|
| Early pandemic | n | % |
| Physical impacts |
|
| Lack of physical activity due to reduced service/community/therapy access and home confinement |
| Lack of physiotherapy/no massage therapy | 10 | 29 |
| No gym access/lack of exercise | 7 | 21 |
| No hydrotherapy/unable to go swimming | 8 | 24 |
| No sport | 3 | 9 |
| Only land-based physiotherapy appointments | 1 | 3 |
| Confined to home/yard | 1 | 3 |
| Locked down in apartment and no exercise facilities | 1 | 3 |
| Confined to bed | 1 | 3 |
| Muscle stiffness due to physical inactivity | | |
| Increased stiffness/legs became very tight | 3 | 9 |
| Unwanted secondary impact on health and wellbeing of lay carer | | |
| Injury, pain, and exhaustion (carer) | 1 | 3 |
| No impact | | |
| No physical impact | 2 | 6 |
|
| Impact on mental health (incorporating family and social interaction) |
|
| Isolation significant impact on mental health | | |
| Isolation (both physical and social) | 24 | 71 |
| Specific mental health symptoms and concern for emotional wellbeing | | |
| Anxiety | 8 | 24 |
| Worry/stress | 6 | 18 |
| Depression | 4 | 12 |
| Fear/post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) | 4 | 12 |
| Boredom | 2 | 6 |
| Frustration | 1 | 3 |
| Lack of concentration | 1 | 3 |
| Concern for wellbeing | 1 | 3 |
| Impact on relationships and family | | |
| Separation from partner | 1 | 3 |
| Diagnosed mental illness (spouse) | 1 | 3 |
| No impact | | |
| No impact on mental health | 6 | 18 |
|
| Impact on usual health and community services |
|
| Decline in access to usual services and community | | |
| Cancellation or reduction in support services | 28 | 82 |
| Difficult or no access to appointments | 25 | 74 |
| Virtual communication difficulties | | |
| Difficulties with telehealth and virtual communication | 8 | 24 |
| Positive impacts | | |
| Easier access, traffic, and disabled-only supermarket times | 1 | 3 |
| Short distance travel if less traffic and easy shop access | 1 | 3 |
| No impacts | | |
| No problem with carers | 1 | 3 |
| No impact on usual services | 6 | 18 |
|
| Whole pandemic | | |
| Complications due to issues regarding COVID-19 or health and community services |
|
| Secondary complications: physical | | |
| Worse mobility, flexibility, and spasticity | 3 | 9 |
| Loss of upper limb/body strength | 2 | 6 |
| Oedema and leg tightening | 2 | 6 |
| Major skin breakdown/pressure sores | 2 | 6 |
| Weight gain | 2 | 6 |
| Urinary retention | 1 | 3 |
| Increased neurological symptoms causing a seizure | 1 | 3 |
| Progression of transverse myelitis/chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, shingles, and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease | 1 | 3 |
| Blood pressure | 1 | 3 |
| Deterioration, had to work on to get back | 1 | 3 |
| Secondary complications: psychosocial | | |
| Social isolation | 9 | 26 |
| Mental health issues including lack of mental health support | 8 | 24 |
| Government/administrative impositions (i.e., challenges with Centrelink and National Disability Insurance Scheme) | 4 | 12 |
| PTSD has worsened to suicidal thoughts | 1 | 3 |
| Loss of employment | 1 | 3 |
| No impact | | |
| No complications | 13 | 38 |
|
| Problems getting usual personal/home support, community access, or healthcare |
|
| Difficulty accessing home support and community | | |
| Yes/yes with all of the above/extremely difficult | 15 | 44 |
| No support or difficult to find | 13 | 38 |
| No or restricted access to community | 12 | 35 |
| Difficulty accessing health care or conflicting health information | | |
| No access to therapies, surgery, tests, consultations, and exercise | 4 | 12 |
| Concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccination rates and efficacy | 2 | 6 |
| Difficulty accessing vaccination | 1 | 3 |
| No impact | | |
| No problems | 8 | 24 |
|
| Problems regarding technology and equipment/consumables including repairs |
|
| Delays or difficulty accessing equipment/consumables and increased cost | | |
| Difficulty/delays accessing equipment and parts | 8 | 24 |
| Difficulty accessing consumables/cost | 6 | 18 |
| Delays and slower delivery | 4 | 12 |
| Yes/yes all of the above | 2 | 6 |
| Difficulty with budget | 1 | 3 |
| No impact | | |
| No problems | 11 | 32 |
|
| New solutions or workarounds developed to manage the impact of the pandemic |
|
| Adoption of technology | | |
| Telehealth/virtual appointments | 6 | 18 |
| Online shopping, home deliveries, and less frequent shopping | 6 | 18 |
| Individual exercise | | |
| Self-directed or solo exercise | 6 | 18 |
| New supports | | |
| Planned for and sourced alternative support | 8 | 24 |
| New routines and strategies | | |
| Restored or developed new home/work routines | 4 | 12 |
| Used or developed new personal strategies | 7 | 21 |
| Unable to identify solutions | | |
| No solutions | 8 | 34 |
| Resigned to things that cannot be changed | 3 | 9 |
|
