Needing a high level of care does not mean you need to live in a facility. You can live in a house in the suburbs as part of a community – you just need the right support to help you do that. Here’s how supported independent living works.
What is supported independent living?
Supported independent living enables NDIS participants with high care needs to live in their own home or to flatshare with a couple of others.
A team of 5-6 carers rotate through the home to ensure 24/7 provision of care for up to 3 people with disabilities living together in a situation that supports their independence.
Who might benefit from SIL?
SIL might be a good option for you if you:
- Are an NDIS participant
- Need a high level of care
- Want to live as independently as you can
- Want to be cared for by people who support your choices and respect your decisions about how you want to live your life.
The ethos of SIL at Focused Health Care
At Focused Health Care, we think SIL represents human rights in practice. Our houses run on the principles of self-determination, inclusion and personalised support.
We believe that you should make your own choices in life. When you join our SIL community, we respect your choices about:
- Where you want to live
- Who you want to live with
- Who cares for you
- The role you play in your community
- Your own health and safety.
What’s life like in a SIL house?
Very much like life in any other shared house or solo pad.
If you’re sharing with one or two others, you’ll have your own room, which you can arrange as you like (subject to the rules of your tenancy agreement). There’ll be shared living spaces, enabling you to enjoy one another’s company. And there’ll be a small team of carers there throughout the day and night to support you.
The details of that support depend on your needs and your goals. You’re likely to need a high level of personal support and care. But, beyond that, there are things you want to do in life. You might want to learn how to cook, see your friends more often or join a new club.
Your carers are there to help you achieve your goals and get the most out of life. They’re not there to interfere in your life – if you want to live on junk food, that’s your choice.
Good communication is vital to helping shared houses to run smoothly. That’s why we encourage and support you to have open conversations with your housemates. One way is regular house meetings to discuss any issues that might come up.
How do you get a place in a SIL house?
You don’t just want a place in a SIL house – you want a place in the right SIL house.
It usually takes us 2-4 weeks to place you. That gives time to explore your likes, dislikes and goals. It gives time for you to meet your potential housemates and get to know each other. And it gives time to work out what level of support you need and who you’d like to be caring for you.
We believe a rush process benefits no-one. That’s why we spend time talking to everyone involved to help it work well.
What happens if a new person wants to move into your SIL house?
If you’re already living in a SIL house, rest assured that you won’t have a new housemate forced on you without your consent.
If there’s a spare room and someone else would like to move in, we’ll arrange for you to meet them first and see how you get on. We’ll give you time to think about it and we’ll talk over any concerns you might have.
Remember, a SIL house runs on the same principles as any other shared house. That means you and your housemates decide how it runs and who lives there with you.
Contact Focused Health Care about SIL
Focused Health Care currently runs SIL homes in Brisbane and Ipswich with significant expansion planned for the next few months. Our homes meet all the NDIS standards and meet your needs for respectful support that encourages your independence.
If you’d like to learn more, please call us on 1300 201 351.
Disclaimer
All information is general in nature.
