Supported Accommodation Failing Victorians with Disabilities

Victoria's crisis-driven supported accommodation system is failing people with disabilities and their families, says Scope Chief Executive Officer Diana Heggie.

Ms Heggie said at least 1200 Victorians with disabilities and their families faced a daily battle to survive because not enough resources were being invested to tackle the urgent unmet need for supported accommodation.

She said many people with disabilities, who were eagerly waiting for supported accommodation, found the current system frustrating and disheartening.

Ms Heggie said the system was also cruel in the way it forced ageing carers to continue supporting their children at home because of a lack of alternative accommodation.

``Every week we hear stories about elderly parents trying to care for their adult children at home. Some of these ageing carers are facing their own battle to look after themselves, let alone supporting a child with a disability’’, Ms Heggie said.

``I recently heard about the 80-year-old mother of one of our clients. Despite breaking her wrist, she was still supporting her adult daughter’s personal care needs, which involved lifting, with only a few hours of outside help a week’’ she said.

``It’s hard to fathom that these things are happening in Australia, where we place such a high value on human life.’’

Scope client Joanne van den Eynden lives with her parents who are both in their 80s.

Her father has dementia.

The 53-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, said she has been on and off the waiting list for the past six years.

``It’s really not right that at their age, my parents have to worry about where I’m going to live. It’s particularly tough on my mother. Now that my father is not well, she also worries a lot about his wellbeing,’’ Ms van den Eynden said.

``It would be great if parents could see their child settled happily and content before it’s too late.’’

Ms Heggie said urgent funding had to be invested in supported accommodation now in order to tackle the unmet need.

She said supported accommodation also needed to factor in the growing demand for the service as the population aged.

``People are calling out for support because they genuinely can’t keep going on with things as they are. No parent ever wants to admit that they are no longer in a position to care for their child, so when they do, we need to listen and respond.’’

``It’s not a debate as to whether the provision is needed, but rather a question of how much and how soon?’’ Ms Heggie said.