For some people attending a vaccination hub is just not possible but there are alternatives.
Disability Liaison Officers working with Covid Vaccinations hubs and centres can modify the experience of obtaining a vaccination in ways that suit the needs of different people who have a disability, this can range from creating priority access to modifying the environment, such as creating quiet places. They can also arrange for vaccinations to be provided in peoples own homes. While we have experienced how they have created priority and changed the experience to assist people to cope better we had not until recently experienced them arranging a vaccination in someones own home if that was the only workable option for them. While we are happy to share this information so families can use it we always prefer when we have had a successful testing of the process. Now we have.
If you are, or if you know someone, who needs to get someone to come to a home to give the vaccination to someone who has a disability you will want to read on to see how this worked for Tayla.
Tayla is a wonderful young woman who has significant anxieties about meeting strangers whether it be in her own home or in the community. This fear will often result in some very extreme and difficult behaviour. She also is terrified of having injections and any attempt to support her to go to a community hub will end in complete disaster. Tayla has now successfully had the first vaccination in her own home. How did this happen?
Tayla’s mum, Lisa, clicked on the link that had been provided and filled in the short application form
Lisa then received an email which contained a generic offer of support to access a vaccination hub
Lisa called the number provided and explained that a vaccination hub was not suitable and that she needed a home visit. She was told on the spot that this would be easy to arrange and an appointment was made.
Within two weeks of making her application a nurse came to her home and gave Tayla, and her father, a COVID19 vaccination
WAS IT REALLY THAT EASY
Yes, however as you will expect more thinking needed to go into making this work for Tayla
Lisa worked with our Milparinka Communication and Participation Consultant to develop a social story/script that she could work through with Tayla before and just prior to the vaccination so that Taylor understood what was going on.
Lisa had a video of herself or other family members getting the vaccination themselves that she was able to share with Tayla
Tayla’s father came to the house to be vaccinated and share the experience with Tayla. In the end this didn’t make a difference Tayla just wanted mum with her, but they still vaccinated dad
Lisa had spoken to the nurse before the appointment on the phone to explain Tayla’s environmental needs. Subsequently even though a team of three arrived to give the vaccination two of them waited in the car and the third one came into the house and was prepared to take as much time as needed
After meeting the nurse Taylor went into her room with mum sat on the bed going over the social story, the nurse came in, said hello again and gave Tayla the injection and it was over in seconds
I have included the link to the disability liaison officers here in case you want to look into this.
Simply send in the referral and phone them once you get their email response.
To access the referral form please follow this link. If it doesn’t work from here please copy and paste into your browser
