Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Earlier this year we met four people in their 30’s desperate to move out of home and give
flatting a go. The story proved really popular so we’ve kept in touch with the flatmates.
Today we bring you the highlights of their story and find out how they’re settling
into their new independent lives.
Dana, Travis, Susan, and Richard are all young adults. But they’re still living at home
and part of the reason is they each have an intellectual disability, but their families
reckon it’s time they took the next big brave step and went flatting. Dana spent her
babyhood in a Karitane Hospital, when it closed she was adopted. Richard’s dad died six
years ago, he lives with his mum and her new partner. Travis is the second of four children
in the Brown family, but he’s the last one to move out. Susan lives with her dad Allan,
her mum’s in a rest home. The flatmates want their independence, the parents want
that too, but they will need carers to help them live independently. They will also need
the right house and money to make it happen.
Dana was born with Down syndrome and handed into the care of a Karitane Hospital. When
the hospital closed, one of the nurses took Dana home. She was three years old before
she got a permanent home with the MacRae family.
Dana didn’t walk until she was about five, she had very bad muscle tone.
When we first told her about what we were thinking of doing she got quite upset about it, of having to
leave home, because all she was worried about was missing her bedroom. And we just told
her she can take all her things with her and we just kept talking and talking about it,
what could happen and what’s going to happen. And it’s going to take a while for her to
settle in, we know that, and we know she’s going to get upset, but we’re going to be
there for her if she needs our help, so as you can see now…
Plus she knows the bed is going to be there when she wants to come back there’s still a bed there.
You’re going to be with all your friends Dana and your bed is still going
to be here, it will always be here.
You’ll be able to come home for tea and odd days and odd nights.
Richard Bisley’s parents always worried what would happen when they weren’t around
to care for him.
Well he’s brought it into the fall really, he’s the one who’s instigated it and said
that he’d like to do this. We’re talking a lot about flatting, so that he knows what’s
happening, but it’s going to be pretty cool stuff I think, bit exciting for him and a
wee bit scary for me.
Be with all the friends.
With all your friends?
Yes.
It will be good won’t it?
No strangers.
Susan Godsall was raised mainly by her grandmother. Her mother had ongoing bouts of mental illness.
When her grandmother died six years ago Susan moved home with her father, but Allan’s
nearly 70 and he’s found it tough.
By going into a flat she’ll learn independence and I’ll get independence and we’ll just
move on the way we should do. A lot of her being upset is insecurity, unsure, apprehension,
it’s something new to them, they’ve never had to do it. I suppose it’s a feeling like,
you remember when you left home for the first time? You really want to go to that flat don’t you?
Mmmm.
Stay with Dana, Richard, and Travis.
32 year old Travis Brown has lived with his parents Colleen and Barry all his life.
Cheers.
So what do you think about flatting? Are you waiting to go, can you wait?
Yes, yes.
What we’re looking for Travis is really a good life and there’s a fair amount of
freedom that he has and we’d like to see that preserved.
Are you going to be putting all your posters up Trav?
Lovely.
If you live with an intellectual disability there are few housing choices. Usually these
four would move into residential care set up by an agency. But these families want the freedom
to choose where they live and whom they live with. They’re forging a radical new path,
they’re pooling resources and funding and working with agencies like Taikura Trust,
Housing New Zealand and WINZ to get the outcome they want.
You have to talk to funding agencies like Taikura, you’ve got to get the Needs Assessment
done and you’ve got to sit on their case. Family governance is about the family being
involved and having a really strong say with that person about where they live and whom
they live with. I don’t get the sense always that that happens when other organizations
are shaping your life.
Travis look at this.
What is it? Is that my house?
Two levels – more than enough room, click photo to enlarge, shall we have a look inside?
Yeah, I want to see it.
That’s a bathroom. Dana, Susan, Richard and who’s the next one?
Me.
It’s you!
We’re men, clean.
While the hunt for a home continues the four flatmates are learning life skills at the
Eastgate Transition House.
We’re going to do some vacuuming. Dana’s in charge of the vacuuming workshop, she’s
the champion vacuum cleaner. And should you vacuum all over the place or should you do
just one area at a time? Okay one area at a time otherwise you don’t know where you’ve
been do you?
Months have past, but everyone’s optimistic they’ll be moving in together soon.
We’ve found a number of five bedroom houses, because it’s got to be five. I suppose the
devastating thing is having real estate agents say that they’re landlords do not rent to
disabled people. Collectively we all know that Travis and his mates are not going to
have outrageous parties, they are not going to smoke, they’re not going to create a
P lab, they’re not going to damage property and yet they are deemed to be not worth consideration.
