ASEHA Qld

I have MCS &/or Allergy. Where can I live?

There are no hard and fast rules to help with finding somewhere safe to live. Each locality has it's own advantages and disadvantages. The best place I think to start is locally, somewhere you can visit regularly to test for 'adverse reactions' and investigate the area for existing or proposed industries, golf courses, nurseries etc. The background information you may need is to some extent available from your local council - Zoning areas - Rural, Industrial, Residential i.e. the potential location of businesses or industries.

Having established what your main problem chemicals are Eg pesticides, herbicides, you will need to be careful to not be near golf courses,plant nurseries, hard wood or soft wood plantations etc that can be predicated to have high usage. These same types of chemicals (herbicides, fungicides, insecticides etc) are also used by local councils to maintain roadways, parks, gardens etc - so again it would not be a good idea to move away from the golf course to a house on the edge of parkland without checking what chemicals are used to maintain the parkland.

Because of the wide usage of all types of chemicals there is no one area that is completely clear of toxic pollutants. There is usually some compromises that have have to be made especially when schools and places of work are a prime factor. Perhaps some weekend drives around your area would be somewhere to start, decide on how far out (in kms) you would like to go from the center (the schools and work places), circle it on a map and go from there. When you decide on an area you think you might like - go back a few times and find out what's around and potentially going to cause you a problem.

It is not an easy task and there are no guarantees that you will be 100% successful. Even extensive research on a proposed location can go wrong. We moved to a small village in NSW (Pop ~350) only to find out 18 months later that an Industrial Estate was being proposed for the village! That's why we now live on 104 acres out of town!

The information contained in the two pages links are an attempt to assist individuals with Allergy and Chemicals Sensitivity in trying to find somewhere to live.

MEDICALERT SYSTEMS: Medicalert bracelet and necklet system Information

MedicAlert is a personalized, engraved necklet or bracelet that could save your life in an emergency. Information provided to MedicAlert is available to authorised medical or emergency workers in case of an accident, if you are unconscious, or confused and cannot provide necessary details of allergy to medication, medical equipment, etc. Not having such information available in an emergency could delay diagnosis, delay vital treatment, or lead to a fatal mistake. Ambulance officers and doctors are trained to look for MedicAlert necklets and bracelets, which have a reputation for accurate information. Information to MedicAlert must be provided by your doctor.
The stainless steel emblems are available on a stainless steel chain or sports band for $55.00, silver $100.00 or gold filled $115. The sports band is available as a solid band for those with metal allergy, or expandable metal. There is also an annual subscription of $16.50 for a copy of your membership record with a reminder to keep your records up to date.

As patients, we have responsibilities when dealing with hospitals and doctors. One way we can ensure that we are taken seriously when declaring allergy and/or chemical sensitivity is to have this documented by a service such as MedicAlert. As your doctor does the reporting to MedicAlert, the record is credible. This is important, as those with MCS are already disadvantaged in medical services, they are considered to be depressed or suffering from somatisation disorder. MedicAlert can be contacted by phone at 1800 882 222/(08) 8274 0361 or you can look at them on the Web at www.medicalert.com.au

DEALING WITH HOSPITALISATION:

As well as the article listed below see Need to take a medication: some things you may need to consider. ASEHA Leaflets on Medications - Some things to take into consideration.

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TIPS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS:

Tips for First Responders offers information to first responders on how to assist persons with a wide range of disabilities, including: Seniors, People with Service Animals, People with Mobility Challenges, People with Mental Illness, Blind or Visually Impaired People, Deaf or Hard of Hearing People, People with Autism, People with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and People with Cognitive Disabilities. Produced by: New Mexico’s University, Center for Development and Disability (CDD).

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FURTHER INFORMATION

Making Health Care Healthier: A Prescription for Change, Environmental Health policy, air quality, EHP 109-8, 2001: http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2001/109-8/focus-abs.html

Healthy Hospitals: Controlling Pests Without Harmful Pesticides* Kagen Owens. Reports the results of a hospital survey on pesticide use. Includes recommendations for safer pest management practices. 57 pages. Available as a free download at http://www.noharm.org/pesticidesCleaners/issue
Contact Health Care Without Harm 1755 S Street, NW, Suite 6B, Washington, D.C., 20009 U.S.A.; phone (202) 234-0091; website http://www.noharm.org;email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Canadian Nova Scotia Environmental Health centre and the QE ll Health Sciences Centre.www.cdha/nshealth.ca/aboutus/index.html; See QE ll information page for fragrance free policy.