While getting through each day can be a challenge for families affected by disability, the support of Identitywa gives them the breathing space needed to picture the future.
For many parents, it can be a real challenge to juggle all the tasks that are required on a daily basis in caring for their family’s emotional and physical wellbeing.
For families which have a member with a disability, it is important that they access the right guidance and support for their individual circumstances.
Archdiocesan LifeLink agency, Identitywa, has been supporting people with disability and their families for almost 40 years, working towards the vision of a community in which “all people live with a sense of purpose, a sense of belonging and a sense of wellbeing”.
Based on Catholic values which respect the dignity and worth of every person, the agency provides person-centred support through a range of services.
These include individual and shared accommodation, the opportunity to ‘Have a Break’ for adults and children, in-home and out-of-home support, community and recreation programs and assistance for school leavers.
CEO Marina Re said it was just as important to support the family of a person with a disability, as it was to support the person him/herself.
“At Identitywa, we know that a good break works two ways,” she explained.
“It is about carers recharging their batteries, and it’s also about individuals having a good time away from home, enjoying new experiences and also some familiar ones too.”
One family which knows the difference Identitywa can make are the parents and sisters of five-year-old Sadie.
After being referred by the Disability Services Commission, Sadie’s family began to access the day services available at Identitywa’s children’s house in Nollamara in 2014, and last year made the leap to overnight stays at the house.
The experience was emotionally testing, as Sadie’s mother Lynley described in a piece she wrote recently for Identitywa’s newsletter, Identikite.
“The first night, I was a mix of emotions, mainly apprehensive, and all sorts of things went through my mind,” Lynley recalled.
“I came with my list of instructions, (basically her routine), wanting it to be a success so that, in a selfish way, we could have a moment to breathe.
“A staff member rang me that night at around 6.30pm to reassure me that Sadie was fine… That thoughtful phone call meant I could get to sleep knowing that she was safe and happily tucked up in bed.”
With that first experiment a success, Sadie has continued to access Identitywa’s services, visiting the house one day a week and staying overnight once a fortnight.
Lynley said she was excited that Sadie finally had the chance to interact with other children and adults and, over time, had developed a unique relationship with many of them.
“We are so happy she is experiencing a different environment and having the opportunity to be with other children. It’s her own special place where she feels safe and welcome,” she explained.
“As for our family when she is in respite – well, it’s very different. It’s less measured. I don’t have to stick to a plan and our life is more flexible but, at the same time, the children miss her immensely.”
Lynley isn’t the only parent whose life has been changed by Identitywa.
Lisa has watched her 18-year-old son, Callan, grow in confidence since he left secondary school, with the assistance of an Identitywa family support worker.
This extra help has enabled Callan to travel by bus or train to his weekly commitments, including classes at TAFE, sessions playing guitar in a music group and regular gym workouts.
He has also recently passed the written test to get his L-plates, something he is thrilled about, as he pursues his ultimate goal of driving V8 Super Cars.
“Identitywa has really been wonderful,” Lisa said.
“I had tried to find people to support Callan in the past but without success. Identitywa took this pressure away from us to find the right person.”
While getting through each day can be a challenge for families affected by disability, the support of Identitywa gives them the breathing space needed to picture the future.
And, with Sadie enrolled in mainstream schooling and Callan out on the road, the future is a bright one.
LifeLink agencies such as Identitywa deliver professional services and caring support to thousands of people in need throughout Western Australia each year. To donate to LifeLink, visit www.lifelink.com.au.
From pages 14 and 15 from Issue 2: ‘Family: What does it mean in 2016?’ of The Record Magazine