Yearly Archive: 2020

Seasoned Gateways Interchange Host Program Volunteer urges others to get involved

Seeking support for her own family led Nicky to open her heart and home to other families in need. That was eight years ago and now the Sunshine woman is urging others to consider volunteering...

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Short bursts deliver big results with online therapy

A little can go a long way as many of our online therapy clients are discovering. With feelings of Zoom fatigue and too much screen time common, it can be easy to dismiss online therapy...

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Self-care for parents of kids with a disability

Emergency protocols stress the need to take care of ourselves before attempting to help others. But this critically important piece of advice is often overlooked by parents of children with special needs. For all parents,...

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Fiction With Friends building social links for kids during pandemic restrictions

Amid the unpredictability of COVID-19 a creative new program is helping kids with developmental disabilities build social skills and confidence from the comfort of their homes. With lockdown measures in place, Gateways Support Services Occupational Therapist, Ben and his team were brainstorming ideas to continue to engage kids in group...

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Ibby accomplishing his goals in leaps and bounds

Look up determination in the dictionary and chances are you’ll find a photo of Gateways Support Services participant, Ibby. The Newport man, who lives with a rare brain condition called agenesis of corpus collosum, is so set on building his life skills that he calls in with new personal goals almost...

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How to help your fussy eater

Problem eater. Fussy eater. Sensory eater. Whatever you choose to call it the one constant is the distress that selective eating issues serve up to families on a daily basis. Rajes says food and mealtimes...

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Volunteering reduces anxiety and builds life skills for young participant

An innovative volunteering role at Gateways Support Services’ sprawling new North Geelong headquarters is helping manage anxiety for 19-year-old client Anthony.  For the busy and social young man, who typically fills his week with a broad...

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In-home senior visits keep loneliness at bay during pandemic times

As an older person, the social restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic hit Geelong resident Muriel particularly hard.  She was not allowed to visit husband Ted, who lives with dementia at a nearby care facility, unable to make her regular...

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New research into understanding childhood leisure activities

Congratulations to Gateways Support Services occupational therapist Emily Lugton on having her research into accurate reporting of children’s activity choices published. Occupational therapists are encouraged to use specific surveys – or scales – that allow...

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A two-way street as Gateways Support Services helps a local manufacturer during COVID-19

When the initial threat of a COVID-19 outbreak hit, disability service providers across the nation were scrambling to source personal protective equipment to keep their staff and clients safe. So were many other sectors, which made finding sufficient...

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