumb drive for $30, or via email for $20. We’ve made it even easier to purchase, as the BCA office is now accepting payments for this publication. The office is also processing our $10 joining fee for our Women’s Branch, so if you are a current BCA member who would like to join us, please contact BCA.

As always, we welcome suggestions, comments and feedback, so please get in touch if you would like to.

Finally, in April members of our branch were saddened to learn of the death of one of our long-time members, Dolly Lee. Dolly was a trail blazer, an inaugural member of BCA in SA, and her generous spirit and ability to advocate for issues that matter will live on in our National Women’s Branch – Rest in Peace Dolly Lee.

For information about contacting the National Women’s Branch, please see the directory of contact details.

 

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Jun 13, 2018

On Blindness and Mental Health

Louise Pearson

 

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Editor’s Note

In a session at last year’s National Convention, panelists discussed the intersection between blindness and emotional well-being. Bonnie Sturrock, from the Centre for Eye Research, revealed that 43 per cent of vision impaired people suffer from depressive symptoms, compared to only 16 per cent of the general adult population.

That session has inspired a clearly necessary conversation about the causes of this discrepancy. Louise Pearson’s account of her personal experience chimes with some of the comments from attendees, and offers practical advice and an optimistic approach to overcoming the obstacles we face when we’re struggling with our mental health.

***

As I sit, hands poised above my braille keyboard, I find myself wondering how it is that I, of all people, suddenly feel the urge to write about blindness and mental health, and where the two might meet.

I say “I, of all people”, because I’ve always been the one to think blindness? And then shrug my shoulders. It doesn’t affect my mental health! It doesn’t stop me. I work, I study, I travel, I go to too many live concerts and theatre events according to my credit cards, I read books and entertain friends, and I’ve recently opened my own small counselling business. So, surely in my mind at least, I should consider myself lucky?

It has taken me almost 50 years, and maybe I am a slow learner, but I feel like now I can admit that blindness does indeed affect my mental health. It’s an added layer, an extra stressor, that people with vision disabilities have to factor into everything we do.

If I’m going to meet that friend tomorrow night for dinner, I need to know how to find her! If I’m going to attend that lecture at the top of a building, I’ll need to find that too, and it’s not as simple as following a sign and dropping into a seat as the lecture begins! If I want to go out and buy a new dress just because I can (and believe me, there’s nothing I like more than retail therapy), then I have to arrange to do it with someone!

Those are everyday challenges, but what if it is our mental health that is challenged? We might need help with a marriage problem, have an obstreperous teenager, or feelings of depression or isolation. But to get that help, there’s a whole other chapter for us, to the story that everyone else needs to read.

If we decide we want to read a self-help book that a friend has recommended, then we need to have the resources to find the one we want, and they’re not always available through traditional sources like the Vision Australia Library. If we try to distract ourselves by finding a new hobby, then we might need to educate people about our inclusion, before we ever sit down behind that pottery wheel.

And heaven forbid, if it’s a counsellor we are after, we have to first be able to pay for it (and that’s not necessarily cheap, despite the Federal Government’s Better Access to Mental Health scheme), when we might only be receiving a Blind Pension.

If we find such a counsellor, we have to be able to get ourselves there – and that’s either by asking someone to take us, by negotiating a new route on public transport, or by being able to pay for a taxi there and back. And finally, when we drop, often more than slightly stressed, into the chair in that counselling room, we don’t always leave feeling understood.

I know, I know! I’m not giving you anything startling here! From time to time, the social researcher in me has obliged me to fill out surveys written by aspiring students, asking questions like “are you happy as blind people”? or “are you as happy as other people of your age and experience”? I haven’t usually bothered to read their results, so I’m not here to quote statistics at you.

I’m here to say that as a blind person, who is a mental health social worker, and who works also in the NDIS space, these challenges can be successfully negotiated.

What I need to admit to myself along the way, however, is that they do need some acknowledgement! Whether it’s by discussing the issues that are stopping you with a friend who understands, by sharing your struggle on an email list, or by showing yourself some compassion in your own self-talk, I find that having that struggle acknowledged is powerful.

Like most counsellors, I believe that being truly heard can be a restorative experience, and that once I’ve had that experience, I can start to overcome those barriers! And the ways around them? Well they are as varied as are the challenges.

The range of apps that I have on my iPhone now is incredible! They can read, detect colour, get sighted eyes on a problem or help me find a particular point of interest. In terms of mental health, well you don’t pay to get to counsellors who operate online or over the telephone, so there’s one problem you might be able to step around.

A lot of books are available on Kindle nowadays, so I too can read the latest. The NDIS system is not perfect, nor will it pay for every expense related to your disability, but used creatively, it really can make a difference and can be another tool in the box!

I call it my ABC method:

  1. Acknowledging that I have difficulties
  2. Believing that they are real
  3. Knowing that with creativity, I can usually find a way around them.

If you have been affected by issues raised in this piece, you can call Lifeline, 24/7, on 13 11 14.

I am no longer fighting myself about the existence of those barriers! I know they are there, I talk about them, but I’m not about to let them beat me.

 

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Jun 13, 2018

Immigration Advocacy: Two Recent Cases

Rikki Chaplain, Advocacy Officer

 

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Involvement with the Department of Immigration can be a harrowing process for anyone, but it is even more so for people with a disability. It is common for people with disabilities to be refused permanent residency in Australia, on the grounds that the cost of supporting them will be too great a financial burden on society.

BCA’s advocacy team has been assisting two people who are blind to remain in Australia permanently. Let’s look at each situation more closely.

