Annie in wonderland

 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...

This is a big topic, and honestly, there are so many layers to it that I think it deserves a series. So let’s start at the beginning. Imagine you’re a support worker trying to educate people on the realities of your job—not the glossy, feel-good stories we often see online, but the actual, day-to-day challenges. You post a video about violence in the workplace, highlighting that no one goes to work expecting to be assaulted. This isn’t just about the support worker; these incidents also affect other clients and their families. In this case, the setting was a day center environment, which meant that everyone there was impacted. When support workers are pulled away from small groups to manage these incidents, lower-support-needs clients can end up unfairly left behind. Support work is meant to be about skill-building, and if someone is experiencing frequent meltdowns, we have to ask: should they even be in a day center environment until they can regulate their emotions more effectively? ...

Telepathy—the concept of mind-to-mind communication—has long been the subject of fascination, skepticism, and controversy. But what happens when it intersects with real-world issues, particularly within the disability community? The Telepathy Tapes podcast explores these questions, delving into assisted communication methods for non-verbal individuals, the resistance to accepting these methods, and the broader implications for society. What is Telepathy? Telepathy is often dismissed as pseudoscience, but at its core, it challenges our understanding of communication. If telepathic abilities exist, what does this mean for non-verbal individuals, especially those with autism or other high-support needs? The concept forces us to reconsider how we communicate, perceive intelligence, and allocate resources. Some emerging scientific theories, such as quantum physics and neurology, suggest that communication may not be limited to spoken language or technology but could extend to brain wave in...

Cyclones are no joke, but sometimes a little humour can help lighten the mood while you hunker down. If you're in the path of Cyclone Alfred (or any big storm), you might be thinking of ways to pass the time while staying safe. So, why not create the most inappropriate cyclone playlist ever? Here are some songs you probably shouldn’t blast during a storm—along with some real tips for staying safe and managing anxiety. The Ultimate Cyclone Soundtrack (That You Shouldn’t Actually Play) For the Adults: "Rock You Like a Hurricane" – Scorpions (Way too on the nose.) "Blowin’ in the Wind" – Bob Dylan (We get it, Bob. We really do.) "Umbrella" – Rihanna (Not going to help much in cyclone-force winds.) "Here Comes the Rain Again" – Eurythmics (And again… and again.) "Riders on the Storm" – The Doors (We’d rather not, thanks.) "I Can’t Stand the Rain" – Tina Turner (Relatable.) "Thunderstruck" – AC/DC (If you hear...

"I’ve been cleaning out my wardrobe, which is a bit daunting since I’ve reached a healthy weight range. Now, I’m finally going through my clothes and figuring out what actually fits. It’s not a huge declutter, but it’s definitely needed! The best part? I’m rediscovering some really cute outfits. Any suggestions on where I should wear them?"