Annie in wonderland

Choosing the Right Backpack for a Day Centre or Community Program Choosing the right backpack is about much more than style. A well-designed bag can support independence, improve organisation, make community access easier and help both participants and support workers throughout the day. Whether you're buying a backpack for yourself, a family member, or someone you support, a little planning now can make everyday routines much smoother. Start With the Activities Before buying a backpack, think about how it will actually be used. Ask yourself: Will it be used for community outings? Does the person attend cooking classes, art groups, gardening, gym sessions or volunteer work? Will they need to carry lunch, medication, communication devices or spare clothing? Is the bag regularly transported on buses or stored in lockers? The answers will help determine the right size, material and features. It's also worth checking with your day program or provider before purchasing a new bag. So...

 A friendly, practical guide for carers, families, and support workers packing lunch for adults attending day centres or community access programs. Let’s face it — packing lunch for someone else can feel like prepping for an exam with invisible rules. Every centre has its own vibe, policies, and characters (yes, we all know a "Tuna Sandwich Offender"). Then there’s the mystery banana that comes home every day untouched (looking slightly more tragic each time), or the juice box that leaks through a bag like a sticky betrayal. This guide is here to take the guesswork out of it — and maybe get a giggle along the way. Whether you’re team “cook in advance” or more of a “sandwich club on standby” kind of person, we’ve got you. From food safety and mealtime management to sneaky treat ideas and rubbish-free swaps, this post is all about keeping lunch simple, safe, and something your person actually looks forward to. ✨ Pro tip: Packing with the person instead of for them can be a ...

 A cheeky, compassionate guide for carers, families, and support workers prepping bags for day programs for people with intellectual and other disabilities. We’ve ranted in previous posts about what a good day centre bag should include — but what about the things that shouldn’t be in there? This post is here to help you avoid the accidental oopsies, weaponised water bottles, and the dreaded squashed tuna sandwiches at the bottom of the bag. Let’s also take a second to talk about the bag itself. Choose something sturdy and easy to open, especially for people with fine motor difficulties. Bonus points if it’s machine washable (because accidents happen), has compartments, and is big enough to carry everything from lunch to a library book. Trust us, size does matter — especially when you want to avoid everything being squashed into one mystery-smelling compartment. And before you drop your Easter cleanout haul at the local op shop, check if your centre could use those extra shopping ...

 This is a very back-to-basics post and it is aimed at support workers, caregivers and anyone else in the support or Disability industries, I have seen so many posts on other platforms around this topic that they are desperately looking for things for a client to do on a shift I live in a beautiful town called Toowoomba located on the darling downs and it has some of the most hidden gems imaginable,  and admittedly some would need to be day trips and need approval but some are  quite local and we are going to start recording some as well, As admittedly support needs to have the basics done first and done well, the basics depending on what the client wants  are housework, groceries, Doctors and other medical or mental health appointments,  as some clients like myself don’t fit into the day centre model despite trying, so we are thinking way beyond the library, a local park,  pool, Gym,  to other experiences the build on the client's skills and brings th...

🎒 What’s in the Day Centre Bag? A Survival Guide With a Side of Banana, Personality, and Possibly a Conspiracy Heading to a day centre or community group can be the best part of the week—but only if you’re prepared . That’s where the humble day bag comes in. It’s your lifeline, your snack vault, and sometimes, your glitter explosion containment unit. Let’s pack smart. Let’s keep it light-hearted. And let’s all agree not to be that person who accidentally swaps bags and ends up going home with Brenda’s banana and Colin’s crochet project. ✅ The Bag Itself Choose a washable, practical backpack . Here’s the dream criteria: Big enough to fit everything, but not so bulky you need a Sherpa. Easy to open and close , but not so open that your lunch jumps ship or your meds end up in someone else’s bag. Washable (because things will leak. Trust us.) Something your loved one can actually use. If zips, straps, or lunchboxes are tricky, practice at home. Even better, let them help p...

This is a deeply personal post, and I want to start by saying thank you. To my friends, my family, my support team—you’ve shown up for me with grace and dignity, and I don’t take that lightly. Whether it’s through practical help, quiet encouragement, or just being a consistent presence, your support has helped me face something hard: the reality that I’m not functioning as highly as I once believed. Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m still high-functioning in a lot of ways. But one of my conditions, Sjögren’s syndrome , is progressing. And that’s hard. It’s a quiet, relentless reminder that I do live with disability and chronic illness, and that pretending otherwise doesn’t help me anymore. I’m working with all the right professionals—my doctors , pharmacist , and now a dietitian , too. (Pharmacists, by the way, are wildly underrated. They’ve helped me make sense of side effects and medication changes in ways that actually make sense in day-to-day life.) But even with all this support, ther...