What is Supported Independent Living? Supported Independent Living (SIL) is a type of housing that means you can retain independence while receiving assistance with daily tasks such as moving home, household errands, preparing meals, or taking medication. Supported Independent Living can offer you more independence, a greater social life, and 24/7 hour assistance With Supported Independent Living, you will live in shared or individual housing, depending on your needs. This type of accommodation has its private entrance, but staff are available throughout the day to provide support with specific tasks that residents may find challenging to do on their own Supported Independent Living is different depending on your individual needs, but it can include help with: Moving out on your own for the first time Learning to live with housemates Keeping up with daily household tasks Getting ready for the day, cooking meals and keeping fit What Are the Main Features of Supported Independent Living? With SIL you will live in a self-contained home that can be adapted for the needs of people with disabilities who wish to live independently but need extra support to do so. The accommodation typically has a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and living room that are designed to make daily tasks as easy as possible and may be fitted with handrails, lower worktops, raised toilet seats, non-slip surfaces, and wheelchair ramps. Supported Independent Living services can include 24/7 help with: Washing Dressing Taking medication Personal hygiene Paying bills Washing clothes Tidying the home Socializing What are the Benefits of Supported Independent Living? Supported Independent Living Makes it easier to Socialise Living independently will give you more opportunities to meet new people and explore new hobbies. In SIL accommodation, social activities are encouraged and your assistant can accompany you to social outings and help with things like public transport and budgeting if needed. As an added bonus, in SIL, you will usually share a house with other people who are close to you in age and have similar interests. Supported Independent Living Ensures Safety and Security In Supported Independent Living accommodation, your wellbeing and safety are a top priority. You will be able to relax knowing that you have a professional team nearby that is dedicated to your welfare. You will be surrounded by a caring community with the added comfort of knowing that extra help is there when you need it. Supported Independent Living is a Cost-Effective Housing Solution Supported Independent Living is a cost-effective housing solution. Tenants will have their own private apartment and personal care available based on the resident’s specific needs. In many cases, residents choose to share accommodation which means that costs such as utility bills and food are shared equally among tenants. Supported Independent Living Offers Assistance with Daily Tasks Having someone to help you with daily household chores can take a huge weight off your shoulders. A Supported Independent Living team member can take on the tasks that you find difficult so you can enjoy your everyday life and independence. How Do I Get Supported Independent Living Funding? Supported Independent Living (SIL) is an NDIS funded model of shared accommodation.  This means that the NDIS may help you with the cost of the care services that you receive. If you need care and support, you can request a needs assessment from your NDIS provider where they will assess your care needs and whether you meet the eligibility criteria during a friendly meeting. What should I consider before moving to assisted living housing? We know that moving into independent living accommodation can feel like a big step, which is why we are here to help you plan the move. We listen to the individual’s needs and follow a moving plan to ensure a stress-free and positive experience for new residents. If you are thinking about moving into Supported Independent Living accommodation, there are a few things you should think about first to make sure that it’s the right choice for you. Some things to consider before moving into Supported Independent Living accommodation include: Managing your own finances More household tasks to complete Keeping to a tenancy agreement Having to share a living space with others Being away from family Who is supported living suitable for? Supported Independent Living services are an option for adults with disabilities who do not wish to live in residential care but are finding it difficult to live on their own or rely on the care of others. When it comes to living alone, everyone is different and has unique needs. Below are three levels of support that the NDIS has outlined SIL funding under: Lower needs – support not usually needed 24/7. Supervision provided for living arrangements. Standard needs – Support provided 24/7. Most daily tasks are supervised and a Support Worker will sleep overnight. Higher needs – Active support provided 24/7. Staff members are available for managing challenging behaviours that require positive behaviour support as well as assisting with daily tasks. You can speak with your local NDIS provider to determine whether or not Supported Independent Living is best for your needs or which level of support is appropriate for you. How Can Total Quality Disability Care Help? Everyone has the right to choose their own path in life, and our mission is to help people live happy and fulfilling lives in their own homes, with their own tenancies. Total Quality Disability Care provides guidance to individuals considering moving away from their family homes to gain more independence while still receiving necessary care. Across New South Wales, our Supported Independent Living services support adults with various disabilities to live safely and independently within their local communities. Learn More About Our Support Today If you’d like to learn more about Supported Independent Living and the services that Total Quality Disability Care offers, please call us at 0478 665 283 to speak with one of our friendly team members. You can also visit our website and fill out our online contact form, and we will get in touch with you shortly.

