Lake Macquarie NDIS participant Bronte Cincotta is excelling in life thanks to some funding in her plan for assistive technology.
Born with 82% hearing loss, the 27-year-old, who has been with the NDIS since 2017, says having access to all this ‘incredible’ assistive technology has been life changing.
‘All I can say is technology is fantastic,’ Bronte said. ‘I have been wearing hearing aids since I was 6 months old. Just seeing the size difference from 1996 to now is incredible.
Recently, Bronte was able to upgrade to hearing aids with Bluetooth connectivity.
‘Now I can connect my hearing aids to my iPhone via the Bluetooth feature.
Every phone call, Spotify, TikTok video sound will connect straight to my ear. It makes sound so much clearer, louder, and far easier for me to interpret,’ she said.
The Bluetooth feature has been ‘extremely helpful’ in her job too.
‘I work full-time as a social worker at private hospital. I spend a lot of time liaising with families, service providers and other organisations. This feature allows me to hear clearly using my iPhone.’
‘I also work with medical, rehabilitation and palliative care patients. I love my job. I love hearing people’s life stories and experiences and supporting them. It’s so rewarding.’
Bronte also received funding for a vibrating alarm clock and a specialised smoke detector.
‘I can’t hear a regular alarm clock, so I have one that vibrates,’ she said. ‘It’s great. It wakes me up so I can go to the gym or to work, especially if my partner isn’t there to do it.
‘I’ve also got a specialised smoke detector set up in my home. It gives me peace of mind. There’s no way I would hear a regular smoke alarm if it went off in the middle of the night.’
Feeling much more independent with all her supports, Bronte has now moved out of her family home, she’s engaged and living with her fiancé after buying their first home.
‘As a whole, the NDIS is helping to improve people’s lives. It’s helping people to live more independently in the community with the right supports,’ she said.
