Tim*, 45, a SIL client of Australian Quality Care (AQC), lives with an intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. He has been living in supported accommodations, formerly known as hostels, since age 14.
He was found in this situation not long after his parents passed away. With the remaining family members unable to care for him, he moved into Linden Court Supported Accommodation, located in the inner-city suburb of West End. As luck would have it, it was one of the facilities managed by our Skymac Group founder, Lorraine Gorman.
Evers since then, he has been provided with not only a roof over his head but a place that he could call home. Tim has difficulty trusting and connecting with people he is unfamiliar with but living at Linden Court gave him a sense of normalcy. He continued attending Sunnybank Special School throughout his teenage years and relocated wherever Lorraine went.
Since the introduction of the NDIS, Tim has been able to live independently with the support of Sandy, his Support Worker from AQC. "He now shares a house at Thornfields Supported Independent Living Homes with another long-term Skymac resident. He can perform basic tasks such as; making a cup of coffee for breakfast and doing the dishes after, with minimal prompting," says Karyn, Thornfields SIL House Manager.
"He has also formed relationships with residents who live in our SIL homes next door. The difference with our homes is that we have the same staff members on-site and people whom he is familiar with 24/7," added Karyn.
With the help of AQC, his social calendar is overflowing with activities. Lunches, BBQs, and exploring on Thursdays, followed by putt-putt and fishing on Saturdays.
Tim is a car enthusiast, enjoys going to football games, and is also an animal lover. He hopes to one day volunteer at Deathrow Unchained Animal Rescue Centre.
To find out more on our Supported Independent Living Homes, call (07) 3899 0095.
*Client name has been changed to protect his identity