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Living life her way: Helen’s story
This World Cerebral Palsy Day, we’re celebrating Helen, a much-loved...
Matthew Taylor
What does ‘home’ mean to you? For most of us, home is a sacred space, a place where you can be yourself, feel safe, and keep your most treasured possessions. For many people, the path to creating a home might involve living with family, renting, or buying, even with the current challenges of the housing market. But for others, those options are not always easy to access, particularly for people who need regular support with daily living tasks to live as independently as possible.
For Matt, one of our supported accommodation customers, his one-bedroom unit represents the achievement of an important goal. When Matt moved into shared supported accommodation two years ago, he had a clear objective: to eventually transition into a place of his own. His strong desire for independence, and the opportunity to build a more self-directed lifestyle, were the key driving forces behind that goal.
Although Matt was ready for more independence, he admitted the move came with some nerves. “I was a bit nervous, because I’ve never lived by myself before.” He explains. His team were familiar with those feelings, having supported him with similar ones when he first transitioned to Rocky Bay from another provider, and so during the move they worked closely with him to ensure he felt safe, heard and supported.
The story continues...
He’s currently working on settling into his new surroundings, getting used to his neighbours and making progress on his to-do list! With the help of his Rocky Bay team and their active support approach, he’s been able to make some practical changes to set up the unit, including putting up clothes storage and changing the shower head. The team have also seen progress in Matt himself, noting a growth in his confidence, his willingness to engage more and openness in sharing things that matter to him.
Matt also recently had his wish granted through the Rocky Bay Wishing Tree, which will enable him to purchase more furniture, including a TV unit, curtains and lamps to turn his house into a home.
Now in his own home, Matt is also looking ahead to the future. His new goals include getting a job and working towards his driver’s licence. He’s still a little unsure what career path he’d like to follow, but he does have a keen interest in mechanics! He’s also working on building everyday life skills. He enjoys cooking and is looking forward to preparing his own meals, with spaghetti bolognese at the top of the list!
How we helped
As much as he likes being in his new digs, he also loves to be out and about. He walks regularly and aims for 10,000 steps a day. He also likes to ride his bike, go bowling, and spend time in the community with his support workers. Some of his days are planned and for others, the activities are decided on the day, giving him choice and control.
Sports are also a big part of Matt’s life. A long time Essendon fan, he plays All Abilities football for Kingsway in the backline. Last season they even won the premiership, an achievement that Matt describes as “really good” after “five long years!” He also plays cricket for Kingsway, mainly as a bowler and a pretty good one too! He won the bowling award last season after taking 8 wickets. His favourite cricket team however, he picked due to his admiration of a batter. “I like the Sydney Sixers” he explains “Steve Smith is my favourite player because he just knows how to bat.”
His new unit is also filled with things that showcase his other passions: puzzles, dragons, hats and sports memorabilia. He loves to do puzzles as a way of calming down if he doesn’t feel quite right and his completed ones are already hanging from the walls throughout the unit. He has a love of dragons, something that’s been with him since childhood when he wanted a pet one! He now has dragons of all shapes and sizes in his collection, but unfortunately no real life one (yet)!
Matt does however have another type of animal to keep him company. His four rabbits are a very important part of his life, and he describes them as his “pride and joy”. He is responsible for all their care, cleaning their enclosure himself three times a week. With the help of his support workers, he’s also used recycled materials such as pallets to build and extend their spaces to give them more freedom to roam.
As Matt continues to settle into his new unit, his story is an important reminder of what can be achieved when a person’s goals are listened to and supported. With the help of his team at Rocky Bay, Matt has been able to take an important step towards the independence he wanted.
For Matt, the move is about more than just being able to live on his own. It’s about having his own space, making his own choices and continuing to build a life that truly reflects who he is.
A few words
“I’m happy. I just needed my own space.”
- Matthew Taylor
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