One of the most significant steps any person takes on the road to independence is moving out of home. It builds character, confidence and resilience, not to mention all the life skills that come with being in the driver’s seat to managing your life. This liberating experience is no different for people with disability. Supported Independent Living (SIL) homes are the perfect solution for those ready to find a home but would like the reassurance that support is on standby when needed.

The makers of happy homes

Rach Sinclair, the Service Coordinator of Willowood House in the ACT, describes Sunnyfield Disability Accommodation as “an environment that feels like home”, where clients can make the space their own and make decisions for themselves, with the support that suits their needs. Every staff member has a different relationship with the residents, and all of those connections are valued.

Rach Sinclair, Sunnyfield Service Coordinator

“We aim to be consistent with the language we use and the support we provide but leave space for the residents to form a working relationship with the staff in their own way. When providing direct support to the residents, I am an active support champion. I mentor my team to provide high levels of engagement and encourage all residents to take part in household tasks.” Rach Sinclair

Develop, define and strengthen

When Rach came to Willowood House in 2017, the two residents were already well established with routines, the ability to live independently and the ability to cooperate. Over the last four years, residents have increased their communication skills and achieved a greater feeling and understanding of shared responsibility in their house.

“Both residents are now much more involved in planning and preparing meals using open communication, and they will also both initiate cleaning up after themselves, where this previously needed prompting and support. During the last 18 months, we have all learned how to use Zoom, Facetime, emails and text to communicate, and so now both residents will ask to use WhatsApp or Zoom to speak with their family and friends more frequently and utilise video calls.”

Daily life in a home for people with disability

So, what does a typical day look like in a SIL home? Rach describes, “The residents are supported to wake up around 7 am and complete their morning routine to prepare for the day. One resident is supported to access the community by another organisation, so we help him prepare for the activity he has planned that day, pack any food or items he may need and ensure he is ready to go out.

The other resident is supported to access the community with Sunnyfield staff, so we will discuss what he would like to do that day and get going with some activities – this usually includes a gym workout or a walk, then some craft or games before lunch.

Both residents enjoy going for a drive in the afternoon – they both enjoy visiting local construction sites to watch the trucks and see the progress of the building – before returning home for some afternoon tea and quiet time before preparing dinner.

During the summer months, with longer days and warmer evenings, often after dinner, the residents will go out to shoot hoops or throw the Frisbee. During the colder months, we’ll stay in and watch movies.”

If you’d like more information on SIL funding or Sunnyfield’s Disability Accommodation Services and living options, T 1300 588 688 or E enquiries@sunnyfield.org.au

Check out Sunnyfield’s current SIL vacancies.

Meet Ben Fitzgerald

Meet Ben Fitzgerald, the man behind Sunnyfield’s Supported Independent Living (SIL) home – Carawa House in Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Starting in 2015 in Sunnyfield’s Student Placement program, Ben always knew that he wanted to work in the Disability Sector.

“I wanted my career to be something that was contributory, social and fulfilling. I supported kids with Muscular Dystrophy at a weeklong camp in 2011 and loved the work so much. It led me to start working as a Community Support Worker while I completed my Social Work Degree” said Ben.

As Carawa’s Service Coordinator, Ben’s role is to balance and maintain the household flow and routine, creating a harmonious lifestyle for all residents. “My priority is to ensure that all the residents participate in the running of their house, get out into the community, visit family and have fulfilling social lives,” says Ben.

“The Carawa residents are for the most part very active and like to get out for walks, cycle, spend the day at the beach and have BBQ’s. Their lifestyle is no different to any other Sydney household. They have just started a gardening care program as a new project for everyone to work on together.”

In a group home, Ben describes “the residents have more control over their lives and decisions. They develop an understanding of the responsibilities involved with taking care of their own living spaces and home. They build meaningful relationships with their housemates and learn to socialise in different ways with different people.”

Expectedly, the change can be challenging for some. But when you have the right people supporting your journey, you can achieve the unimaginable. Ben recounts, “we have one resident who came to Carawa a year ago with behavioural issues, and whose mental and physical health had deteriorated. We built a dedicated group of reliable staff with whom she was able to form trusting, positive relationships with.”

“Together they created a stable routine that provided the resident with control and predictability, vastly increasing her ability to better manage her anxiety. She also began to feel accepted by her housemates, resulting in her feeling at home at Carawa. All staff were trained in her support plan, and their work was overseen by a behaviour clinician and myself, ensuring consistency. Over the year, the resident has shown constant physical, emotional, and mental improvement, all the while building positive, trusting relationships with those around her. It’s been a wonderful journey to be a part of.”

If you’d like more information on Sunnyfield’s Supported Independent Living services, contact our team today T 1300 588 688 or E enquiries@sunnyfield.org.au

View our current SIL vacancies here.