Pave the Way Stories

Embracing Community Living

Our son Peter and our daughter Julia were in their mid twenties when they moved into separate group homes on the Sunshine Coast, where our family had lived for many years.  My husband and I had reservations, but we believed we had no other choice. We were no longer young and we wanted to make sure that Julia and Peter would be cared for when we could no longer care for them.

 

Initially, Julia and Peter seemed to be settling in, but it soon became apparent that things were not working out. Julia was very unhappy and as for Peter, conflict among the residents and constant staff changes had a detrimental effect. His behaviour changed and staff informed us that they could not manage him.  After a period of uncertainty, Julia arrived home one weekend and announced that her residence would soon close and she would like to move to Brisbane to be near her sister.

 

When we discussed this as a family, it became apparent that we all felt that living closer as a family was most desirable. We were also determined that when we relocated to Brisbane, we would work towards establishing Julia and Peter in homes of their own. With the help of a small group of committed friends and family, we met to plan how we could make this happen. The plan included:

 

·         lobbying politicians

·         writing numerous letters; and

·         networking with anyone who we believed could assist us.

  

The support from everyone was amazing and after funding was finally approved, we undertook extensive research into which services would best match Julia’s and Peter’s life plans.

 

Today our lives are radically different.

 

Living in the community has enabled Julia to make her own life choices. She is more independent, has real friends and freedom that would never have been possible in her earlier life. Living in the community has also enabled Julia to gain greater skills and knowledge and as a result her reliance on support has diminished. In the beginning Julia was overjoyed when she obtained her own front door key (we were unsure if she could even use it). Now it is attached to her wherever she goes and she looks proud each time she opens her door. She makes her own decisions about most things, especially about which staff are appointed to support her. Julia enjoys doing her own cleaning and laundry, going shopping, cooking and managing her own bank account and with help, has been managing very well. She often talks about her wish to work, so at present we are looking at options to hopefully make this happen.

 

Although she loves spending time in her unit, on weekends she is rarely at home. Her love of drama and dancing has been fulfilled by attending Access Arts, where she has made a number of friends, with whom she sometimes gets together for coffee, movies or dinner. Julia also spends time exploring South Bank, the City Mall, and of course shopping. She has been to two staff weddings, has been away for weekend breaks with support staff and in fact has done all the fun things that were impossible in the past.

 

Peter has moved into a ground floor unit opposite a railway station and for Peter this is perfect. Peter loves anything with wheels, especially trains. He can now go for trips with his support worker if he chooses, by train or car. He also enjoys watching the passengers rushing to and from the station. With a consistent and calm routine, Peter has regained his confidence and like his sister, participates in his local community. He is known by his neighbours, which we believe is a valuable safeguard. Peter has three young men supporting him and it is pleasing to see the fondness and respect between Peter and his staff. We often rely on Peter’s body language for clues about his inner feelings, so observing Peter when he returns home to his unit, leaves no doubt that he is happy.

 

My husband and I finally bought a house which is in close proximity to all our adult children. We specifically did this as we are very actively involved in supporting Julia and Peter and spending time with our grand children. 

 

It has been over four years now since Julia and Peter moved to Brisbane. Our family has faced many challenges and we are still faced with the challenge of how we can ensure Julia and Peter continue to live a good life without our support. The journey has involved a lot of hard work with more to come. However, we have no doubt that living in the community has enriched both Julia’s and Peter’s life. They have gained greater knowledge, strength and valuable allies, which we believe will enable them to better deal with the inevitable changes and decisions in the future.

Katatina Listopad  25/11/2009