Photo credit: MILCO media for SA Care. Chloe Kempe (CEO SACARE), Jake and his mum Karina McDonald.
The Royal Adelaide Show is an annual highlight for many South Australians and with the event returning this Saturday after a two-year hiatus, it’s safe to say excitement is in the air.
The hustle and bustle of the show can be exhilarating for some but for others, the scene can be quite overwhelming. For those with sensory sensitivities or accessibility needs, the excitement of the show is often overshadowed – until now
This year, SA Care has seen the introduction of ‘The Carer’s Lounge’ – a safe, quiet space for carers, support workers, families and people with sensory and accessibility needs to unwind or tend to medical requirements in comfort.
The idea was sparked by a SA Care staff member, Karina McDonald, who often needs a safe space to feed her 7-year-old son living with Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy. After discussing the lack of infrastructure around this with her team at SA Care, ‘The Carer’s Lounge’ was born.
“It’s 2022 and we live in a developed country. Jake, his mates, and the disability community should have the same level of comfort as the rest of us when they go out,” says Karina.
“We are so pleased the Royal Adelaide Show also saw its importance and SO excited to see this all come together, for Jake, his friends and all their carers and how amazing would it be if this became the standard everywhere?!”
The Carers Lounge will be a space with two 12m x 3m ‘pods’ sectioned into specialised areas for respite and recharge. There will also be a sensory space with interactive screens, bubble tubes, fibre optics and a ‘magic carpet’.
A kitchen and lounge area with an area for feed and medicine preparation, medical equipment cleaning and comfortable seating to administer medications and food will also be available for use and an accessible change room with height adjustable change table, hoist, and all the mod cons for both carer and person with disability to tend to personal needs in a hygienic and comfortable setting.
The collaboration of ‘The Carer’s Lounge’ with the Royal Adelaide Show aims to bring inclusion to the fun and festivities of the event, ensuring that all visitors can enjoy the much-loved annual occasion.
For more information, visit the SA Care website or Facebook.
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