Hi Sarah, I’m ringing about the property in Melon’s Bay and wanting to know is it
still for rent?
Oh hi, I’m ringing about a property for rent in Buckland’s Beach, is it still available?
These are my DVD’s.
Do you have any other properties? No, it has to be five.
Finally, their luck turns, a landlord says he’s happy to have the group as tenants.
And this must be the house.
Wow, okay? Are you going to go up?
I’m going to find my room and my new bathroom.
Mr Bisley
Hey.
Are you excited guys?
Yes.
What do you think?
Oh look at that.
This is quite spacious.
If they take the house, Dana and Susan will stay upstairs, the boys downstairs, and there
will be a room for carers to stay too.
You’ll look after Dana won’t you Trav?
This is your room and in here will be my DVD’s.
Their verdict…
Looks hot.
They’re ready to take new steps living on their terms. There’s an overwhelming mix
of excitement and apprehension. They actually have little concept of what flatting means.
In two weeks they move in and there’s lots to do.
Dana’s not sure she’s ready to leave mum and dad, she likes routine.
Everyone’s been telling her flatting will be good for her.
What do you think about going flatting?
Yes.
Are you happy about it?
Yes.
This is an ad in one of the local newspapers. ‘Exceptional people to support four outstanding
young people to live the lives they choose. Four young disabled adults in their 30’s
are going flatting together in Howick. They require support to get up and out in the morning,
they’re looking for a flatmate or a couple to live in and provide some of their support.’
The parent’s main concern is finding carer’s who will love and look after them the same
way they do.
Lets get down and find something, we’ll head this way shall we.
The management of Furniture City in Mt Wellington heard about the flatmates and volunteered
their support. They’re donating all their bedding and giving a hefty discount on furniture.
We should get the keys on Wednesday and have a look and see what we’ve got and the kids
can start moving in after that.
So Susan you’re excited?
Yes.
What are you thinking? Any day now, did you talk to Travis or Richard about it?
Mmmm.
She’s looking forward, it’s a good exercise, but there’s a little apprehension there.
She’s not quite sure what it will be like, because she’s going to have to do a lot
of extra work herself rather than rely on us.
The final pieces of the plan have come together quicker than they expected. They’ve found six care givers who will be
rostered to live with the four flatmates. They can now move in.
Television, pack the television with the one that Julia has given you. Julia’s TV and
DVD player and the remote.
Yes dear. Here’s the TV.
I think we are all cool, we have lots of little meetings to talk about all the things the
kids don’t give a toss about, like if we’ve got enough money. I mean, essentially we want
the house to run on the benefit that the kids are getting, plus support from Work & Income.
What we’re scared of is that, what we know in the disability sector is if you are successful,
people sometimes think you can have the same outcomes for less money and we know that the
kids need support, and what we’re terrified of is that the powers that be will take money
away from us.
Travis, are you going to take that?
Yeah, I’ll take that.
How’s your room going?
Your DVD’s go in there.
It’s happened faster than we thought, I think that’s for all the parents; we’re
a bit gob smacked at how quickly it’s happened.
I think they’re excited, I know I am.
This is your room here? Oh look at all your DVD’s!
Richard loves the view.
In the morning I can get up and look out the window.
It’s warm too isn’t it?
Nice warm chocolate cake, why have you got two pieces Trav?
Because I’m a big man. Cheers for the flat– enjoy.
Dana can’t quite believe she’s made it here.
That’s Angus, Katie and Emily – it’s my brother’s children.
I think it’ll be a bit sad walking away and leaving them actually, but it’s good,
yeah, finally got here.
This is my home and my new roommate. In here, what do you think of this? What do you think
of my DVD’s now?
He’s stripped the place bare, sort of left old glasses that he’s obviously ferreted
away. All this is bare, and all his DVD’s, and the little rascal, I’m sure he’s taken
half of mine.
Now the four have to prove they can make it work. They’re spending five nights together
to test it out. The flatmates understand that they need to help each other out, for Travis
that means getting up on time.
Travis wakey wakey sunshine.(Knock knock) Travis my man.
Good morning.
What a lovely day.
Life’s been based on familiar routines until now and they’re all a little bit uncertain.
I miss home... I like here as well.
Where would you rather be?
That’s a good question. Here. We’ve got a good view here, a really good view.
I’m use to it now. I’m use to it, yep.
