Assistive Technology Suppliers New Zealand

Transition Expo has so much on that it can be overwhelming. If you need some time away from the hustle and bustle, we will have a room set aside for a Chill Zone. This is a new space that we're crafting especially for Expo, with the help of Kylee & Co and sensory providers like Sensory Corner and Sensory Sam. We're aiming to make this space as sensory friendly as we can. There will also be a D-Pod available on the ground floor at Expo. It shuts out external noise and is suitable for schools, libraries, programme providers and workplaces. You can see one at Christchurch airport. Auckland Libraries' bus will be parked outside so you can experience some interactive virtual reality stories. Is there anything else you'd like to see at the Chill Zone this year? This year, each area of Transition Expo will have a different colour to help you navigate your way through. For the Chill Zone, look out for the light blue flags! RSVP to our Facebook event for more information and for a reminder closer to the date: https://lnkd.in/gK_C48bA Image description: Mike Potter with a parent and child at Transition Expo. They are in front of a D-Pod, a self contained room with Europlan branding on it. The child has opened the door of the pod and is about to step inside. Mike is sitting in his wheelchair and talking to the Mum who is standing and looking into the D-Pod from behind her daughter. The Transition Expo logo is in the top right of the image, and the text "Chill Zone" is on a light blue banner in the bottom left corner.

To support the 2024 World Wheelchair Rugby Paralympic Qualification Tournament, Able Axcess installed ramps at the venue, at the Swiss Embassy and the German Ambassador's Residence.

We are proud to partner with Allied Medical. Watch how the team is making a difference to people’s mobility and wellbeing through using technology from all around the world. Katie Noble Liam Tressler Nicole Jackson Ben Speedy John Twomey Mike Atkins Chloe Moore Sheilagh Garvey Daniel Simmons Allied Medical Ltd ASB Bank #newzealandbusiness #nztech #productivity https://lnkd.in/gqeCSNZQ

Changes to Purchasing Rules and Equipment and Modification Services. Purchasing Rules: We have made changes to the Purchasing Rules to clarify how people can use their disability support funding. Purchasing Rules describe what disability support funding can be used to buy, when using Individualised Funding, Enhanced Individualised Funding, Choice in Community Living, Personal Budgets or Carer Support. These changes do not affect the amount of funding you are allocated. Equipment and Modification Services (EMS): Whaikaha is working with equipment and modification assessors and providers to put in place prioritisation measures. This means that people with the most urgent need will be prioritised for Equipment or Modification Services. Why are these changes happening? Whaikaha commissions disability support services for almost 50,000 people and funds equipment and home and vehicle modifications for approximately 100,000 people through Equipment and Modification Services (EMS). There is increasing pressure across the disability support system in both the demand for, and cost of these services and supports.    You can find out information about the changes on our website: https://bit.ly/3TjFdIl Image description: purple background with pale yellow text that says, "Changes to Purchasing Rules and EMS”. The top left corner has a faded tohu design, a series of parallel lines with intersecting curved elements. .

📣 Link Assistive Australia Expands into New Zealand: Our Commitment to Accessibility and Empowerment. 📣 The Link Assistive team has grown to be a quality provider of assistive technology solutions for over 15 years. We are now continuing that growth by expanding our products and services into New Zealand. This marks a significant milestone in our company's commitment to advancing accessibility and empowerment for individuals with disabilities. Our decision to extend operations into New Zealand is rooted in our deep understanding of the transformative impact of communication assistance. As we have witnessed through our Australian business, the Tobii Dynavox products we provide are leading the world in assisting communication and fostering freedom. This knowledge fuels our commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance communication abilities and promote independence. Furthermore, our familiarity with the New Zealand assistive technology landscape has facilitated a smooth transition into the market. Over the years, we have built firm connections within the New Zealand industry and community, making the decision to expand to Aotearoa a natural progression. Both countries share similar support models, and geographically, it simply makes sense for us to extend our reach. Central to our expansion is the appointment of Chris O. as our first employee in New Zealand. With his extensive knowledge of assistive technology, gained through occupational therapy qualifications and a decade of experience at TalkLink, we are confident in his ability to lead our growth in the region. We are extremely pleased to have Chris on board and look forward to supporting him in growing our New Zealand business. Our General Manager, Sunny Prosser explains, “We are extremely pleased to secure Chris O’Hara as our first NZ employee. We look forward to supporting him in growing our New Zealand business. We also expect that Chris will be joined by other New Zealand employees sooner rather than later.”. Our expansion into New Zealand signifies not only a strategic business move but also our commitment to integrating within the local assistive technology industry and providing world-class products and services to those who stand to benefit most. And as our GM is a proud Kiwi himself, it gives both him and the rest of our team great pride to have Link Assistive expand into New Zealand. Our expansion into New Zealand represents a significant step forward in our pursuit of inclusivity and accessibility. With a focus on leveraging technology to empower individuals with disabilities, we are excited about the impact we can make within the New Zealand community. Thank you for your continued support and we encourage you to visit us at www.linkassistive.co.nz to find out more. You can also visit Chris at the Show Your Ability Expo in Hamilton on the 28th February 2024.

We are developing a National Pacific Disability Plan and want to invite Pacific disabled people and their aiga or whānau (family) to share their experiences with us. We want to understand the challenges experienced by Pacific disabled people, the current systems that are working well along with ones that are not, and how we can make the system and sector better. We are holding a series of talanoa (conversations/discussions) around Aotearoa and an online survey will also be available soon for people who cannot attend the talanoa sessions. The first talanoa is next week in Hamilton on 14 February 10am-1pm at K’aute Pasifika Village Fale, 100 Seddon Road, Frankton, Hamilton (Wheelchair accessible venue). Kai (food) will be provided. For more information and a list of other talanoa coming up, visit our website: https://bit.ly/49qTut9 Image description: pink frangipani flowers surrounded by green leaves

Have you ever read any of our community-written blogs? We are so proud to feature a selection of writers with lived disability experience who produce exciting and topical blogs for us regularly. Last month Spinal Life Australia partnered with us to publish a blog by Invacare community writer Adam Sheppard. Take a look! 👀 #Invacare #YesYouCan #PwD #MakingLifesExperiencesPossible

Thrilled to be given the opportunity to speak at the ATSNZ Expo. Also loved meeting loads of lovely humans, including these two women behind this event. I hope that all the attendees are now a little more aware of some of the small things they can do to make a big difference to their website. Dr Ingrid van Rijn #AccessibleAotearoa #AssistiveTech