How to Support a Person with a Disability? How you speak and interact with people says a lot about you as a person and when you take the time to respect the people around you, it profoundly impacts their attitudes. Regardless of whether they have a disability or not, everyone deserves the same level of respect and consideration. When interacting with anyone with a disability, it’s important to treat them how you would want to be treated yourself. Keeping that in mind, we’ve compiled some great ways to support the people you work with, live with, or are friends with who have a disability. Ask first We understand how tempting it can be to help someone without asking, but keep in mind that just like you, people with disabilities don’t always need help and can get offended if you assume without asking first. Instead, ask if there’s anything you can do to help make things easier or more effective whilst remembering to ask for instructions to make sure it’s done the way they want or need. Don’t assume, consent is key How can I help make the process easier for you? They know and understand their needs Ask for clarification on how you can best help Don’t be offended if they say no Communication is key Remember when you were a kid and told to “treat others how you’d like to be treated”? Well, the same goes for when you’re speaking with someone, you want to make sure to speak directly and clearly while listening to what they are saying and maintaining polite eye contact. Many people will inadvertently direct the conversation to a carer or interpreter if they are present, which can make someone feel less than ideal, and we want to avoid this. Speak in clear sentences with simple words and solid concepts, keep in mind that people with speech impairments can take a little longer and you’ll need to be patient and not interrupt them or talk for them. When speaking with a deaf person, understand that they will be looking at their interpreter as you are talking (unless they don’t have one and read lips) and that you should still focus your attention on them rather than their helper. When possible, speak with wheelchair users on their level by sitting down so that they aren’t having to look up and strain their necks. If you don’t understand what someone has said, ask for clarification to prevent confusion later in a conversation Introduce yourself the same way you would with anyone else – Say hello, introduce yourself, don’t mask your facial expressions, ask questions, and engage like you would normally. Respect personal space Just like everyone else, people with disabilities need their personal space and for those who use mobility aids – canes, service dogs, walkers, wheelchairs – they are a part of that. It’s important to ask yourself, “how would I feel if someone did that to me” whether it could be someone moving your purse/backpack, moving your bicycle, or even touching you without permission. Remembering that people with disabilities are like everyone else, just with extra tools to make their lives easier can be a great way to understand how to interact. Ask for permission before pushing/moving someone’s If someone has mobility aids, it’s important to not lean on, move, or touch them without being asked As tempting as it can be… it’s important to not pat a service dog when it’s on the job without asking. They do very important work and while it may not seem important to you, the distraction you cause could distract them from their very important duties. Remember this – when mobility aids are left unattended, moving them could seriously impact and compromise someone’s accessibility. Flexibility is important Whether you have family, friends, colleagues, or work in an industry where you have regular contact with people with disabilities, it’s important to remember to be flexible. From meeting up at accessible locations to choosing specific time to meet up that match with accessible public transportation, be more flexible with your choices when it comes to interacting with others. Friends who have disabled family members, support workers, or carers may have certain times of the day when they’re not available due to caring for someone at certain times of the day. Show understanding when organising events Choose places that are easy to access for everyone involved Anyone who cares for someone with a disability will face obstacles in their life and need more compassion, patience, and understanding than you may realise. When riding on public transportation it is polite to offer your seat to anyone with a disability, the elderly, and pregnant women. They may not always accept but that is okay too. Keep in mind that other people have responsibilities too, so don’t get upset if an alternative time or location is suggested when planning an event or outing together. If you’re wanting to learn more about how to support someone with a disability, or even how to offer support for a carer or parent, we offer training and have a Facts Sheet to assist with the development of daily living and life skills. Accessibility A large percentage of venues have accessible entrances, though some still do not due to how the building was built, the location, or some other reason. Fighting for equal access to places has been an ongoing challenge around the world from providing easy access to schools and hospitals, to creating wheelchair friendly picnic tables and disability parking spaces close to entrances and exits of shopping centres and other businesses. As we mentioned above, planning for a meeting or get-together can help by ensuring that a suitable place and time is chosen, plus it gives you time to find out all the information you may need to ensure the place is accessible for everyone involved. Everyone makes mistakes – Ask questions and take their lead It is natural to avoid things that make us uncomfortable, but by

