Easy Read off

Aids and equipment

Aids and equipment could assist you to make everyday activities easier. These could include wheelchairs and scooters, hearing or vision aids, healthcare equipment, service animals and things to help you communicate better.

2:33

Hello. My name is John.

Today I'll be taking you through the area of life that relates to aids and equipment.

Aids and equipment can make life easier and keep you safer if you need them for your disability.

It includes things like wheelchairs, scooters, hearing aids, glasses and technology to help you communicate.

Changes to your home or where you work can also make it easier for you to do things.

There are many equipment programs available from the Australian Government, State and Territory governments and other organisations.

These programs may offer financial support, services and products to aid you with the things you need.

For example, you may be able to get support to pay for your aids or equipment, or even borrow equipment for free or at a low cost.

They can even help find organisations that make or fix equipment if you need.

You can find more info about these programs on the General equipment schemes and services page.

Now, let's talk about communication aids and services that can help you communicate better.

You might need support to see, hear, talk, learn or understand.

More information about these aids and services can be found on the Communication aids and services page.

Other support can be provided by service dogs and assistance dogs.

This is available for people with disability, including people with a vision or hearing impairment, physical disability or a disability that affects your mental health.

Service dogs and assistance dogs are specially trained and allowed in all public places to support your needs.

You can find more info about organisations that train assistance dogs on the Service dogs and assistance dogs page.

If you'd like to know more about how we can assist in aids and equipment, please contact the Disability Gateway on 1800 643 787.

This section provides links to services and information on:

General equipment schemes and services

Government programs and organisations that provide equipment

Communication aids and services

Equipment to help you with vision, speech, hearing or learning difficulties

Assistance animals

Government information and organisations relating to assistance animals.

Using technology to stay connected

Information and training about how to use technology to get the most out of your devices

Aids and equipment

2:33

Hello. My name is John.

Today I'll be taking you through the area of life that relates to aids and equipment.

Aids and equipment can make life easier and keep you safer if you need them for your disability.

It includes things like wheelchairs, scooters, hearing aids, glasses and technology to help you communicate.

Changes to your home or where you work can also make it easier for you to do things.

There are many equipment programs available from the Australian Government, State and Territory governments and other organisations.

These programs may offer financial support, services and products to aid you with the things you need.

For example, you may be able to get support to pay for your aids or equipment, or even borrow equipment for free or at a low cost.

They can even help find organisations that make or fix equipment if you need.

You can find more info about these programs on the General equipment schemes and services page.

Now, let's talk about communication aids and services that can help you communicate better.

You might need support to see, hear, talk, learn or understand.

More information about these aids and services can be found on the Communication aids and services page.

Other support can be provided by service dogs and assistance dogs.

This is available for people with disability, including people with a vision or hearing impairment, physical disability or a disability that affects your mental health.

Service dogs and assistance dogs are specially trained and allowed in all public places to support your needs.

You can find more info about organisations that train assistance dogs on the Service dogs and assistance dogs page.

If you'd like to know more about how we can assist in aids and equipment, please contact the Disability Gateway on 1800 643 787.

Woman smiling with thumbs up and a safety icon

In this Area of Life we talk about aids and equipment that can:

make it easier to do things
keep you safe.

Icons of a wheelchair, a pair of glasses, a service dog and a computer screen with a speech bubble

These aids and equipment might be:

wheelchairs and scooters
hearing aids or glasses
service dogs and assistance dogs
technology to help you communicate.

This section has information about:

A woman pointing to a government icon and an organisation icon

Equipment programs

Government programs and organisations that provide equipment.

2 women looking at a tablet together. There are icons of a computer screen, TTY and a phone next to them

Communication aids and services

Equipment to help you see, hear or talk.

A person with a service dog, crossing a road

Assistance animals

Service dogs and assistance dogs that can support you.

Key supports

National Disability Insurance Scheme logo.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) supports people with disability.

If you want help with the NDIS, you can call them on 1800 800 110

My Aged Care logo.

My Aged Care supports older people.

You can call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422

Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs logo.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs supports veterans. We call this department DVA.

A veteran is a person who served in the military.

If you want help from DVA, you can call them on 1800 555 524

A Medicare card with a dollar sign and a down arrow. Behind it is a map of Australia.

Medicare is a program that gives all Australians health care at no cost or low cost.

If you want help with Medicare, you can call them on 132 011

Australian Government Services Australia logo.

Services Australia supports all Australians, including:

families
older people
carers
people looking for work.

If you want help from Services Australia, you can call them on 132 307

Carer Gateway logo.

The Carer Gateway supports families and carers who support another person.

You can call the Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737

Head to Health can help you find information about mental health – for yourself or for someone you care about.

You can visit the Head to Health website for more information.

Key National Supports

You can also find information about the main types of support available in Australia. These are:

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), if you or someone you care for has disability
My Aged Care, if you or someone you care for is older
Department of Veterans’ Affairs, if you or someone you care for is a veteran
Carer Gateway, for people caring for someone with disability, a medical condition, mental illness or frail aged.
Australian Government, The Australian Government offers various support to families effected by the rising cost of living.
Services Australia, for Medicare / Centrelink / Child Support Services.
Head to Health can help you find mental health and wellbeing resources, for yourself or for someone you care about.
Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, if you want to share your story, get support, or find more information.

The Australian Government acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, water, culture and community. We pay our respects to the Elders both past and present.