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NDIS OT Services: expert care for every stage of life

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Picture a world, where life can be embraced to the maximum by every individual no matter their age and ability. This vision is by no means unachievable because its realization owes a great deal to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and occupational therapy services under it.

Understanding NDIS OT Services

These NDIS OT services are a wide range of therapies that are developed to improve and help individuals with a disability to live a more independent life. In this case, the provision of the services is done uniquely to each person. First, the therapists they see work with them to establish the goals they aim at and to evaluate their abilities more and come up with an action plan that would solve the problem. The treatment that is patient-centered is a comprehensive strategy guaranteeing that a person got help from each angle, necessitating that attention be paid to their physical as well as psychological and social needs.

Early Intervention: Laying the Foundation

The support provided to the children who have problems with development is one stage, where the involvement is crucial. NDIS OT services are very important during this period as these play a key role by providing well-targeted support in teaching children skills and helping them to pass these milestones. Therapists usually carry out play-based interventions to improve fine motor skills, sensory processing, and cognitive development.

Parents, who are also partners on the journey, are also served with training on the ways of how to promote the development of their child at home which creates such a favorable atmosphere that guarantees the rate of growth remains the same. This is early enough to mean the child will benefit from it long into the future by setting a good stage for the future.

School-Age Support: Fostering Independence

Along with the school period, NDIS OT services are still around to ensure that students get exactly the help they need. Occupational therapists work with educators to make sure that students have the helpful tools, as well as the help and resources they need to succeed in the classroom. This may entail not only recommending assistive technologies but also giving modifications to learning environments and developing focus and organization strategies for students with attention deficit.

OT services, besides academic help, also handle social skills and self-care needed among the kids to create independence. The children are trained to become self-confident and independent as they try to maneuver through the ups and downs of school life.

Adulthood: Enabling Participation

Everlastingly, the NDIS OT services for persons with disabilities are about empowerment and full insertion of the folks in the courses of work, leisure and community. Occupational therapists go to the persons’ homes and for the workplaces where they check out the environment and analyze where changes or accommodation need to be made to make it more accessible and safer.

Job readiness programs, catered through OT services, are instrumental in adults’ acquisition of the different skills that are now required for employment. This entails areas like time management skill improvement, better oral communication skill development, or specialized equipment use course completion.

Aging with Dignity: Adapting to Change

Recently, the needs of NDIS participants may have been more surfaced due to their aging. Thus the OT services will have to adapt their services to the point of helping the older to keep the level of their independence and life quality. Therapists may be involved in an innovative way in that they can assist older adults in dealing with issues of their age, such as less mobility or declining cognitions.

Some of these approaches consist of changing the living environment so that elderly people don’t fall, coaching them on coping strategies for chronic illnesses, and providing the concept of activities’ energy conservation for elderly who can’t do heavy items. The objective, in this case, should be that people can get older in their own way and even do the activities they like.

Innovative Approaches in NDIS OT Services

The field of occupational therapy is in a constant state of change and NDIS OT services are leaders in the innovation of these changes. Clients, with the help of therapists, are gradually getting used to use the technology during sessions as virtual reality software is applied for skill development, telehealth systems are used for appointments, and gadgets such as smart home devices are used to aid in personal care.

Group therapy sessions are now catching up with the love people have for solo sessions. In these groups, people grow gold social skills while strengthening relationships through activities. These inventive approaches, in addition to producing better results, also make therapy sessions more playful and accessible for participants.

The Impact of NDIS OT Services

Bringing this next step NDIS OT services go further than just benefiting the sole participants in the program. The quality of life of the families increases as they can enjoy calmness of mind and see their dear ones becoming more independent. In addition, the community members shall be jollied up and brought together more when people with disabilities are brought on stage and are able to be part of the community fully.

As concerns economics, the long-term effect of NDIS OT services is of paramount importance. By enhancing capabilities and thus reducing the demand for continuous assistance, these services make a more sustainable disability support system.

Conclusion

NDIS registered occupational therapists are genuine and individual-specific methods when it comes to passion for participants with disabilities throughout their whole lives. They are dedicated, in the beginning, to removing the barriers to offering proper assistance for the people, who find the need to seek help early. Consequently, every individual has the chance to be part of a fulfilling life.

