… the home of Ricky Buchanan
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The 2018 report, "Just Invisible - Medical Access Issues for Homebound/Bedridden People" details the extensive and systemic problems that people who are homebound and/or bedridden have with accessing the medical healthcare system, including access to GPs, medical professionals, hospital systems and allied health.
In short, the entire medical system (pre-COVID) has been designed and based around physical attendance - if you don't turn up you are assumed not to need or want the service. If you are homebound/bedridden and you live in the community, then the healthcare system treats you as if you do not exist. |
A deck of cards with realistic self care for the chronically ill and those in pain.
Each beautiful Energy-Saving Self Care card offers you a specific gentle action to support you in taking care of your mind and body. The deck offers 60 action cards, plus 5 blank cards you can personalise with your own actions, and instructions about adapting cards to your own ability level. |
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Videos of Ricky Buchanan prepared for the Australian Assistive Technology Conference and others. These talk about how I design and create assistive technology for myself, amongst other topics.
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Geek-Creative-Writer-Disabled-Bedridden-Queer-Internet Citizen. They/them
LIVING WITH ME/CFS
What Do You Do All Day? explores how I fill my day and make it feel fulfilling, even though I'm stuck in bed.
Using A Computer/Smartphone/Tablet From Bed is a compendium of 25 years of knowledge of methods and strategies of for using computers (and tablets and phones) from bed when one needs to lie flat, or nearly so.
Slowing Audio And Video Down For Better Access describes how to do exactly that on a variety of platforms and apps. Slower audio/video is less fatiguing and less stimulating to the nervous system for some people - if you have trouble listening to regular speed audio/video, it might be worth exploring.
Twitter thread with ideas for AAC augmentative and alternative communication options for people whose ME/CFS is so severe that talking is difficult or impossible for them may also be useful to some.
Using A Computer/Smartphone/Tablet From Bed is a compendium of 25 years of knowledge of methods and strategies of for using computers (and tablets and phones) from bed when one needs to lie flat, or nearly so.
Slowing Audio And Video Down For Better Access describes how to do exactly that on a variety of platforms and apps. Slower audio/video is less fatiguing and less stimulating to the nervous system for some people - if you have trouble listening to regular speed audio/video, it might be worth exploring.
Twitter thread with ideas for AAC augmentative and alternative communication options for people whose ME/CFS is so severe that talking is difficult or impossible for them may also be useful to some.
NOTABLE ARTICLES
Top 5 Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Home When You Can't Leave It contains all my wisdom about making your home maximally accessible when you're bedridden or homebound.
Open Letter To Those Without ... contains the original 'Open Letter To Those Without CFS/Fibro' and many alternatives and translations made by myself and others. I wrote it in the 1990s and wouldn’t word it the same now but it’s been widely shared for decades so I’m leaving it here.
A Guide To Better Access as a guide for how to make your in-person events maximally accessible to those who are bedridden, homebound, or can't come for other reasons. Originally published in ABC's Ramp Up!, 2013.
Social vs Medical Model: Evolved. I got so frustrated feeling that neither the social nor the medical model of disability fit me that (along with some friends) I wrote a whole article about it. Originally published in Yahoo! Accessibility, 2011.
The Ricky Game: A Day In The Life was a 2016 attempt to describe my level of functioning in a readable/easy-to-understand way as a dice game. It's no longer accurate - I've deteriorated very significantly since I wrote it - but it's interesting to read and describes my level of functioning in late 2016 very well.
What Do You Do All Day? explores how I fill my day and make it feel fulfilling, even though I'm stuck in bed.
Open Letter To Those Without ... contains the original 'Open Letter To Those Without CFS/Fibro' and many alternatives and translations made by myself and others. I wrote it in the 1990s and wouldn’t word it the same now but it’s been widely shared for decades so I’m leaving it here.
A Guide To Better Access as a guide for how to make your in-person events maximally accessible to those who are bedridden, homebound, or can't come for other reasons. Originally published in ABC's Ramp Up!, 2013.
Social vs Medical Model: Evolved. I got so frustrated feeling that neither the social nor the medical model of disability fit me that (along with some friends) I wrote a whole article about it. Originally published in Yahoo! Accessibility, 2011.
The Ricky Game: A Day In The Life was a 2016 attempt to describe my level of functioning in a readable/easy-to-understand way as a dice game. It's no longer accurate - I've deteriorated very significantly since I wrote it - but it's interesting to read and describes my level of functioning in late 2016 very well.
What Do You Do All Day? explores how I fill my day and make it feel fulfilling, even though I'm stuck in bed.