 

Case Study 1

A 99-year-old man from Vietnam has been living with his family, who have been providing all of the support he requires. This man is totally blind and does not receive any financial support from the Australian government, or help from medical or allied health services.

His family insist on providing complete care for him, unless there is a medical emergency which requires him to be hospitalised. The man and his family have not even asked for support from a blindness service provider, as he feels that all his needs are met within the family home.

The Department of Immigration refused this man permanent residency, on the grounds that he would be a financial burden on Australian society. The family chose to appeal the decision, taking their case to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Their immigration lawyer contacted BCA for assistance.

As BCA’s advocacy officer, I wrote a letter of support, demonstrating that this man would not be a financial burden to Australia, and reminding the panel of Australia’s human rights obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The letter also explained that due to the man’s age, sending him back to his home country without support from his family would impose stresses upon him which would likely shorten his life. It emphasised that his family are more than willing to continue providing any form of support the man would need at their own expense.

We were very pleased to be advised that the man was successful in appealing his case. His immigration lawyer stated that the victory was most likely due to the strong support letter provided by BCA.

 

Case Study 2

A 30-year-old man who is totally blind approached BCA for assistance to support his application for a second Safe Haven (protection) visa. A Safe Haven visa lasts for five years, and he is approaching the end of his first five-year visa. The Department of Immigration prefers recipients of this visa to live and work in a regional area of Australia for 42 months out of the five-year period.

This man chose not to live in a regional area, due to the lack of opportunities and services available to him. The man has found work in a capitol city, and is studying at university. He also needs to access blindness services to develop his life skills and thereby increase his independence. He sought support from BCA to validate his need to remain in a capital city when he applies for his second protection visa.

While his application has not yet been lodged, BCA has argued that the man is already contributing to his community, and to Australian society more broadly, by working and studying. He does not receive a Disability Support Pension (blind), and is not a financial burden on society.

His achievements demonstrate his determination, and suggest that he will make much greater contributions in the future as a result of his studies and improved chances of gaining employment in his chosen field.

The outcome for this man is yet to be determined. It is hoped however, that BCA’s support will assist him in gaining his second visa.

If you are seeking advice on, or assistance with advocacy related to blindness or vision impairment issues, please contact BCA on 1800 033 660. Our advocacy team will be more than happy to help.

 

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Jun 13, 2018

Spread the Word About Inaccessible EFTPOS

Lauren Henley, Policy and Advocacy Manager

 

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Touch screen technology has now entered the retail industry, and it’s compromising the privacy, dignity and independence of people who are blind or vision impaired Australia-wide.

You may already have come across a touch screen EFTPOS terminal when trying to pay for a product in a shop or settle the bill at a restaurant. If not though, you’re bound to encounter one in your travels sometime soon.

These devices do not have a physical keypad with buttons like the older EFTPOS terminals we are used to using. Even though steps may have been taken to try to make these products accessible, their touch screen-only interface makes it difficult or impossible for most people who are blind or vision impaired to enter their PIN independently. This has resulted in many customers having to disclose their PIN to someone else just to be able to make a payment.

BCA is undertaking extensive advocacy on this issue at a policy level, but we need your help to get the message out to businesses in your local community. Here are five simple things you can do to help raise awareness of this issue:

 

1. Speak Up

Whenever you come across an EFTPOS terminal that has physical buttons, you might like to start a conversation with the customer service representative about how important this is. You could also consider asking to speak to the Manager to thank them for continuing to use a device with physical buttons, or phone the store back and do this later.

 

2. Give them a Postcard

Whenever you encounter an inaccessible touch screen device in your travels, you might like to provide the customer service representative with one of BCA’s EFTPOS accessibility postcards. Each postcard includes the BCA logo and contact details, as well as the tag line: “use touch screen EFTPOS devices, lose touch with your customers”.

The back of the postcard includes the following text:

“I want to pay you, but I can’t use your EFTPOS terminal because it does not have physical buttons. The touch screen design means that people who are blind or vision impaired like me cannot enter their PIN independently. I don’t want to share my PIN with you or anyone else – nor should I have to. Please give this card to your manager. Ask them to tell your bank to stop rolling out EFTPOS machines which can only be operated using touch screens and to give you a device with a keypad with buttons instead. This is the only legal and accessible way for a person who is blind or vision impaired to pay.”

Each postcard has a hole cut out of one corner to assist with orientation. When you are holding the postcard with the front facing towards you, the hole will be in the top left hand corner. If you are holding it with the back facing towards you, it will be in the right hand corner.

These postcards are available to you at no cost. All you have to do is contact BCA and ask for some to be sent to your nominated address. To assist with our work on this issue, we’d also really appreciate you getting in touch to let us know when and where you’ve used a postcard.

 

3. Get on the Air

You could contact your local community radio station and ask them to run a segment on the problems associated with inaccessible touch screen EFTPOS terminals. You could also find opportunities to raise this issue on talkback radio. If you aren’t quite sure what to say, you can obtain a one-page fact sheet from BCA which may help.

 

4. Make the Headlines

You could write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to help draw attention to the issues associated with inaccessible touch screen EFTPOS terminals. If you aren’t sure what to include in your letter, you can contact BCA for further information or advice.

 

5. Write to the Royal Commission

You may be aware that a Royal Commission is currently underway to inquire into instances of misconduct in the banking, superannuation and financial services industry. If you have encountered an inaccessible EFTPOS terminal or ATM, we encourage you to consider lodging a short submission with the royal Commission.

You can complete a submission form online. If you need assistance to complete the form or require the form in another format, you can contact the Commission by phone on 1800 909 826, or by email at FSRCenquiries@royalcommission.gov.au. For more information about how and what to submit, please visit our campaign page.

 

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