The forthcoming expansion of the NDIS is almost certainly around the corner. A nutritionist registered by the NDIS, certainly, will become more effective when providing his or her patients with expert care.

The ultimate objective of the implementation of the holistic person-centered manner of NDIS OT services is societal development towards full assimilation where everybody is able to thrive and co-exist peacefully. Many a time, the dream of long journeying begins with a simple inward reflection and for most people, occupational therapists who support the NDIS framework take on the role.

Disclaimer: the author(s) of the sponsored article(s) are solely responsible for any opinions expressed or offers made. These opinions do not necessarily reflect the official position of Daily News Hungary, and the editorial staff cannot be held responsible for their veracity.

January 2, 2025

Hungarian government is working to create an inclusive society, says official

Hungary’s government is working to create a society in which both non-disabled and people with disabilities can find their place, government spokeswoman Alexandra Szentkirályi said on Monday on the occasion of the coming International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The government’s duty to create an inclusive society is enshrined in the Fundamental Law, Szentkirályi said at Budapest’s School for the Blind.

The government has a responsibility to ensure that people with disabilities can live as full a life as possible and that their special needs are met in all areas, be it education, health care or the labour market, she said.

And this has borne results, Szentkirályi said, noting the achievements of people with disabilities in the fields of sports, culture and science.

Over the last decade, the government has increased support for organisations representing disabled people by 800 million forints (EUR 2m), she said. Cooperation between such organisations and the government is constant, she said, noting the live sign interpretation of weekly government press briefings as an example.

Some 1 million people in Hungary live with some kind of disability, Szentkirályi said.

Read alsoHungarian and Hollywood celebrities to support foundation helping the disabled

November 28, 2022

Hungarian Paralympic team bringing 16 medals home celebrated in Budapest

The Hungarian Paralympic Committee greeted the team of 37 Hungarian athletes who had won seven gold, five silver and four bronze medals at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, at a ceremony in Budapest on Tuesday.

Greeting the athletes in a sports hall, Human Resources Minister Miklos Kasler said “You have earned joy and glory for yourselves, for your families and friends and for the entire Hungarian nation; as you have also written your names into to sports history of Hungary and of the world”.

Addressing the event, László Szabó, the Paralympic Committee’s president, praised the Hungarian Paralympic team for their best ever performance.

“Our athletes competed in 80 branches and finished among the top eight in 53 of them with swimmer Fanni Illes fetching Hungary’s 150th Paralympic gold,” he said.

As we wrote before, Amarilla Veres won the Hungarian team’s first gold medal in wheelchair epee fencing at the Tokyo Paralympics.

Read alsoHungary’s Luca Ekler breaks own world record twice to claim gold in Tokyo

September 7, 2021

Ministry: More people with disabilities have jobs

Thanks to government measures and job subsidies, the number of people with disabilities in employment has risen by more than 2.5 times since 2010, the Ministry of Human Resources said in a statement on Friday.

Whereas ten years ago 60,000 people with disabilities had jobs, today that figure is 150,000.

This year the government is subsidising companies that employ larger numbers of people with disabilities to the tune of 43.5 billion forints.

Businesses tend to be satisfied with the work of their disabled employees and willingness to employ them is increasing, according to surveys.

Meanwhile, the statement noted that the ministry is organising an international conference on 17-18 January on how to expand the employment of people with disabilities.

Read alsoBudapest mayor signs letter of intent on helping disabled people

January 3, 2020

Budapest mayor signs letter of intent on helping disabled people

Budapest’s new mayor Gergely Karácsony signed a letter of intent on cooperation with civil organisations aimed at improving care and accessibility in the city for people living with disabilities on Tuesday, marking the International Day of Disabled Persons.

“Budapest must become a city of solidarity. It will do its utmost to make sure that disabled persons and people who provide care for their elderly relatives do not feel left alone with their problems,” the mayor said prior to signing the document together with the head of the Step by Step! Association.

“Budapest must become a city with a heart. It will be a city that takes steps to ensure everyone has access to public transport and all the public institutions,” Karácsony said.

