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4 people standing, and two people in wheelchairs on a blue tennis court, Everyone is smiling and holding a tennis ball and tennis racquet.

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All Abilities AO

The Australian Open (AO) tennis tournament, which has been running for 117 years, will host the first-ever All Abilities Day on Tuesday 24 January 2023. The day aims to celebrate and provide opportunities for everyone to experience and enjoy this popular international event.
The All Abilities day will focus on recognising the many inclusive formats of tennis, and invite people who have vision, hearing, physical, sensory and or intellectual disabilities to enjoy all that the Australian Open has to offer in a safe and inclusive environment.
“It’s bloody awesome, the first Grand Slam to do this … disability is often the category that is left out, so to have an All-Abilities Day is pretty special,” said Grand Slam champion Dylan Alcott.
<blockquote>“Twenty percent of the Australian population have some form of disability, physical or non-physical, and they love tennis, and they deserve the opportunity to come, watch and play,&#8221; he explained.</blockquote>
Coinciding with the start of the AO wheelchair tennis competition, All Abilities Day will include on-court opportunities for kids and adults from Tennis Australia’s disability pathways. These include intellectual disability, Down syndrome, neurodiverse, deaf or hard of hearing, blind or low vision, and people with physical disabilities.
Australian Open 2023 will also host the first-ever international persons with intellectual disability and deaf and hard of hearing tournaments – to be played from 27-29 January at Melbourne Park.
“Tennis is an incredibly inclusive sport and making it accessible to people of all abilities is a vital part of the work we do year-round,” AO Tournament Director Craig Tiley said.
<h4>Some of the awesome accessibility initiatives at Australian Open 2023 include:</h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://bindimaps.com/">BindiMaps</a> providing wayfinding beacons highlighting key locations around the Melbourne Park precinct for people who are blind or vision impaired</li>
<li>Action Audio gives millions of vision-impaired people the opportunity to experience matches in real time though <a href="https://ausopen.com/listen">AO Radio</a>, using Tennis Australia’s real-time ball position data to make the speed, trajectory and placement of tennis balls audible.</li>
<li>Yarra Trams, in partnership with <a href="https://www.travellersaid.org.au/">Traveller’s Aid Australia</a>, supports passengers with a disability to travel to the AO by tram, providing trained staff to assist with transiting onto Yarra Tram services to and from Melbourne Park</li>
<li>Dedicated customer experience workforce specially trained to support the inclusion of all patrons</li>
<li>Sensory and calm spaces</li>
<li>Guide dog relief areas</li>
<li><a href="https://ausopen.com/access-inclusion">Accessibility page </a>and <a href="https://www.tennis.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/EO-22-040-Accessibility-Map_A4_v15-2.pdf">maps</a> on <a href="http://ausopen.com">AusOpen.com</a></li>
<li>First international persons with intellectual disability tournament</li>
<li>First international deaf and hard of hearing tournament</li>
<li>Expanded wheelchair tennis draws</li>
</ul>
We love our tennis here at Carer Solutions, and we think that Tennis Australia has totally aced this year’s event, ensuring that the Australian Open is well and truly #Open4All.
If you would like to learn more about all abilities tennis, <a href="https://www.tennis.com.au/play/inclusion-and-diversity">visit the Tennis Australia website</a> or email <a href="mailto:inclusion@tennis.com.au">inclusion@tennis.com.au</a>.

