Disability in New Zealand

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Equipment and Modifications pamphlet - online version

Do you have difficulty doing everyday activities?

If you do, or someone in your family does, you may be able to get some equipment and/or modifications to your home or vehicle to assist you.

Who can get help?

If you have a physical, intellectual, sensory (vision or hearing) and/or age-related disability, you may be able to get some equipment and/or funding for modifications to help you with your safety and independence.

To qualify for help:

• your disability must be likely to continue for at least six months
• you must be unable to do some everyday activities safely on your own
• you must not be covered by ACC
• you must live in New Zealand and be a New Zealand resident or be from another country that has a funding agreement with New Zealand.

The equipment or modifications must be essential to help you to manage and/or access your everyday activities.

The help you can get will depend on your own needs and situation. Sometimes equipment or modifications may not be the best or only option for you.

What help can be provided?

Equipment,

such as:

• wheelchairs
• shower stools
• walking frames and sticks
• mobility canes
• communication devices (for speaking and/or writing)
• hearing aids and other equipment.

Housing modifications, such as:

• installation of handrails, ramps or level access showers
• widening of doors.

Vehicle modifications, such as:

• a wheelchair carrier or van hoist
• hand controls.

Please note: you may have to pay part of the cost of modifications to your house or vehicle. In a few cases, some funding support is available to help with buying a vehicle.

Please note, if you have already paid for any equipment or modifications yourself, you cannot claim the cost back.

How can you get this help?

You need to contact a specialised assessor who will carry out an assessment of your needs.

The specialised assessor:

• may recommend equipment and/or modifications for you
• will check if you can get Ministry of Health funded support, and if so,
• will send an application into Accessable or Enable New Zealand.

The steps to get equipment and/or modifications

1. You or a member of your family or whanau, have difficulty doing some everyday activities because of a disability.
2. You arrange an assessment with a specialised assessor.
3. A specialised assessor carries out an assessment and you can try out some equipment or discuss possible modifications to your home.
4. You and the specialised assessor agree on a suitable option for you.
5. The specialised assessor sends an application to Accessable or Enable New Zealand if:
   • you can get Ministry of Health support
   • equipment or modifications are recommended.
6. Accessable or Enable New Zealand approve funding for cost-effective solutions to meet your essential needs.
7. Accessable or Enable New Zealand arrange for the equipment
   or modifications for you or some applications are not approved – you can discuss other options with your specialised assessor

All equipment is provided on loan for as long as you need it. It should be returned (except hearing aids) when you don’t need it any more.

Accessable or Enable New Zealand will arrange to have it collected.

For more information contact:

Accessable, if you live in Auckland or Northland
Call Free: 0508 001 002
Fax: 09 620 1702
Email: info@accessable.co.nz

Enable New Zealand, if you live throughout the rest of New Zealand
Call Free: 0800 17 1995
Fax: 06 353 5876
Email: info@enable.co.nz

Disability Services
Ministry of Health
Call Free: 0800 DSD MOH
0800 373 664 Free
Fax: 0800 000 838

Some useful websites that provide more information on disability services in New Zealand are:

• www.accessable.co.nz
• www.enable.co.nz
• www.disabilityfunding.co.nz
• www.moh.govt.nz/districthealthboards

Page last updated: 1 October 2009