He added that the municipality would always consult the civil organisations before taking decisions affecting disabled people.

Anett Csordás, the leader of the association of families caring for disabled children, said the initiative has already been joined by 14 civil organisations. The letter of intent has already been signed by 16 districts and talks with another five are ongoing, she added.

The cooperation includes improving basic social care, housing conditions and accessibility of public buildings, and launching an information platform in all 23 districts.

The UN General Assembly designated Dec. 3 as International Day of Disabled Persons in 1992.

Read alsoHungarian teenager develops robotic hand

December 3, 2019

Home-care subsidies should be diagnosis-based, says opposition LMP

Parents of children diagnosed with chronic illness or disability should be automatically eligible for home-care subsidies, the opposition LMP party said on Monday.

From this year on, home caregivers of severely disabled children or children suffering from a debilitating illness are eligible to receive 100,000 forints per month, irrespective of the child’s age.

LMP lawmaker Peter Ungár told a press conference that a review of those eligible for the subsidy is underway. The point-based system used for the review, however, is “not going to give answers for individual life situations”, he said.

Ungár proposed that eligibility be based on a list of diagnoses which would allow families to avail themselves of the subsidy automatically.

Chronically ill children have already been examined by a body of experts, the ministry review is “unnecessary spending”, he said.

More Hungarians with disabilities enter the labour market

July 29, 2019

More Hungarians with disabilities enter the labour market

The employment rate among Hungarians with disabilities has reached 35 percent, nearly double the 18 percent rate in 2011, according to an estimate by the local unit of staffing company Trenkwalder.

Trenkwalder said the rate has been lifted by measures to help place people with disabilities in jobs as well as the labour shortage, but it is still well under the average rate for Europe which stands around 50 percent.

Employers who hire Hungarians with disabilities are exempt from the 17.5 percent payroll tax on those staff,

while companies at which people with disabilities don’t make up at least 5 percent of headcount must pay an annual HUF 1.3m rehabilitation contribution for each employee short of that threshold.

About 40 percent of Hungarians with disabilities work part time. Around 55 percent have a secondary school education and 6 percent have finished university.

Around 80 percent of Hungarian companies with more than 250 staff employ people with disabilities.

As we wrote before, the employment rate among Hungarians with reduced work capacity reached 40 percent at the end of last year, up from just 18 percent in 2011, the prime minister’s commissioner for priority social affairs said.

Hungarian and Hollywood celebrities to support foundation helping the disabled

July 16, 2019

Employment rate among Hungarians with reduced work capacity reaches 40pc

The employment rate among Hungarians with reduced work capacity reached 40 percent at the end of last year, up from just 18 percent in 2011, the prime minister’s commissioner for priority social affairs said on Sunday.

In absolute terms, the number of Hungarians with reduced work capacity who held jobs was over 80,000 last year, up from 15,000 in 2011, said Zsolt Nyitrai.

More than 600,000 Hungarians live with some form of disability, he added.

Hungarians living with disabilities are a social group of strategic importance for the government: as equal members of society, they need support to live their daily lives with the greatest possible degree of independence, Nyitrai said.

Since the Fidesz-KDNP government came to power in 2010, budget funding allocated for organisations that deal with matters affecting Hungarians living with disabilities has doubled, he added.

As we wrote a few weeks ago, Hungary’s rolling average three-month jobless rate was 3.6 percent in November, down from 3.7 percent in the previous month, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) said on Wednesday.

NUMBER OF HUNGARIANS WORKING ABROAD INCREASED

Between September and November 2018, unfortunately, the number of employed people in Hungary – approximately 4.8 million – started to decrease again, but this is not a surprising phenomenon due to seasonal changes. While the number of employees in Hungary keeps dropping, the Central Statistics Office’s recent data showed that the number of Hungarian residents working abroad started to increase again, read more HERE.

January 14, 2019

26 Exercises for Wheelchair Users – Infographic

Being a wheelchair user does not imply you have to spend a dull and boring life. Don’t let your wheelchair limit your lifestyle as even if you are disabled or have limited mobility, you can still get an active lifestyle.

Getting active will bring you vital health benefits and can help you manage easily your daily life too. From regular aerobic exercises to muscle-strengthening exercises, they are equally important for the health and overall welfare of wheelchair users as they are for other individuals.

