THREE people living with disabilities have received help to move out of hospital and aged care, and into a new specially designed home in Frankston.
39-year-old Alicia, 38-year-old Nick, and 60-year-old Craig will live in the Specialist Disability Accommodation property. Alicia and Craig are stroke survivors, and Nick has Huntington’s disease.
Craig will be moving back onto the same street he once lived in. He has been in hospital for more than a year. He said “it’s a nice house and I’m appreciative. The house will give me a lot of independence. I want to go and visit friends if they still live around here.”
Nick said he was “really happy” to have moved into the house.
The trio will receive NDIS funding to contribute to rent payments. Disability support provider CareChoice is helping them move in. CareChoice spokesperson Janine MacDonald said, “this new model of living in a specialist disability accommodation house with supported independent living support is life changing.”
“We know there is low awareness of this model, so we want to highlight its success to people with disability and their loved ones/guardians. It’s important to understand all the new possibilities that this new model includes – especially if the person with a disability is stuck in hospital, facing life in an aged care centre, or residing in a group home,” she said.
“Living in SDA is very different from traditional group homes where numerous individuals are living under the one roof. We’re helping people with a disability to exit aged care centres, hospital settings and group homes, and transition into suitable accommodation and support. We’re supporting people with disability to live as they want to live and enjoy all the things they should have access to such as pets, a garden, outings, and celebrations in their own home.”
Features inside SDA homes include wheelchair accessible doorways, assistive technology, overnight accommodation for a support worker, and structural allowances for ceiling hoists.