tappON to help when you need it with new app for NDIS participants

Mr Hillyer became a quadriplegic but it was only when he came home from hospital 10 months and two surgeries later that he realised just how much would change.

Mr Dillyer and partner Maryanne Harris found they were opening the door to strangers at all times of the day for the help he needed.

Those strangers were support workers sent to help Mr Hillyer, but the lack of personalisation was something he struggled with over the next seven years.

"We had some horrible experiences," he said.

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At the time of the accident Ms Harris was doing an exercise, science and rehabilitation degree at university and was surprised at how impersonal the system was.

"Often we wouldn't know the names of people before they arrived, and it was also really hard to get clarity around timing," Ms Harris said.

"We felt we were constantly at home, waiting for support workers to arrive, without any autonomy over the way we received help."

Mr Hillyer said family and friends were so important. And when he realised he probably wouldn't work as a commercial chef again, he decided to combine his personal experience with Ms Harris' knowledge and background in aged care management to come up with an online platform that would help make life easier for others in a similar situation.

TappON was launched in 2018 to put NDIS participants and aged care users in control of the support they're connecting with. It is all about personal connection and human-centred help.

It means participants can make choices about the healthcare and wellbeing workers they access. And it gives them a chance to connect with workers, before that knock on the door.

TappON's platform connects aged care package recipients and NDIS participants with support workers and allied health professionals virtually, before a physical appointment takes place.

It also gives people a say over who they see, and when they see them.

With the arrival of COVID-19, the tappON platform started facilitating virtual Telehealth appointments.

That meant NDIS participants have been able to connect with healthcare professionals and therapists anywhere in the country, using secure video conferencing hosted within the platform.

"Virtual appointments were always on our roadmap, but the year we've had [with the pandemic] meant we accelerated the launch of this feature," Ms Harris said.

"Our virtual appointments have helped participants connect with the help they need, tapping into skills and expertise right around Australia."

"Which has opened up opportunities in other ways."

Mr Hillyer said one participant in Wollongong was recently able to connect with an art therapist in Brisbane. And wellbeing activities such as guitar lessons have also been delivered virtually via tappON.

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Ms Harris said isolation and loneliness have been a huge concern for many older people and NDIS participants this year. So having access to services was more important than ever.

"Our platform helps people connect with the help they need, and we are always happy to source new providers for specific wellness requests such as equine therapy and music therapy," she said.

"Our focus is helping people to create the life they want, on their own terms."

tappON not only helps people choose support workers and therapists they can also use it to book garden maintenance and cleaning.

"It is about having help on hand when and how somebody wants and needs it," Ms Harris said.

"We are already operating in NSW and we have the ability to go virtual to rural and remote areas across Australia which will help under-served communities. We are rolling that out at the moment and we are employing more people as we grow.

"It is good to see something that began as quite an emotional and confronting experience turn into something that is bringing meaning to other peoples lives. And we are attracting people who want to make an impact and a difference to others."

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