If you are on a wheelchair due to an injury, illness, weight problem or disability, there are still numerous of ways you can exercise to boost your mood, relieve stress, ease depression, and strengthen your body muscles. Though there are challenges that you may experience with mobility issues, by adopting a strong will and creative approach, you can overcome physical limitations and live an active and healthy lifestyle.

The Bestrateddocs.com present to you a quick visual guide (done through 3D modelling) to some of the best exercises for individuals and seniors in wheelchairs to help live an active lifestyle. Do not restrict your wellbeing to a wheelchair! Have a look!

HERE YOU CAN FIND HUNGARY’S FIRST OPEN-AIR INTEGRATED GYM

The first integrated gym and playground of Hungary opened in 2017 in Csepel, Budapest where children with disabilities, healthy children and adults can also enjoy the pleasure of exercise and play, read more HERE.

THE TECH BREAKTHROUGHS THAT COULD EMPOWER PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Though there are numerous ways that technology can transform the lives of people around the world, there are few spaces where innovations are more significant than in the healthcare space. In healthcare, “adaptive” solutions allow those with disabilities to live an independent life without the constant presence of nurses and doctors, read more HERE.

December 29, 2018

Hungarian and Hollywood celebrities to support foundation helping the disabled

The 8th Teddy Bear Charity Auction is on its way: the organisers intend to open a disabled friendly restaurant from the receipts.

As Szeretlek Magyarország claims, the teddy bears and personal items of 183 Hungarian and foreign celebrities were auctioned in the past few years in order to support the own disabled-friendly workspace of Adopt a Teddy Bear Foundation in the center of Budapest, opened in 2016. 11 disabled people works at Premier Kultcafé: autists, people with Down’s syndrome, mentally handicapped, and deaf as well. The foundation wants to create new workplaces.

This year, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Antonio Banderas offered to help the disabled with their signed teddies.

It was also a great sensation when Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling, who were shooting Blade Runner 2049 in Hungary in 2016, joined the initiative. Their offers were sold for HUF 4,000,000 and 1,000,000 (approximately EUR 12,412 + 3,103). Last year, there were three Hollywood stars who took part in the initiative, namely Jennifer Lawrence, Jamie Foxx and Ashton Kutcher. They gave HUF 2,650,000 (EUR 8,223) altogether by selling their teddy bears.

For the first time in the history of Adopt a Teddy Bear Foundation, Roberto Carlos, legend of Real Madrid, and his family supports the initiative as well. The offered real treasures: a Real Madrid magazine signed by R.C., a pair of unique football boots made for his half Hungarian son, Christofer.

This time all the existing records might be broken, the main goal is to open a new restaurant.

The most successful auction was last year with its 25 million forints of income, when the teddies of Attila Dargay, András Lovasi (singer), and Tibor Nyilasi (former football player, Hungarian International) were sold for 3-3 million forints. The most expensive offer was for Imre Kertész Nobel laureate author’s teddy and a signed copy of his novel, Sorstalanság (Fatelessness), with 3.7 million forints (EUR 11,161). If the foundation breaks this record, they will get closer to their aim of opening a restaurant to employ disabled people.

football player, donation, charity — Photo: facebook.com/fogadjorokbeegymacit/

12 Hungarian celebrities were asked to help the foundation and operation of the biggest European disabled-friendly social and cultural space. Premier Kultcafé opened three years ago, and 11 disabled people work here currently: autists, people with Down’s syndrome, physically and mentally ill, and deaf as well. The foundation awaits every contributor who is fully dedicated to the purpose of the campaign.

