Parenting is hard work – but add in the unique challenges of parenting while using a wheelchair, and the difficulty increases.
Now, a world-first invention aims to minimise those difficulties by making it easier for parents in wheelchairs or with other disabilities to care for their babies.
Called the Care Station, it’s been welcomed around the country by the disability community since its launch.
Adrian Burke, director, consultant and development manager of the Care Station, said the company knew there had to be a way to help parents with disability, who he said can “face a myriad of challenges that can impact their ability to care for and raise their children”, including lifting and carrying a child or even navigating public open spaces.
After engaging in research, design and prototyping, as well as stringent safety testing, the Care Station Baby Capsule was developed and officially launched in April last year.
It’s a world-first: an infant capsule that fits to wheelchairs and day chairs to allow parents to interact with their baby. It can rotate 360 degrees and be positioned at multiple angles to be used for breastfeeding, nappy changing and other parenting tasks. It’s been designed to be durable and adheres to all safety regulations and standards.
“And just as importantly, which we find is the key issue here, it allows the parent to improve face to face bonding with their infants,” Burke said.
He said the team had been surprised to find there was no other product like it anywhere in the world. Now, having gained exposure around Australia thanks to a series of demonstrations at hospitals around the country, the company is now looking overseas to extend the Care Station’s reach. Burke said there has been interest from Europe and North America.
Meanwhile, the response from the Australian disability community has been “overwhelming”, he added.
“There has been a tremendous response from the community, the industry, from key people like occupational therapists [and] clinicians. It’s something that they said has been missing for so long. We’ve had so many responses from parents… who wish this was here a year ago, it would have made life so much easier for them.”
One of the things the Care Station team is most proud of is how the Care Station changes people’s lives.
“All of our team and directors are from the [disability] industry. We’ve always wanted to help [people with disability] improve their quality of life. This is what led to the development of the Care Station. We’re so appreciative of what it’s done for disabled parents – it’s just giving them so much ease and comfort,” Burke said.
“We find that it’s opened up a lot of doors for parents with disability.”