How’s my friend Travis?
Alright.
Did you get a good sleep last night?
A lovely sleep last night.
We’ve got chores to do this morning, so Dana is going to do the vacuuming up here,
Trav – dishes, he’s really good at the dishes, and Susan is going to be doing some
mirrors and some dusting.
We’ve got six amazing carer’s and they’re on a roster and I prepare the roster at this
stage, and that’s, I think, really important because it gives me an idea, or gives all
the parent’s an idea of how much money we’re spending on a weekly basis. Although it’s
early days and nobody got paid on Monday, we had to sort that out as an issue, everyone
is so positive and long may that last.
This is a good day for you.
The carer’s are learning how much to intervene.
Excellent Susan.
Barry said to them right at the very beginning, “This will stand or fall with you guys,
because if you work together as a team, you support our kids, you let us know if there’s
anything going on, you are critical to the success of this.”
Where possible there daily routines have stayed the same. Today, Travis is out volunteering
with IHC. Richard, Dana and Susan are off to the Eastgate Day Centre.
How’s it going? Well Travis doesn’t want to come home, so he’s got the flatting thing
sussed, he’s making up for lost time I think. It sort of occurs to you that this is Trav
the boy’s room, you know, this is his growing up space, as it is with all the other kids
it’s their growing up space. But over there it’s his flat, it’s his kind of man cave.
Travis has left home and he has joined the grown up world now.
First five weeks we’ve had no problems really, apart from people being a little bit homesick
and a little bit upset, they’re great flatmates. And a little bit of washing up liquid this
time.
Not too much
Not too much, just a little squeeze – that’s it.
Trav’s home early from work so he’s on dishes and dinner, everyone in the flat is
taking their turn.
If nobody wants to do anything Richard will come along and he’ll say, “Come on my
friend lets do it,” and he’s really good at getting everybody together. Because some
people don’t want to go for walks and some people want to sit and watch the telly. It’s
just a case of reminding them all the time that they’re flatmates and they have to
do things together now and as a team and it’s just little prompts, because they’re really
very good.
Camera – Take five.
They really appreciate each other, I think they really care for each other and like spending
time with each other and that is critical, absolutely critical.
Have you had a good day? That’s good, nice to see you. Hi Richard, how are you doing?
Nice to see you, have you had a good day?
Yeah.
Only he has, I’ve been working all day. Hello darling, I’ll have a cuddle with my Dana.
Thank you.
It was one of the key things for us as parents that these four young people got on, respected
each other, and if I could use the word loved each other, they do love each other.
So, Richard how’s it all going?
Alright.
Dana, what do you think, how’s the flat?
Alright.
She’s enjoying it aren’t you honey?
Yeah, you’re enjoying it?
Yes.
Everyone behaving themselves?
Yes.
Susan are you a fan of beans on toast?
Yes.
That’s very good. Here you go Susan is that enough for you? It doesn’t matter if you
can’t eat it all. And there's some cheese.
So how’re you coping without your parents guys, are you missing them?
Yes.
I do.
I’m missing mine.
Susan missing home?
Yes... Richard and Dana?
I’m missing my dad?
You can phone him can’t you, yeah? So you don’t need to miss him do you, because you
can phone him every night.
Everyday there’s some small sign of growing independence. Living away from home is getting
easier.
Beans are tasty and it makes you fart at night.
Do you like the flat?
Yes.
All the people are good aren’t they?
Good company. Good company?
It’s been an adjustment for both the parents and the flatmates. Everyone’s missing one
another, but this is the outcome they all wanted.
I still think it will take us at least close to a year before we can sit back and think
oh well that’s the end of that good, don’t have to be involved anymore everything’s
running smoothly.
50 friends and family are arriving today for the house warming. They have a couple of hours
to get everything just right.
It’s been a challenge and we’ve had quite a few times where you think is this all going
to come together, but it has and the kids are all happy here now, so it’s worked out
really well.
Richard was going to say something.
Thank you for being here, enjoy the food.
Thank you for coming.
That’s my happy girl.
My mummy got me a flat.
We all got you a flat Travis.
We’ve got to let them go, they’ve gone, they’ve actually gone, you know it’s not
about my letting them go. Huge success, I think, for us, that’s what we wanted to
happen and so we should be celebrating that fact that they have taken this on board and
they’ve done it. Huge tick there.
It’s been a big adjustment for everyone, but there’s been some good things too. The
parents are getting use to having more free time and the flatmates well they’ve got
big plans for next year.