They full list of contributing celebrities are the following:

Benedek Miklós (Kossuth Award-winning actor, director), Csaba Böjte (Franciscan monk, founder of Dévai Szent Ferenc Foundation), Károly Eperjes (Kossuth Award-winning award, eternal member of the Troupe of Immortals), Zoltán Gera (Hungarian International with 97 appearances), Ádám Horváth (Kossuth, Erkel Ferenc and Balázs Béla Award-winning director), Tamás Jordán (Kossuth Award-winning actor and director, theatre manager), Előd juhász (music historian, tv and radio presenter), János Latorcai and his wife, Aranka (politician, vice-president of the national assembly, his wife is an iconographer), Sándor Lukács (Kossuth Award-winning actor), Andor Lukáts (Kossuth Award-winning actor and director, stage manager), Balázs Taróczy (tennis player), Andrea Temesvári (Grand Slam winning tennis player), Antonio Banderas (Spanish actor), Roberto Carlos and Cristofer Da Silva Horváth (Brazilian football player and his son), Arnold Schwarzenegger (Golden Globe Award winning actor)

In Hungary only 10-15% of the disabled are employed; most of them feel socially excluded because of that. However, there are always exceptions: earlier we wrote about a company employing disabled people. Learn more about Nagy Lépés here.

Featured Image: facebook.com/fogadjorokbeegymacit/

November 23, 2018

’Nagy Lépés’ courier company – entirely unique in Europe – works with disabled people in Budapest

The courier company’s employees are autists, people with Asperger Syndrome and someone with a slight degree of intellectual disability, too. “It was not a conscious decision, but rather it was that mainly autists came to us. A lot of people think that this job is not for them, but our couriers are very reliable, they tackle their task well” – Kriszti disperses the misconception right at the beginning – can be read on Forbes.hu.

The idea of a workplace where disabled people can work came thousands of miles from Budapest.

Levente Erős got inspired during his 2016 student exchange program,

when, in Toronto, he came across two courier companies who employed intellectually disabled and autistic people. When he arrived home, he visited Kriszti, a remedial teacher, and asked her whether she wanted to create something similar in Budapest.

Kriszti is good at communicating with people while Levente, who has played many different roles in different courier companies over the years such as courier, marketing person, consultant, system developer, and even had his own company (Kantaa), is an expert of the market.

They started to work on their idea and made a business plan, then, in February 2017, they started their business.

Unique in Europe

“There is a long training process and a trust relationship between the colleagues, that is why the company works so well” – says Kriszti.

During the training, they escort the couriers individually, find out what field or situation is problematic for them, then they talk this through and help them to react properly to situations, and they analyse how people reacted to the flyers.

There is also another programme in Hungary that involves autistic people but, in this case, they produce art in a special way.

Alongside the two founders, there are four disabled couriers, a coordinator and a salesman on an ad-hoc basis. Their main activity is to give out flyers for theatres and cultural events in the centre of Budapest. They undertake parcel delivery as well, but their clients are primarily businesses.

Their couriers work 4 hours a day and visit 15-16 addresses.

„Sometimes they have to deliver the package on the same day or the next morning to a totally unfamiliar address” – says Kriszti. Csilla had such a task: “I was frightened when they told me that I have another address, but I solved the task and did not freak out for weeks.”

The founders do not know about any similar courier company in Europe, but

they would like to expand in Hungary

first. Levente sees the possibility of expansion in parcel delivery, and they try to aim for a sustainable business. “It would be great to come up with a new service next year, such as delivery across cities.”

There is a courier company in Hungary which earned an award.

Featured image: www.facebook.com/NagyLepes

November 15, 2018

Hungarian teenager develops robotic hand

http://www.mti.hu/Pages/Download.aspx?newsid=937007&filetype=1&view=HiView&lang=hun

June 12, 2018

Jobbik: Opposition MPs banned from donating for charity in Hungary

mirkóczki jobbik mp member of parliament

While Fidesz’ candidates can easily donate eggs and milk or even laptops labelled with the candidate’s name to senior citizens, opposition politicians are no longer allowed to give donations to an institution for handicapped children. Jobbik’s Ádám Mirkóczki wanted to help but the institution’s regional operator, which reports to Zoltán Balogh’s Ministry of Human Capacities, simply banned him from doing so. Explanation: nothing.

Talking to daily Magyar Nemzet, Jobbik’s MP who is also running for the parliamentary seat to represent the Eger electorate said that they had had some money left after the Christmas charity events so they offered their help to a Heves county institution for handicapped children. (He didn’t reveal the name of the institution because, as the politician put it, he didn’t want to put them on the spot.) The manager of the institution told him that they needed some skills development toys so the politician and his team bought such toys for a certain sum. They agreed that there would be no media event, they wouldn’t even take photos unless the institution allows. Mr Mirkóczki says this is their standard practice: if the recipient wishes so, they don’t document the donation.

