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Managing Change
Moving into Supported Independent Living (SIL) is a significant change in a person's life. Often, people with disability living in rural or remote areas will have to move away from their community and the country lifestyle that they know. This was the case for Wendy.
Country Life
Wendy spent her life living in the Clare Valley on her farm, which consisted of 90 acres of scrub and farmland. Wendy would spend her days working the land, seeking out lizards and snakes, bird watching and championing her passion for conservation. Wendy was heavily involved in her local community and well known around the traps; whether she was playing pool at the 'local' or volunteering with conservation groups, the country lifestyle was deeply embedded.
Moving away
Wendy experienced changes to her ability to live independently and manage her property, following a diagnosis of young-onset dementia. Eventually, Wendy needed 24/7 support to maintain her well-being and safety and was fable to secure a SIL vacancy in the Barossa Valley with My Ability Pathway (MAP). Although the home and community she moved to differed from her farm in Clare, the MAP team focused on ensuring she can still have a sense of community and access, to the country lifestyle she knows and loves.
Staying connected
Wendy frequents the Barossa Bush Gardens and Kapunda Community Garden, where she shares her expertise in conservation and gardening. She visits the many nature reserves and national parks around the Barossa, where she indulges in long walks in search of wildlife and admires the flora and fauna. You will find Wendy having a game of pool at the ‘pub’ and having a yarn with locals in the street or at Community Helpers, where the connection to the country lifestyle is strong. Being in an environment that mirrors her life before living in a SIL, gives Wendy a sense of security, comfort and home.
Making SIL a home
Understanding a person’s life, values, and history is essential when providing services as significant as SIL. Building a lifestyle full of their favourite activities, people and pets they love, and opportunities to connect with their community gives them hope and a home in the true sense of the word.
