Tailored solutions help Maggie continue pursuing her catering business, thanks to JobAccess
Image: Two images of Maggie side by side. (Left) Maggie is standing in a kitchen and looking at the camera while pouring ingredients into her talking scale. (Right) Maggie is using her office equipment while working on her computer. She is wearing a black polo shirt with green stripes on the sides.
Maggie owns and runs her catering business on Heron Island, Queensland. She has been a cook for a long time, working from a remote location. Maggie lives with macular degeneration, a type of eye condition that causes vision loss. Her kitchen wasn’t set up safely to support changes in her vision. It made work challenging and unsafe in some instances. Maggie then took the step to seek help and got in touch with JobAccess.
A career that Maggie is passionate about
Maggie has been a cook for 26 years and loves to bake. Maggie is the owner and director of her catering business, Tavistock Catering. She manages two employees.
She works on Heron Island, about two hours off the coast of Queensland. Maggie and her husband cook for people staying on the island, including researchers, people attending conferences and university groups.
In her business, she manages administrative work, organising food supplies, cooking, and being a kitchen hand. She also bakes, cleans, and washes dishes.
Maggie describes her work location as “absolutely gorgeous and very unique.”
The catering kitchen becomes less safe
Maggie lives with advanced geographic atrophy, also known as macular degeneration. It is a common eye disorder among people over the age of 50.
It causes blurred or reduced central vision due to the breakdown of the inner layers of the macula. Maggie underwent cataract surgery but saw no improvement. Her macular degeneration is getting progressively worse.
“It got very bad in July 2023, and my vision has been decreasing daily,” shared Maggie.
Maggie’s changing vision made it hard for her to perform her job safely and effectively. She was finding it difficult to see the weight of ingredients on the scale. She often burned herself on the oven, as she needed to get very close to it to see what the items were inside. Chopping food in large quantities also was no longer possible.
Tailored solutions keep Maggie happy and safe at work
It was then that Maggie decided to take the step to seek help.
She was introduced to JobAccess through Vision Australia. Soon after receiving her application for the Employment Assistance Fund (EAF), a JobAccess Adviser organised a free assessment of Maggie’s workspace and kitchen.
The assessor recommended various tailored solutions to support Maggie. The EAF gives financial help to eligible people living with disability and employers. It helps them buy work-related modifications and equipment. It also covers a range of supports, like Auslan interpreting services, one-on-one counselling, and disability awareness trainings.
Through the EAF, JobAccess funded talking scales and cups to help Maggie weigh products while preparing food. These simple, tailored solutions help her work safely in the kitchen and continue pursuing her passion for baking. Maggie also received heatproof gloves, so she can get close to the oven to check her baked recipes.
“It makes a huge difference,” exclaimed Maggie.
Additionally, she received a handheld magnifier. It lets her enlarge text by placing printed paper, her phone, and other items under the magnifier.
“It is just sensational. I can take it everywhere,” said Maggie.
Vision Australia also supported Maggie by showing the functionality of the assistive equipment she received. “Everyone has just been so wonderful. My questions have been answered. I am also so excited by all the other technology I didn’t know existed.”
JobAccess and Vision Australia have allowed me to stay in my job. Without them, I wouldn’t be employed.
- Maggie Baikie Director and Owner, Tavistock Catering
Maggie is thankful she sought help
Maggie admits that it took some time and courage to reach out for help. But she is grateful that she took the step and reached out for support. Without it, she would have likely retired.
“I am still fully employed at 67. I am independent. It took me a long time to ask for help,” she shared.
“I was thinking about retiring from work as I couldn’t do it. JobAccess and Vision Australia have allowed me to stay in my job. Without them I wouldn’t be employed. They have made my working life a lot easier,” concluded Maggie.
The best part about Maggie’s role? Baking. Maggie is grateful that she can still bake, with the help of her new equipment. Maggie now enjoys menu planning and preparing breakfast, all from a beautiful and unique location on Heron Island.
Get expert for advice and support with workplace adjustments
JobAccess is the go-to expert for disability employment matters. It helps remove barriers to sustainable employment for people with disability.
We have a team of allied health professionals who provide expert, confidential, and tailored advice on workplace adjustments from the first point of contact.
For expert advice and tailored support, reach out to JobAccess at 1800 464 800 or submit an online enquiry. You can also visit our website for more information.
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