Before their meeting scheduled for yesterday though, the regional operator intervened and the whole thing had to be cancelled. According to the e-mail, which we have seen too, the regional department of the Social and Child Protection Directorate did not support the idea of the donation.

They did admit as much that MP Ádám Mirkóczki “may of course enter the institution” but they “respectfully asked” him “not to bring any donations”.

What the message does not reveal though is why regional director Zsolt Sinka in charge of social affairs would not like handicapped children to get skills development toys, even if they come from a Jobbik MP.

Ádám Mirkóczki told us that “respecting but disagreeing with the operator’s request” he asked a co-worker to deliver the toys as a private citizen, so the children did receive them eventually. “I find it utterly outrageous and equally incomprehensible that a man with such insensitive and anti-social thinking as Zsolt Sinka could become the head of an organization comprising institutions caring for severely handicapped and sick children,” the politician said. On the other hand, he added, you should have no doubt that if the region’s Fidesz MP Zsolt Nyitrai had given any donations like that, the local television would have broadcast the event live.

That is perhaps not so far from the truth since Zsolt Nyitrai had just attended an event where, according to the report of the local television, 80 senior citizens were given laptop computers as part of a donation project in the towns of Füzesabony and Szihalom.

Nobody raised any concerns when he gave presents to Eger’s state-operated Ferenc Markhot Hospital either: he even boasted about in his Facebook page that he and his team delivered cakes for emergency room staff there. He was also very proud to announce recently that he handed out apples to Eger citizens and suggested that such events could be held every year.

However, Zsolt Nyitrai is not the only politician to begin giving out donations in the heat of the election campaign – and in the presence of the media, of course. In Budapest District VII, Fidesz’ István Bajkai has recently handed out free milk to the locals, with his name on each bottle. A couple of weeks earlier, the district’s residents got eggs from him, with his name written in block capitals on each box.

In contrast, other opposition parties have been banned from doing charity, just like Jobbik. For example, Democratic Coalition (DK) was forbidden to hand out food, bean goulash specifically, in the town of Pécs. Even though any aid is more than welcome in many places. As we reported earlier, the only reason why children’s hospice institution Dori House was not cut off the power grid was because the last tenant was on life support.

February 5, 2018

The tech breakthroughs that could empower people with disabilities

While some forms of adaptive tech are relatively simple, such as the walking stick, others are becoming more incredible by the moment. Here, we’ll look at just some of the breakthroughs throughout the years that have transformed the landscape for people with disabilities, and helped them to lead more fulfilling lives.

1. The DynaVox EyeMax System

Cerebral Palsy sufferers, stroke victims, and those suffering from long-term paralysis can often feel trapped and isolated by their inability to communicate with friends and care providers. The DynaVox EyeMax system provides these individuals with an opportunity to participate in audio communication using an eye-tracking system. Like the technology you might have seen being used by Mr. Stephen Hawking, this system allows paralyzed people to input words and phrases into their devices, which are then spoken by a computer.

2. Kapten Plus

Visually impaired individuals often have trouble traveling alone. Whether they’re visiting friends in a different town, or simply crossing the street, countless threats abound. The good news is that the Kapten Plus system allows people with eye-sight problems to understand exactly where they’re going with the help of a real-time GPS service. The device announces direction and location while the person is walking, to help the user keep track of where they are.

3. The Stair-Climbing Wheelchair from iBot

The chances are you’ve heard of lift for wheelchair devices before today, but you probably haven’t seen anything as innovative as the iBot stair-climbing chair. This chair is a self-balancing device that allows physically disabled people to climb up and down stairs without risking their health or safety. Using technology like that of the Segway, the iBot gives wheelchair-bound patients the freedom to navigate a range of different terrains.

4. The Vehicle for the Blind

Although there might be a way to go before we can safely have blind people driving around on local roads, an engineer called Dennis Hong has already begun to design a car that can be driven by visually-impaired users. The system uses a range of computer inputs and sensors to observe the environment around the vehicle and provide different forms of sensory input for the blind user, including vibrations and sounds.

