10/06/2026
🌟 Meet the Person Behind Access Abilities 🌟
Hi everyone, I'm Rachelle, the proud Director of Access Abilities Disability & Aged Care Services.
I have worked in disability and aged care for over 15 years, and caring for others has never just been a job to me it's my passion and my purpose. Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of supporting people in a variety of roles, from hands-on care to management positions, and every person I've met has taught me something valuable about resilience, strength, and the importance of dignity, choice, and compassion.
I am also openly neurodivergent, and being on the autism spectrum is a part of who I am. It has shaped the way I see the world and has given me a unique understanding of what it feels like to be misunderstood, underestimated, and judged. There were times in my career when people assumed that because I thought differently, I wasn't intelligent or capable of succeeding in my profession. Instead of letting those opinions define me, I chose to prove them wrong.
I learned to embrace the way I learn, communicate, and connect with others. I turned my passion for nursing and disability support into a career that I absolutely love.
Two years ago, my life took an unexpected turn when I sustained a severe workplace injury while managing Supported Independent Living services. Suddenly, I could no longer do the hands-on work that I had loved for so many years. At one point, I genuinely didn't know if I would ever be able to work again, or what my future would look like.
Not only was I grieving the loss of the role I had loved, but I also found myself having to come to terms with my own mobility challenges. For someone whose identity had always been tied to caring for others and being constantly on the go, accepting that my body had changed was incredibly difficult. It gave me a completely different perspective one that deepened my empathy and understanding of the daily realities that so many of the people we support face.
At first, I found myself a little reluctant to share my story. I worried about being judged. I worried that people would see my neurodivergence, my injury, and my mobility challenges before they saw my strengths. I questioned whether people would still view me as capable of leading a business and making a difference.
But my major support system reminded me of something incredibly important.
They showed me that my story isn't something to hide away. It isn't something to be ashamed of. It is who I am.
They helped me realise that my journey is not only amazing, but that I have every right to tell it.
So here I am embracing who I am, openly and honestly, for the world to see.
I am neurodivergent.
I live with mobility challenges.
I have experienced loss, uncertainty, and fear.
I have had moments where I didn't know what my future would hold.
And yet, I am also resilient, compassionate, determined, and deeply passionate about what I do.
I realised that while my role had changed, my passion hadn't.
That passion led me to create Access Abilities Disability & Aged Care Services—a company built on the belief that every person deserves to be treated with compassion, respect, dignity, and genuine care. A place where people are supported to live as independently as possible while becoming the person they want to be.
Each day, I continue to grow in my knowledge and understanding of what it takes to run and build a business. I am constantly learning, adapting, and discovering new things, and I have found so much joy in that journey. Building Access Abilities has challenged me in ways I never expected, but it has also shown me just how resilient we can be when we allow ourselves to embrace change and keep moving forward.
The path that brought me here isn't the one I had planned, but it has turned out to be more incredible than I could have ever imagined. Every challenge, every setback, and every triumph has shaped the person I am today.
I love watching people grow in confidence, achieve their goals—big or small and discover what they're capable of. I am passionate about advocating for others, creating opportunities for inclusion, and reminding people that being different isn't something to hide it's something to celebrate.
If my story can teach anything, I hope it's this:
You do not have to fit into someone else's idea of what success looks like.
You can be neurodivergent and lead.
You can live with disability and still chase your dreams.
You can face setbacks and still build something beautiful.
You can lose the path you thought you were meant to walk and discover one that is even more meaningful.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me, believed in me, encouraged me to share my story, and trusted Access Abilities to walk alongside them on their journey.
This is me.
Unapologetically, authentically, and proudly.
And I can't wait to see where this journey takes me next.
💚 Where Care Meets Independence. 💚
