Aussie & Me

  TL;DR: Most councils and community events have no permanent Changing Places facility for council events on site, which quietly excludes people who need a hoist or carer support. This piece looks at how one WA regional government organisation solved that gap without a single day of construction. Most community events run on the same assumption: an accessible toilet means a slightly wider cubicle with a grab rail. For someone who needs an overhead hoist, a height-adjustable change table, or space for a carer to assist them, that assumption is wrong, and it's often the reason they don't come at all. A genuine Changing Places facility for council events solves this, and it's becoming a realistic option even for councils without the budget or site for a permanent build. Why Permanent Infrastructure Isn't Always the Answer Councils covering large regional areas or a calendar of one-off events face a practical problem: a fixed Changing Places facility only helps the peo...

  When a family member's mobility changes, whether through injury, illness, or simply getting older, the bathroom is often the first room that stops working. The usual advice is to renovate: widen the doorway, install a walk-in shower, add grab rails. That's the right long-term answer for plenty of households, but it can take three to six months from quote to completion once trades, approvals, and supply delays are factored in. Portable toilet hire for home is the option that fills that gap, and for some households it turns out to be the better fit even once the renovation timeline stops being the deciding factor. Why Families End Up Looking at This Option Nobody chooses a portable accessible bathroom for fun. It usually comes up after a hospital discharge date is set faster than a bathroom can be renovated, after a fall makes the existing bathroom unsafe to use, or after an NDIS plan review approves support that a family can't act on until the physical space catches up. In...

Finding the right depression psychologist in Eltham , or knowing whether you even need one, isn't always straightforward. Most people wait longer than they should, not because they don't want help, but because it's hard to know when a rough patch becomes something that genuinely needs professional support. Here are some honest answers. What's the difference between feeling depressed and having depression? Feeling low after a hard week is normal. Depression is different, it sticks around. We're talking about persistent low mood most days, losing interest in things you used to enjoy, feeling exhausted no matter how much you sleep, or struggling to concentrate on basic tasks. If it's been two weeks or more, it's worth taking seriously. When should I see a psychologist rather than just my GP? Your GP is a great first step, they can rule out physical causes, provide a Mental Health Care Plan , and refer you on. But seeing a psychologist is the right next step w...

 If you're planning a development, managing a large rural property, or working through a DA submission, chances are you've been told you need site data. A drone survey is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to get it, and it's becoming the preferred choice for landowners and developers across regional NSW and northeast Victoria. What Is a Drone Survey? A drone survey uses an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with either a camera or a LiDAR sensor to capture detailed data about a site from above. Depending on the sensor used, the output can include aerial imagery, 3D terrain models, contour maps, and volumetric measurements. The whole process is faster than traditional ground-based surveying, less disruptive to the site, and capable of covering large areas in a single day. What Can a Drone Survey Be Used For? Drone surveys are suited to a wide range of projects, including: Land development and DA submissions — providing topographic data required by...

As more older Australians choose to age at home, the demand for quality home care services continues to grow. For organisations looking to enter the sector, becoming a registered home care provider is an important first step. Under Australia's aged care system, providers delivering government-funded home care services must meet strict requirements designed to ensure older people receive safe, high-quality support. Recent reforms, including the new Support at Home program , have also increased expectations around governance, accountability, and service delivery. What Does Registration Involve? Becoming a registered home care provider is about more than completing an application. Organisations must demonstrate they are ready to deliver care from day one. This includes showing they have: Strong governance and leadership Suitable key personnel Financial stability Systems that meet the Aged Care Quality Standards The ability to deliver safe and effective services A common mistake is a...

 Looking for work can be a bit of a slog, right? You scroll through job boards, send off dozens of applications, and sometimes it feels like nothing’s sticking.  If you’re hunting around the Illawarra, it can be even trickier – there’s a mix of big employers, small local businesses, and sometimes the jobs you actually want aren’t advertised at all. That’s where recruitment agencies come in. What Do Recruitment Agencies Actually Do? At their simplest, recruitment agencies are the middlemen between you and local employers. They keep a close eye on who’s hiring and what kinds of roles are coming up.  When you register with an agency, they get to know your skills, experience, and what kind of job you’re after. Then they match you with positions that suit you – sometimes before they even appear online. Think of them as job scouts. They’re not going to apply for the job for you, but they make sure the right employers see you. Getting Access to Job Vacancies Illawarra One of the...