Neuromuscular Resources & Information Library

Resources and agency links for home modifications, individual funding, and daily living support:

• Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People: Information on government-funded disability support services, equipment, and environmental modifications.

• Individualised Funding (IF) Guidance: Overview of managing your own allocated support funding to employ support workers or purchase flexible services.

• Kāinga Ora – Accessible Housing: Information on accessible social housing options and public housing modifications.

• Firstport (Enable New Zealand): A comprehensive New Zealand portal for equipment, housing modifications, and daily living aids.

• Building Standards: Helping designers, architects, and local authorities understand which public buildings must provide disability access and how compliance applies during new builds, alterations, or changes of use.

Official tools and application portals for getting around and maintaining independence:

• CCS Disability Action – Mobility Parking Scheme: Apply for or renew a mobility parking permit for vehicle access nationwide.

• Total Mobility Scheme (NZTA): Learn about subsidised taxi fares and accessible transport vouchers through regional councils.

• Te Whatu Ora Health NZ Travel Assistance: Outlines the eligibility criteria, registration process, and coverage details for the National Travel Assistance Scheme, which helps subsidise travel, accommodation, and support-person costs for Kiwis who must travel long distances or frequently to attend specialist medical appointments.

• Air New Zealand – Travel Accessibility: Guidelines for traveling with medical equipment, power wheelchairs, and requesting airport assistance.

• Assistance Dogs New Zealand Trust (ADNZT): Breeds, raises, and trains purpose-built assistance dogs to enrich the lives of New Zealanders living with disabilities and support their families.

• Mobility Assistance Dogs Trust: Empowers Kiwis with physical disabilities by training specialised service dogs to assist with daily tasks and enhance personal independence.

Support channels for schooling, workplace accommodations, and government allowances:

• Work and Income (WINZ) – Disability Supports: Information on the Disability Allowance, Child Disability Allowance, and Mobility Allowance.

• Ministry of Education – Learning Support: Resources for schools and parents regarding classroom adaptations, teacher aides, and specialised equipment.

• Employment New Zealand – Flexible Working & Accommodations: Guidance on employee rights, reasonable workplace adjustments, and managing health conditions at work.

• StudyLink – Support for Disabled Students: Allowance and grant information for tertiary students living with a disability or long-term health condition.

For Educators & Schools – Guidance and practical accommodations to help schools foster inclusive, accessible, and supportive learning environments.

Download Primary Teacher's Guide (.PDF)
Practical strategies for classroom seating, fatigue, IEPs, sports inclusion, and explaining conditions to younger peers.

Download Secondary Teacher's Guide (.PDF)
Focuses on adolescent growth, campus navigation, exam accommodations, Duke of Edinburgh Award unit, and transitioning from school.

Connecting with wider support networks, carer respite, and mental health services:

• Carers NZ & Carers Alliance: A national network offering advice, respite guides, and rights advocacy for family carers across Aotearoa.

• TELUS Health Counselling Services: Access MDANZ-funded 1-on-1 counselling and online CBT wellbeing toolkits (CareNow).

• Healthify He Puna Waiora: Easy-to-understand New Zealand health information, medicines advice, and self-management resources.

• 1737 – Need to Talk?: Free, 24/7 call or text service to connect with a trained counselor for immediate emotional support.

• Rare Disorders New Zealand: Advocacy voice and support network for New Zealanders living with rare health conditions and their whānau, working to improve healthcare, resources, and systemic support.

• Mental Health Foundation: Free educational resources, workplace and school wellbeing programs, advocacy, and guidance on helplines to empower Kiwis to build positive mental health and support others through tough times.

• Depression.org.nz: Free self-assessment tools, practical advice, real-life personal stories, and access to 24/7 support services to help New Zealanders recognize and navigate depression and anxiety.

• Mindful – healthy mind, healthy life: a comprehensive hub providing articles, guided meditations, podcasts, and practical techniques to help individuals learn meditation and integrate mindfulness practices into daily life for better mental health and wellbeing.

• Halberg Foundation – Inclusive Sport & Recreation: Connecting young people with physical disabilities to sport, physical activity, and equipment grants.

• Access Outdoors & Accessible Walks (DOC): Department of Conservation guide to wheelchair-accessible tracks, boardwalks, and scenic reserves across New Zealand.

• ParaFed New Zealand Regional Networks: Local regional organisations providing adaptive sports programs, equipment, and social recreation clubs.

• Grab Your Wheels, Let's Travel: Provides first-hand reviews and practical guides on wheelchair-accessible locations, walks, and travel experiences across New Zealand to help individuals with mobility needs plan accessible adventures.

• AllTrails: Verified, mobility-friendly outdoor tracks across the country with crowd-sourced details like trail surfaces, elevation profiles, and real-time user reviews to help travelers plan safe, accessible outings.

• Boccia New Zealand: Empowers physically disabled New Zealanders by providing resources, club connections, and pathways to participate in the inclusive sport of boccia from local recreational play to international high-performance competition.

• Pain Management & Allied Health Resources: Practical tools, exercises, and strategies for managing chronic muscle or joint pain associated with neuromuscular conditions.

• Information on Gabapentin: Clear, patient-friendly information on gabapentin, explaining how to safely take the medicine, what conditions it treats (such as nerve pain and epilepsy), and potential side effects or precautions to watch out for.

• Cannabis-based products: Clear, easy-to-understand information on medicinal cannabis in New Zealand, explaining how cannabis-based products work, how to access a prescription, safety precautions, and potential side effects.

• Retrain Pain: Free, accessible science-based educational resources and training programs to help both patients and health professionals understand and manage chronic pain using modern pain neuroscience.

MDANZ National Registry: Join the national registry to be notified of relevant international clinical trials, natural history studies, and new treatment approvals.