After spending 10 years in a group home, Naz is now enjoying the newfound freedom of Supported Independent Living with United for Care. We caught up with Naz to hear about the transition and just how good it feels to finally be living her best life in Liverpool.
Imagine living in a world where your front door swings open into endless possibilities. Supported Independent Living (SIL) isn't just about having a place to stay, for people with disabilities it's a launchpad for independence.
Independence means different things to different people. It’s all about having the freedom to do things your way, safe in the knowledge that customised support is on hand exactly when you need it.
Just ask Naz. For the past 6 months Naz has been a resident at one of United for Care’s state-of-the-art Vertical Village homes, situated in Liverpool. In a short amount of time, Naz has taken advantage of the SIL services at her disposal and dramatically transformed her own life. “My experience has been all about living independently – cooking, cleaning, and doing day-to-day things on my own”, Naz says.
For Naz, independence means waking up at 6am, making the perfect breakfast and feeding her cat, Lucky – bought for her by her fiancé George when she moved into her new home. “Lucky’s so playful and cheeky – sharing my home with him is great for my mental health”, Naz says.
Independence for Naz is also enjoying the thrill of conquering a messy dinner recipe while singing along to her favourite music. Naz is a passionate singer and plans to one day audition for The Voice. Living in her own home means Naz has the space to practice whenever the mood takes her. “George will tell you how much I love singing”, Naz says, “he gets to hear me singing my heart out in the shower every day!”.
Living life on her terms
Singing is one of the many ways in which Naz has come out of her shell, but it hasn’t always been this way. For 10 years Naz lived in a group home and had less freedom to live a life that felt right for her. Slowly but surely, all that’s changed.
George says, “At first, Naz kept inside herself, but these days she has the freedom to do what she wants. It means she’s a bundle of joy and energy. At the same time, she’s much more relaxed and content with who she is as a person. I can see the comfort in her, and that means a lot.”
Enjoying her newfound confidence, Naz loves getting to know all the United for Care support staff. She also spends plenty of time with her support worker, Michelle, who has been with Naz for over a decade. This has given the pair all the time needed to develop chemistry and a working relationship that really works.
“Michelle and the support team help me with budgeting and shopping or making an appointment with the doctor. Michelle even organised this interview today, which I really wanted to do”, Naz says.
It’s important to understand that Supported Independent Living isn't about doing everything by yourself. It's about having the power to define what "everything" means for you and having the help you need to make it all happen.
Love and celebration
A few months back, love was in the air in Liverpool when Naz and George announced they were getting married. Naz loves parties and the United for Care team couldn’t resist the chance to throw one in honour of the engagement.
Naz, George, the United for Care team and guests all dressed up for the occasion, enjoying the chance to eat, dance and sing. Naz says, “It made me so happy to celebrate with my friends and watch everybody have a great time”.
George says, “I’m so pleased to have found the person I can settle down and share the rest of my life with.” share the rest of his life with.” Because the Liverpool Vertical Village homes are spacious, offering more than enough room for two and a cat, George is planning to move in with Naz. He’ll offer her another layer of support and the kind of companionship only a loving fiancé can bring.
“I’m just pleased that I can be here for her. If she wants to go to the shops, I can drive her,” George says. “But I don’t get to choose the music in my own car. It’s normally her pick, and she goes for Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey!”.
Having met George at her Birthday dinner and immediately started dating, Naz points out that this year will be their second anniversary. She’s looking forward to many more, excitedly saying “It’s just an amazing life.”
Whether it’s loading up a playlist in George’s car, relaxing on the sofa with Lucky, or dancing the day away at her glitzy engagement party – there’s no doubt Naz is living her best life.
And that’s what United for Care’s Supported Independent Living is all about – living life your way. It’s more freedom, more choice, more you.
Ready to live your best life?
If you or somebody you work with is ready to live life to the fullest, United for Care can help. Contact our friendly team to learn more about what we do and how we can guide you through your NDIS journey.
Email Us: info@unitedforcare.com.au
Call Us: 1300 405 260