5. The Driverless Car from Google

Perhaps a simpler solution for those who want the freedom to drive, but might not have the ability to manage a car themselves, is the Google driverless vehicle. Designed by Sebastian Thrun, the man behind the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Library, the driverless car operates on a combination of artificial intelligence, and information from Google street view, to ensure that the user never has to touch the wheel.

6. The Cochlear Implant

If you’ve been keeping up with technology in recent years, then you’ve probably seen the viral videos of children having their cochlear implant turned on for the first time. Originally perceived as little more than a sci-fi concept, the cochlear implant is now a commonplace solution for those with hearing issues. This device is incredibly innovative, and while it might not be new to the marketplace, the software and hardware involved continue to evolve to this day.

The cochlear implant works by picking up sounds from a microphone, which are transmitted to a computer behind the ear, before being delivered to the implant itself. The device directly stimulates the auditory nerve, to help deaf people hear again.

January 23, 2018

Opposition parties to launch signature drive for metro line 3 accessibility

Nine opposition parties have joined forces to launch a signature drive for holding a local referendum on ensuring the wheelchair accessibility of stations on Budapest’s third metro line, a Socialist Party city councillor said on Wednesday.

Csaba Horváth, who initiated a local referendum on ensuring the accessibility of metro line 3 in mid-November, noted that the parties involved in the signature drive will have 30 days to collect 138,000 valid signatures from Budapest residents. He said the signature drive for the referendum, which the Budapest Election Committee approved earlier this month, could begin on Jan. 3 once all time limits for appeals have expired.

Horváth said the total cost of ensuring the metro line’s accessibility could be around 20 billion forints (EUR 63.8m), which he said was the equivalent of what Budapest residents pay in taxes in a single day.

The opposition Democratic Coalition, the Liberal Party, LMP, the Modern Hungary Movement, Párbeszéd, Együtt, Momentum and the Hungarian Solidarity Movement will join the Socialists in the signature drive.

Horváth’s referendum question reads: “Do you support ensuring the full accessibility of all stations of the M3 metro line during its upgrade in 2017-2020 in line with the provisions prescribed in Section 2 (1) of Act LXXVIII of 1997?”

Budapest deputy mayor Gábor Bagdy said in a statement that the Budapest municipal council was not blocking a referendum on the matter. Ensuring accessibility on the metro line is not a matter of empathy or intent, but rather a question of money, the deputy mayor said.

Bagdy said Horváth had submitted a “hastily-worded” referendum question, arguing that the upgrade of the metro line was in line with the provisions prescribed by law. Therefore the objective of the question he had submitted could be carried out even without a referendum, the deputy mayor said.

Ruling Fidesz reacted by saying that the opposition’s referendum initiative “has no credibility whatsoever”, arguing that

the capital’s former Socialist and liberal leadership had “allowed the third metro line to rot away during their tenure in power”.

“Csaba Horváth and company did not even lift a finger to ensure the safety of Budapest residents on public transportation back then,” Fidesz said in a statement. “Not only did they fail to consider accessibility, but the entire third metro line could have broken down for all they cared.”

December 20, 2017

Hungarian application gains international success

Hungarian application, Route4U has been around since 2014, and by now it has gained well-deserved international recognition, szeretlekmagyarorszag.hu reports. Route4U is yet another Hungarian invention to be proud of.

The name Route4U might ring a bell for a reason, we have already reported on the matter when the application was first presented at a press conference in Budapest in 2015. Back then, the start-up project was available only in Hungarian and it could be downloaded for Android only. The application has gone through serious development since then. The mobile application is now available free of charge for both Android and iOS.

Route4U is a mobile map designed for people with special needs when it comes to transportation.

The seemingly simple act of getting from point A to point B poses many challenges for people with physical disabilities, and this application is designed to make the life of these people much easier. How does it work? The app surveys the sidewalks with the help of built-in sensors, it helps its users to find the best accessible places based on other users’ ratings and it shows the most comfortable routes toward specific destinations. The app makes it easier for people in wheelchairs to design their routes in advance, knowing what places or routes to avoid.