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Most families look forward to school holidays and weekends where they can explore local attractions and attend events. However, for parents and families of autistic children, keeping them entertained particularly in busy and overwhelming environments can be challenging.
Autistic people find it difficult to understand non-verbal communication, and how to respond appropriately in social situations. They may experience sensory overload, where they may be extremely sensitive to smells, sights, sounds and textures. Autistic children therefore, often don’t cope well with holiday activities that other children would find enjoyable.
The great news is that autism awareness is continually increasing, and therefore many great organisations and attractions are now providing sensory-friendly rooms, activities and accessories that cater for children and adults with sensory needs.
Just remember, if a venue or event is advertising itself as &#8216;sensory&#8217; or &#8216;autism-friendly&#8217;, it&#8217;s always a good idea to check with them to see what they do offer, to ensure they can accommodate you or your loved one.
Attractions such as the <a href="https://museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/visiting/access/the-autism-friendly-museum/">Melbourne Museum</a> now provide social stories that help explain social situations to autistic children and help them learn ways of behaving in these situations.
Social stories have photographs to show a visitor what they&#8217;ll encounter during a visit, and they point out details about the setting, things that typically happen in that setting and the actions or behaviour that are typically expected from children in the setting.
<a href="https://www.penguins.org.au/attractions/penguin-parade/accessibility/">Phillip Island Nature Park</a> are a certified sensory-inclusive site with professionally trained staff. Sensory bags are available, equipped with noise-cancelling headphones, fidget tools and verbal cue cards. Weighted lap pads can also be loaned for free. There are also Headphone Zones and Designated Quiet Areas for visitors needing a sensory break.
Trips to the cinema can often be a no-go zone for autistic kids as they are dark and loud spaces. Thankfully, <a href="https://villagecinemas.com.au/events/sensory-friendly-films">Village Cinemas</a> and <a href="https://www.hoyts.com.au/offers-events/events/catch-family-favourites-in-a-sensory-friendly-cinema">Hoyts Cinemas</a> offer sensory-friendly movie sessions at selected cinemas for autistic children, adults and their families. Sensory-friendly films allow families to enjoy movies in a safe and accepting environment with the cinema lights turned up and the sound turned down.
<a href="https://www.sea.museum/whats-on/events/sensory-friendly-sundays">The Melbourne Aquarium</a> offer sensory-friendly Sundays throughout Winter, with new exhibitions and activity areas will be open extra early for a quieter experience and modified to suit people on the autism spectrum and visitors with a range of differing abilities. Their trained staff and volunteers are also on-hand to facilitate creative activities.
Sporting stadiums and arenas can present major barriers for individuals who have sensitivity to over stimulation and noise. The <a href="https://www.mcg.org.au/the-stadium/facilities/sensory-friendly-space">Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)</a> and <a href="https://marvelstadium.com.au/sensory-room-accessibility/">Marvel Stadium</a>, both offer sensory-friendly spaces that offer visitors some quiet and calm on event day no matter the size or volume of the crowd.
<figure id="attachment_922" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-922" style="width: 617px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-922" src="https://wp.carersolutions.com.au/app/uploads/2022/07/Low-Sensory-Space-Theatre.jpeg" alt="MCG low sensory room" width="617" height="443" srcset="https://wp.carersolutions.com.au/app/uploads/2022/07/Low-Sensory-Space-Theatre.jpeg 1024w, https://wp.carersolutions.com.au/app/uploads/2022/07/Low-Sensory-Space-Theatre-600x431.jpeg 600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 617px) 100vw, 617px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-922" class="wp-caption-text">An MCG sensory friendly space</figcaption></figure>
We are so pleased to hear that big and small attractions are providing these spaces for patrons of all ages who have sensory sensitivities, processing differences, or other hidden or invisible disabilities such as autism, acquired brain injury, mental illness and dementia, just to name a few. It’s just one step closer to an inclusive world for people of all abilities.
The good people at Aspect Australia say being armed with a greater awareness of neurodiversity, and by making a few simple changes or providing additional resources, you can help to create a far more inclusive environment.
People who have a hidden disability can choose to wear a <a href="https://hiddendisabilitiesshop.com.au/">Sunflower lanyard</a> on outings, which discreetly indicates to staff and others that they may need additional time, support or understanding. This provides a consistent icon that is recognisable between locations, including travelling through the airport, on public transport, attending sport, or going to the museum.
To find out more about how we can all contribute to an autism-friendly Australia, visit <a href="https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/get-involved/making-australia-autism-friendly">Autism Spectrum Australia</a>. You can check out their <a href="https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/get-involved/making-australia-autism-friendly/calendar-of-autism-friendly?state=allStates&amp;start=2022-06-19&amp;end=2023-07-18">autism-friendly event calendar</a> to find out more about autism-friendly events happening in your area.

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LoveOnTheSpectrum

More than 4 million Australians have a disability, which is almost 20 per cent of our population. World-wide, there are over one billion people, or 15 per cent of the world&#8217;s population who experience some form of disability.
Disability Pride Month began in America with the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on the 26th of July 1990. It runs for the month of July each year, and is about promoting and celebrating disability pride.
At its core, Disability Pride month looks to celebrate disability as an identity &#8211; by sharing the many different experiences of people in the disability community.
According to award-winning writer, speaker and appearance activist, Carly Findlay OAM, “It’s a month to celebrate our disabled identity, our disabled community and our disabled culture.”
“Reaching a sense of pride as a disabled person takes work &#8211; every damn day. I didn’t always have disability pride. I didn’t even have disability as part of my identity, even though I’ve had Ichthyosis since birth,” she explains.
“It was just over 12 years ago when I met other disabled and chronically ill people and that saw our lived experiences were so similar that I realised that yes, I am disabled, too. It’s been liberating and affirming.”
To celebrate disability pride month, we share our top five picks of the best shows, films and documentaries currently streaming on Netflix, which celebrate people and characters with disability.
<a href="https://www.netflix.com/au/title/81265493">Love on the Spectrum</a> 
We couldn’t love this series more if we tried. Featuring two seasons of the Australian series, and one season of the American version, there is so much to love about Love on the Spectrum. This joyful series follows young adults on the autism spectrum as they plunge into the world of dating.
<a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80987458?trackId=259776131&amp;trkId=259776131&amp;src=tudum">Special</a> 
Special is based on the life of actor and writer Ryan O’Connell, a gay man with cerebral palsy. This show is special indeed, as it follows his character as he learns to embrace his disability and go after the relationships and the career he desires.
<a href="https://www.netflix.com/au/title/81001496">Crip Camp – A Disability Revolution</a> 
The documentary follows the journey of disabled campers in the 1970s many of whom went on to lead the disability rights movement in the United States. The ground-breaking summer camp brings together a group of teens with disabilities, all of whom were not welcome at mainstream summer camps. Together they helped build a movement, forging a new path toward greater equality for those living with disability.
<a href="https://www.netflix.com/au/title/80049951">My beautiful Broken Brain</a> 
Filmmaker Lotje Sodderland documents her recovery process from the haemorrhagic stroke she had at 34 — and the new life she builds in the aftermath.
<a href="https://www.netflix.com/au/title/81122408">Rising Phoenix</a> 
Rising Phoenix follows nine Paralympians in the run-up to the Paralympics in Rio in 2016. The documentary shows the history of the Paralympic Games, as well as the frustration felt by athletes and organisers that it is still viewed as a ‘lesser than’ the Olympic Games.
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