Independent Living

25/11/2025

Access Matters Aotearoa Trust is hosting their next Kōrero for Change webinar on Social Support & Welfare.

This kōrero shines a light on the systemic barriers that continue to exclude disabled people and their whānau from equitable access to social support and welfare.

Event Details
Date: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM NZT
Platform: Zoom

Register now using the link below to secure your spot and receive webinar access details directly to your inbox!

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nL0QP80vS7a0b7jYJha1Bw #/

🚀 Registrations Now Open!
Kōrero for Change | Social Support and Welfare Webinar 🌏

Access Matters Aotearoa Trust is delighted to invite you to our next Kōrero for Change webinar, focused on Social Support and Welfare.

This kōrero will shine a light on the systemic barriers that continue to prevent disabled people and their whānau from accessing fair, effective, and dignified support.

Social support should provide stability, dignity, and empowerment — yet for many, the experience is marked by complexity, stress, and exclusion. Despite increased awareness and reform efforts, deep inequities remain across the system.

This webinar brings together lived experience, frontline perspectives, and sector leadership to explore what needs to change — and how we can move toward a system that truly works for all.

Brought to you by Access Matters Aotearoa, with support from Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People, Spectrum Foundation, Foundation North, and the J R McKenzie Trust.

📅 Date: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
⏰ Time: 9 AM – 12 PM NZT
🌐 Platform: Zoom

🔗 Register now to secure your spot: http://bit.ly/44wwKYH

Let’s work together to build a Social Support and Welfare system that is stable, dignified, and empowering.

24/11/2025

Independent Living is proud to offer repairs for your mobility equipment, so that when something goes wrong, we can get your equipment back up and running quickly.

Whether you’ve got a powerchair, mobility scooter, walker, wheelchair or other mobility product - we’ll take a look. From new batteries and tyres, to repairs and yearly servicing - we can help you out.

Find out more on our website: https://ilsnz.org/pages/repairs-and-servicing

20/11/2025

In October 2025, Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora announced that the age extension for further breast screening began for women over 69.

Further information is available in different languages below:

- English: https://www.asianhealthservices.co.nz/Portals/7/Docs/Updates/EnglishBS_Age_extension.png
- Hindi: https://www.asianhealthservices.co.nz/Portals/7/Docs/Updates/HindiBS_Age_Extension.png
- Korean: https://www.asianhealthservices.co.nz/Portals/7/Docs/Updates/Korean_BS_Age_Extension.png
- Traditional Chinese
https://www.asianhealthservices.co.nz/Portals/7/Docs/Updates/Traditional_BS_Age_Extension.png
- Simplified Chinese: https://www.asianhealthservices.co.nz/Portals/7/Docs/Updates/Simplified_BS_Age_Extension.png

12/11/2025

We recently received some feedback from a customer who was shopping alongside her mother at our Independent Living Royal Oak store.

We’re always happy to hear customers have left our store feeling supported and that they got the help they need.

Feedback is important so that we know how to best serve our customers and provide an exceptional experience.

10/11/2025

Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand and Independent Living Charitable Trust have partnered to deliver a nationwide fund to gift at least 100 motorised mobility scooters to stroke survivors - honouring the wishes of the Morath family who left a gift in their Will.

Please share far and wide with anybody you know who this may be relevant for.

Find out more here: https://ilsnz.org/blogs/news/going-the-extra-mile-for-stroke-survivors

Apply here: https://www.stroke.org.nz/affected-by-stroke/grants/the-national-mobility-scooter-fund/

Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand and Independent Living Charitable Trust have partnered to deliver a nationwide fund to gift at least 100 motorised mobility scooters to stroke survivors - honouring the wishes of the Morath family who left a gift in their Will.

04/11/2025

Complex Care Group Info Events

Complex Care Group is a support and information network for carers of those with very high and complex needs.

On the 18th of November from 10.30am-3pm, at the Kiwi Room, Jet Park Hotel, Mangere there is a session for disabled people, families, whānau and aiga (Tea and coffee on arrival and a lunch will be provided). The session aims to provide information and discussion on the structure of the Disability Support System.

RSVP by Monday 10th November. To register please head here:

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04/11/2025

💜 It’s Purple Tuesday!

Today we celebrate a global movement that’s all about calling on organisations to and make inclusion part of everyday life.

At Independent Living, we’ve been proud advocates for accessibility for many years. Our Access & Advisory Master Coach Tony Howe was part of the Be.Accessible team that worked during the 2011 Rugby World Cup to ensure stadiums across New Zealand were accessible for everyone to enjoy. He was involved with Air NZ's award winning seating redesign helping to ensure that the design was as accessible as they could make it.

Tony continues to share his expertise with government and community organisations, helping them design spaces, systems, and services that are inclusive and barrier-free.

This Purple Tuesday, we’re joining Enable New Zealand and thousands of others around the world in pledging real, lasting improvements for disabled people and their families. Because accessibility isn’t a one-day event, it’s an everyday practice.

💜 Let’s keep the conversation going. What’s one thing your workplace or community can do to be more accessible?

03/11/2025

World Record Attempt for the Longest Moving Line of Wheelchairs....

I Lead and YES Disability Resource Centre are going for a world record, in collaboration with Permobil and Eden Park. On Tuesday, 3 December 2025, aligned with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we will attempt to break the World Record for the Longest Moving Line of Wheelchairs at Eden Park.

This event will celebrate resilience, solidarity, and the strength of community. Our goal is to gather 600 wheelchairs to create the longest moving line ever recorded. It will be a powerful display of inclusion, unity, and possibility in motion.

📅 Date: Wednesday, 3 December 2025
🕙 Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
📍 Location: Eden Park, 42 Reimers Avenue, Kingsland, Auckland
💰 Entry: $5 per participant (support people enter free)
🔗 Learn more and register: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/world-record-attempt-longest-moving-line-of-wheelchairs-tickets-1783256852249?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=wsa&aff=ebdsshwebmobile

Spread far and wide!!

30/10/2025

Plans are in motion to significantly change the lives of many people living with disability following stroke thanks to the kindness and forward thinking of a late donor.

In partnership with Independent Living Charitable Trust, we’re excited to announce the launch of a nationwide fund to gift at least 100 motorised mobility scooters - honouring the wishes of Peter Morath who lived with his wife Shirley in Christchurch.

Shirley was a stroke survivor and who, with the aid of an electric wheelchair, was able to live with independence and dignity.

Stroke survivors wishing to apply to the fund can do so at www.stroke.org.nz/affected-by-stroke/grants/the-national-mobility-scooter-fund/ while funds are available.

29/10/2025

"A major relief" - thanks to Doug who recently left us a 5-star review on Trust Pilot. We love hearing from our customers about the experience they have had with us either in store, over the phone or online.

If you have any feedback for us, we'd love to hear from you!

Shop our huge tried-and-tested range of daily living aids and mobility products: https://ilsnz.org/collections/products-categories

28/10/2025

Today is World Stroke Day. It's a chance to raise awareness about Stroke and how important it is to act fast and recognise the signs.

Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand have put out this great informative video with a Stroke Nurse from Christchurch Hospital about the importance of getting to hospital immediately after a stroke to reverse the effects, and have the best possible recovery.

Every minute counts.