It is important to mention that

even though Route4U focuses on people in wheelchairs, this application is extremely useful for parents with strollers too.

The use of Route4U is not recommended for blind or visually impaired people, because the sensors only survey the sidewalk, and certain barriers, that are easily bypassed by people who see them, go unreported, while these barriers can cause serious difficulties for blind users.

How does the application collect its data?

Besides the built-in sensors that survey the sidewalks, users are welcome to report observations or problems manually, thus helping to improve the app’s database.

Reporting information on where one can stumble upon curbs, slopes, or marking the buildings that have accessible entrances or accessible toilets are all helpful. People can report obstacles and upload photos of them so that other users become aware of those obstacles as well. Users can also rate certain places based on their accessibility.

Anyone who finds accessibility to be an important issue can help to improve the app. People who do not have any kind of disability or difficulty with transportation can also use the app and rate places, report buildings that offer accessible entrances or toilets. Someone’s entire world (or at least their daily routine) might change with the help of a few clicks.

Photo: Facebook.com/route4u.org

Ce: bm

October 18, 2017

Bill would cut VAT rate on braille devices to 5pc in Hungary

MPs of ruling Fidesz have submitted a bill to Parliament that would apply a preferential 5 percent VAT rate to braille writers, braille embossers and braille displays from the start of next year.

Zsolt Nyitrai, one of the bill’s authors, announced the plan on White Cane Day, established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness about blindness.

He noted that 86,000 Hungarians have vision impairment.

More than 73,000 have low vision and over 9,000 are blind, while 3,000 are both blind and deaf, he added.

Hungary’s main VAT rate is 27 percent.

The 5 percent rate was earlier applied to pork, fresh milk, eggs and poultry. Next year, the preferential rate will be applied to fish and internet service, too.

As we wrote on Spetember, Hungary’s government plans to cut the payroll tax by 2.5 percentage points next year rather than by 2 percent in reaction to fast wage growth.

Also we wrote before, the VAT of several restaurant services is expected to fall to 5% next year, and beer manufacturers have asked the Minister of National Economy to expand the discount to draft beer. With the support of the Kraft Beer Association, an exemplary unity was formed in the industry.

October 16, 2017

Hungarian footballer participates in newly-launched UEFA campaign

UEFA has launched a new UEFA RESPECT social responsibility campaign under the banner #EqualGame, which will positively promote inclusion, diversity and accessibility in football throughout Europe. Alongside some of world football’s biggest stars, István Szabó – a blind footballer for LÁSS SE –has also been selected as part of the campaign.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin believes European football’s governing body should be a social fair play organisation, meaning UEFA has a zero-tolerance stance on racism, sexism, homophobia or any form of discrimination.

“It is vitally important that UEFA makes football accessible for everyone and, through the power of sport, becomes a global leader to fight for social equality. The new #EqualGame initiative aims to help to bring the football community closer together and ensure that values such as inclusion, gender equality and the fight against discrimination continue to be at the forefront of UEFA’s vision and beliefs” he said at the launch of the initiative.

The main message of the social media campaign – which has the full support of the Hungarian Football – comprises of a short film which will be shown at every UEFA event throughout the course of the 2017/18 season.

One of those collaborating in the campaign is Hungarian István Szabó, who despite losing his sight hasn’t given up on playing football, and regularly takes to the pitch as captain of Budapest team LÁSS Egyesület.

The UEFA initiative is also supported by some of the world’s greatest and most popular players.

“People all over the world are different, but we all can find common ground in our love of football. This means football belongs to everyone, and we all should have the chance to play and enjoy it.” – Paul Pogba

“I am convinced that the positive power of football can help to bring the world and its peoples together. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, or how well you can play. Football is for everyone” – Cristiano Ronaldo

“Football acts as a leveller in our society. Whilst everyone is different we’re all united by a common passion for a sport that truly belongs to each and every one of us. I’m fully behind UEFA’s #EqualGame campaign because I believe in the immense power of the sport and its ability to change our outlook on the world.” – Lionel Messi

Further details on the UEFA campaign can be found on the official uefa.com website, whilst the campaign video can be viewed on the MLSZ Facebook page.

September 17, 2017