Ever since Supported Independent Living (SIL) client Anne moved in June, her sister Caryll has noticed her to have a new lease on life.
Anne, who has been a Minda client since she was 11 years old, had been living in one of Minda's community SIL locations in Pasadena for the past 15 years.
While Anne was a little apprehensive in the beginning to move to apartment living, the minute she had a tour of her new apartment, Caryll witnessed a change in her.
“At the beginning of the process, she was quite apprehensive as she had gotten quite attached to the staff at Pasadena,” Caryll says.
“But since she saw the apartment for the first time, her whole focus changed and buying new furniture, just topped it off. Anne found it exciting that it was all for her.
“It was full-on, sorting out the many years of possessions plus buying new furniture. We had fun with that.”
...Anne has absolutely blossomed. She’s happy, she’s engaged, she’s interested.
Caryll described the process – from request forms to finances and then moving - as seamless and happening in less than 12 months.
“Anne has been so well supported throughout the whole process,” she says.
“And since she has moved, Anne has absolutely blossomed. She’s happy, she’s engaged, she’s interested. Every day she calls me and tells me stories of who she has seen. She walks to her physio appointments, she walks to the beach a couple of times a week and she visits the café down there.
“She’s self-motivated, more active, and much more engaged – we are so happy for her.”
Now living independently, Anne cooks her own breakfast and lunch, and is taken grocery shopping once a week where she chooses ingredients for her meals.
“Having that choice and control of what she gets when she goes shopping is something we take for granted, but it’s given Anne so much independence,” Caryll says.
She’s self-motivated, more active, and much more engaged – we are so happy for her.
Anne celebrated her 72nd birthday in August and hosted an afternoon tea for residents of the apartment complex, including reconnecting with a lady she went to school with but hadn’t seen for more than six decades.
“All the staff in the apartment complex are amazing, always happy to chat and are very supportive,” Caryll says.
Minda’s Home & Living Support (Supported Independent Living) provides people living with an intellectual disability the opportunity to live as independently as possible, while also receiving the relevant level of support that the individual needs.
For more information, visit our Home and Living Supports page to view all the current SIL Vacancies Minda has available. If you have any questions about Minda’s Home & Living Support (SIL), or the application process, please contact 1800 164 632 or complete the contact form below.