‘Show Your Ability’ Equipment Expo ’09
Red February 18th, 2009 11 Comments
The ‘Show Your Ability’ equipment expo is back for another year! This is NZ’s premier disability and care equipment expo, and it’s visiting 5 cities during March. This is a unique opportunity to see and experience a massive range of specialised equipment from over 40 suppliers.
Best of all, entry is free!
Download the flyer here (PDF).
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Thanks for info. really enjoyed lated year. Oh the wish list????
But i have to get to Palmy to access this! bummer!
alex where are you???
I am coming from paraparaumu?
Pity they have to have it during the week only. It leaves those of us who still have jobs (and a bundle of disposable income we may like to use to help some of the suppliers out in a recession) out on a limb a bit as we need to take time off work to attend. Any ideas of what they have there? I'd take some time off work if there was something I was interested in but unfortunately the .pdf flyer is a bit sketchy on these details. When I emailed the contact person, his reaction was basically "oh well, life isn't meant to be easy", it seems to me to be set up for welfare providers and not end users which is sad as in my opinion it reinforces the opinion some wrongly hold that disabled people are all welfare beneficiaries and don't want a choice in equipment suppliers.
I've been to a few of these road shows and they are good, sometimes there is not much new to see. Basically if your under MOH you have a limit of funding anyway so you get to choose the equipment in that funding limit (this can be limited). If your under ACC you can take your pick really.
Suppliers have new equipment or upgrades and generally show some of the things that are available. Wheelchairs, ramps, bathroom stuff, living aids, desks, standing frames/standers, hoists, seating, recliners, beds and much more.
It's quite good for us users to go to these to see what's available as sometimes we don't get told about everything due to the cost.
I went to this today (Trusts Stadium, Auckland). First off, it's a nice environment to be in, full of people who stare at your wheelchair because they're wondering if it would suit them or where you get those wheels or suchlike, not because they care what's "wrong" with you. People who understand that a good wheelchair/bed/hoist/whatever makes life better rather than being some kind of awful necessity.
It is more of a trade show than a showroom, really, with generally only one demo model per line (so if there's a wheelchair you like but you need an 18" seat and 26" wheels they're not going to have one on hand for you to try), and generally there are no prices displayed.
There don't seem to be consumables for sale (gloves, tyres), which is a shame. It is a GREAT way to meet actual wheelchair users–there are plenty of able-bodied salespeople (for want of a better word) about, but many of the suppliers there, particularly the wheelchair suppliers, employ actual wheelchair users. So I was able to chat with a guy at the RGK stand who understood the problems I've been having from genuine experience and was able to tell me honestly what his company could do for me.
I also managed to leave the place, unlike last year, without picking up a puncture from the tacks they use to fix the carpet tiles down.
I had some good little chats with people about the intricacies of the funding system(s), and so on. Couldn't help feeling, though, as I rolled around, that there was a lot of stuff there that I could use that ACC might fund for me if only I'd had a convenient accident instead of a dodgy gene (how is inheriting a dodgy gene not an 'accident', anyway?).
I think I've seen my dream chair, and may even be able to afford it if I save for up for 2-3 years, though I suppose the other annoyance of the MOH rules will kick in then and I'll have to service it myself (yeah, right, like I'm competent even to change a tyre) because I paid for it myself. Anyway, I recommend going even if just for a nosey and, if you use a manual utralight wheelchair with quick-release axles, to try on fancy wheels!
What annoys me is they don't do HAMILTON, for someone who cannot drive and must rely on her mother or another Caregiver, this is ridiculous.
Hey there all I is been in the otara spinal unit 4 three months so far man it starts to get to u!
Hi there me again does anyone know of a chat site 2do with people in the same boat or if u like same chair as me?
Hey ZAC,
Go here to TASC http://www.tasc.org.nz/about.htm and click on Forum to chat to others in similar situation as you.
What type of wheelchair do you have, if it's Invacare let me know as I have a Forum for people using Invacare equipment. Or email me
Hi Zac. You may also like to try http://www.apparelyzed.com which is a good site for paraplegics and quads. All sorts of info and a chat as well.