NOW OPEN! Call for Abstracts for National Rural Health Conference 2027 – Click to Submit yours!
For people living in rural Aotearoa, being able to get around independently can be about much more than convenience. Distance between homes, health services, shops and community facilities can make mobility an important part of staying connected with whānau, accessing care and maintaining independence.
Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand is helping make that possible through its National Mobility Fund, with $600,000 available to support eligible stroke survivors across Aotearoa with mobility equipment.
Thanks to the generosity of the late Peter Morath, who included a gift in his will for this purpose, the fund provides support towards a mobility scooter or power chair, including assessment and delivery. Applicants are supported through an individual assessment process, delivered in partnership with Independent Living Charitable Trust, to identify the equipment that will best meet their needs.
Jo Lambert, CEO of Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand, says, “A mobility scooter or power chair can mean being able to get to the shops, attend appointments, visit friends or whānau, or simply get out of the house without having to rely on someone else. For people living rurally or further from essential services, that independence can be even more significant. It can open up their world again and help them stay connected to the people and places that matter to them.”
People living in aged residential care may also be eligible, with a clinician required to confirm that their disability and mobility needs are a result of their stroke.
Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand also has support grants available for people affected by stroke in Northland and Tauranga, made possible through generous bequests.
These grants can help with a range of practical costs, including physiotherapy, driving assessments, education and support for stroke groups, and meeting room hire.
For people living in rural and regional communities, this practical support can help reduce some of the barriers to accessing rehabilitation, information and peer support, while also supporting local stroke groups to provide connection within their communities.
“We hear time and again how much these grants can mean to people and their whānau. Sometimes it’s something as practical as helping someone access physiotherapy or complete a driving assessment, but the impact goes well beyond the immediate cost. It can help someone regain confidence, reconnect with their community and feel like they have more control over their recovery. Those seemingly small things can make a very real difference to someone’s quality of life after stroke,” says Jo.
The ability to move, connect and participate in everyday life is an important part of stroke recovery and wellbeing. By helping remove some of the financial barriers to mobility and support, these funds can make a practical difference to people and communities across Aotearoa.
If you or someone you support could benefit from the National Mobility Fund or other support available through Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand, find out more about eligibility and how to apply.
Find out more: National Mobility Fund – Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand
Other grants for people affected by stroke: Grants for people affected by stroke – Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand
