INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTRE A.C.T. - INTRODUCTION

(Unofficial photo-story about the centre.)

Phone: (02)6205 1900 Fax (02) 6205 1906 Email: ILCACT@act.gov.au

The Independent Living Centre (ILC) A.C.T. is part of ACT Health and Community Care. It is located at 24 Parkinson Street Weston, A.C.T. 2611, between the Canberra Irish Club and Cooleman Court Shopping Centre. There is a dental clinic, doctor's rooms and baby clinic, in the same building complex. There are similar centres in all States but not in the Northern Territory. These are the relevant links -

Independent Living Centre - NSW
Independent Living Centre - QLD
Independent Living Centre - SA
Independent Living Centre - WA
Independent Living Centre - TAS
Independent Living Centre - VIC (Disability Equipment Information System)

The ILC describes itself in the following terms -

"The Independent Living Centre is:

• a resource centre

• an equipment information library

• an assessment and advisory service for people with disabilities, and older people, their carers, advocates and other service providers.

Equipment is not available for purchase or hire, but staff can assist with information about products and where it is available from. The Independent Living Centre does not buy equipment, relying on the goodwill of suppliers to loan items so an equipment display is possible.

The ILC operates three strands of service:

1) The Telephone Advisory Service. Advice and information can be given over the phone, or sent by mail, fax or email. While a health professional may not be able to answer you inquiry immediately, details can be taken and your call returned at an appropriate time.

2) Appointments. The ILC offers appointments between 9 am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays). Appointments are advisable in order to gain detailed and extensive advice from the ILC's Occupational Therapists or Registered Nurse.

3) Drop-in. If you would rather look around by yourself, you are welcome to "drop-in" between 12 and 2pm only, Monday - Friday. Some assistance is available at the time, but should you require specific and detailed advice or information about wheelchairs, scooters, hoists, chairs, beds or incontinence products, we recommend an appointment.

Scheduled fees apply only for private providers using the Centre for an appointment, for compensable injury/illness or work related injury/illness and for education programs.

Second Hand Equipment

A register of second hand equipment is maintained at the ILC and can be used to advertise equipment you no longer need. You can also inquire about second hand equipment you may wish to purchase. A small charge applies to advertise equipment.

Areas of Assistance

• Household and Kitchen Equipment

• Eating and drinking utensils

• Seating - lounge dining and office chairs

• Back Supports

• Office Equipment

• Bathroom and toilet equipment

• Bedding - specialist mattresses and beds

• Clothing and dressing equipment

• Wheelchairs - manual and powered

• Powered scooters

• Mobility - walking sticks and frames

• Incontinence - equipment and advice

Comment: It is quite possible that a cancer patient could benefit greatly from some of the items displayed at the ILC. It will  depend very much on the nature of their illness and physical condition. When my late wife was ill we were visited at home by an ACT Community Care therapist and an assessment was made of the house and Marg's physical capacity, after which rails were placed in the bathroom by Handy Help and in the hallway by two of our sons Gregory and Bryan. Handy Help (phone 62874999) provides in-home support services for ACT residents assessed as eligible for assistance from the Home and Community Care Program.

We also obtained the loan of some equipment from the Equipment Loan Service at the Hospital (which is part of the same government program as the ILC - contact details here). However, a visit to the ILC at Weston early on in the journey might have also given us some clues about the very extensive range of additional aids that were available and we might have made use of some of them. Here is a link to a US-based company Dynamic Living, whose website contains photos of many household items adapted for those needing assistance. I am not suggesting you order such items from the USA but they are interesting to look at and obtain ideas. I am sure that the Australian Independent Living Centres would probably know how to obtain many of them through Australian distributors

The other point to bear in mind is that the independence of the person with an illness is something which many will want to protect and maintain. There is a great temptation for a carer to step in and complete a domestic task when it is becoming a challenge for the patient to accomplish it due to diminishing strength and dexterity. I know that when my wife was deteriorating she did not have sufficient strength to hold a teapot and to pour herself a cup of tea and I often intervened, if only to prevent the tea from going everywhere. In the following set of photographs you will come across an ingenious device for pouring safely from a tea pot. Had I known about it I think I would have bought one.

My thanks to Neil and Lynne of the ILC for facilitating my visit.

The incontinence advisory suite was occupied when I visited the ILC but I am told that it contains many items of help for those experiencing incontinence. Appointments are necessary in order to view these.

Here are some photos of the outside and entrance foyer for the Centre.

Click here to return to the main webpage for the Canberra One-Stop Cancer Web-Shop.

Click on the blue buttons to go to other sections of the ILC photo-story.

Introduction.

How it operates.

Some examples of the items on display.

Chairs, lifts and mobility items.

Bathroom and other items.