The importance of finding a purpose and fulfillment when living with a disability We all have the same basic needs: Water, food, shelter and clothing. More modern definitions also include the need for sanitation, education, and healthcare. However, having these basic needs met only ensures our existence; it doesn’t necessarily ensure a happy and fulfilling life, which begs the question, ‘What does it take to attain happiness and fulfillment?’. Even then, this one question prompts a raft of others – do ‘happiness’ and ‘fulfillment’ look the same for everyone, and does everyone require the same things to attain that happiness and sense of fulfillment? Can we all even achieve the things we need to to find happiness and fulfillment, on our own? In this article, we will attempt to answer these questions and more, and we will discuss the importance played by finding a purpose in life in achieving happiness and a sense of personal fulfillment – especially for individuals living with a disability. What is a purposeful life? A purposeful life is one in which you live according to your values and morals, drawing on your strengths and skills to follow your passion and work towards the achievement of a large personal goal. Living a purposeful life enables us to find a sense of meaning, and it is what brings us happiness and fulfillment. While psychologists suggest that happiness is closely tied to ‘living a good life’, which entails finding meaning and living with a sense of purpose, some psychologists believe it is more than this and suggest it isn’t necessarily the achievement of happiness that improves well-being, but rather the pursuit of it. This is true for everyone at any stage of every life. We all feel a sense of pride and satisfaction when we live according to our own beliefs, following our hearts and staying true to ourselves, living in the moment, expressing gratitude and appreciation for what we have, and encouraging others to do the same. How can happiness and fulfillment be achieved? Although everyone is different, holding a different world view that is based on personal experience of the world and society, experts agree that the ingredients for a happy life apply to everyone: Working towards your goals or mastering a desired skill or skillset Maintaining close social ties Cultivating authentic relationships (Being true to your ‘self’ and living according to your values and morals Finding a purpose beyond yourself and your own needs. However, our differences mean that our individual pursuit of happiness, meaning and purpose, needs to be based on identifying those things that bring our mind, body, and soul into alignment and increase our happiness. As such, each of us will require something different to help us achieve happiness and fulfillment – for example, it may mean: Learning how to open ourselves up to others and more effectively and confidently express our feelings, wants, and needs, so that we are better able to have those needs and desires fulfilled. This may require us to learn to be more positive and optimistic, and to appreciate the good things that happen in our lives (even the small ones). Finding a hobby or a passion and making the time to really pursue that passion or interest. Embracing spirituality and faith or attending religious services with a likeminded community. Spending time with other people who are also happy – have you ever heard the sayings “happiness is contagious” or “a smile is contagious”? It’s true! That said, our unique life experiences will often exert a big influence on where we choose to focus our attention at any one time in our lives, and it’s important to periodically revise the metaphorical list of things that contribute to our happiness so that we can continue to experience that sense of personal fulfillment throughout our lives. Why is it important to find a sense of meaning and purpose? The Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University’s Institute for Quantitative Social Science has conducted a raft of studies, to help us to better understand how developing a sense of meaning and purpose in life can help humans to flourish. This research has noted that there are important distinctions between pondering the age-old question of “the meaning of life”, gaining a personal understanding of the things that give our own lives meaning, and finding an individual sense of motivational purpose that directs us toward setting particular goals or engaging in a pursuit that we deem to be of consequence. What are the benefits of finding meaning and having a sense of purpose? Finding a personal sense of purpose can have an incredibly positive effect on our happiness, self-esteem and, ultimately, our sense of achievement and fulfillment – all of which are hugely beneficial to both our physical and mental health. Recent research involving people over the age of 50 suggests there are considerable benefits associated with finding a sense of meaning and purpose, in terms of improving both longevity and quality of life. A long-term study of a group of young people also showed that having a personal sense of meaning and purpose had a significant impact across all areas of life. Where individuals had sought and found a mission or purpose earlier in life, researchers identified improvements in the individuals’: Physical health – evidenced by a greater tendency towards using preventative health care measures. Mental health – evidenced by a greater tendency toward a positive mental affect and, potentially, fewer depressive symptoms. Psychological well-being – evidenced by higher levels of life satisfaction and self-esteem, and better emotional processing and expression. Character – evidenced by a tendency to practice gratitudeand mindfulness, and to engage in more volunteering and selfless acts or activities. How to live a more meaningful and purposeful life There are several factors that have been shown to lead to a greater sense of purpose, with one of the most powerful acts being volunteering, and this appears to be true across the entire lifespan – from adolescence through middle-age and into older adulthood. While volunteering is an admirable pursuit, it’s not necessarily an absolute way for each of us to create a