Meet Zane, a regular resident of our Short-Term Accommodation (STA) house located in Oakleigh.
Since the start of the year, Zane has become a pillar of the STA community. He’s got a vibrant personality and adores the regular staff and participants at our STA house. He’s even been spreading the word and getting his mates in Day Support to book a short-term stay. With its convenient location, an abundance of games and activities, access to streaming services, the opportunity to spend time with friends, and a brand-new massage chair, it’s not a hard sell.
[ID: Photo of Zane and his support worker Sam in dining area of Short-Term Accommodation house.]
The social aspect of short-term disability accommodation is the main reason Zane keeps coming back. Whether it be regular pizza and movie nights, walking groups, or heading over to one of our other Specialist Disability Accommodations for the footy and a BBQ, Zane loves to spend time in his community. Over the weekends, he and his support worker Sam enjoy going on outings – they take long drives along the beach while singing 80’s tunes, watch movies at the cinema, and when the weather is nice, they walk the nearby creek trail through Scotchman’s nature reserve.
Our disability-friendly short term accommodation aims to create diverse and exciting experiences for participants, building their life skills in a safe and fun environment. Our support staff work in partnership with participants to seamlessly blend in strong routine and consistency. From outings to household chores, participants are able to practice their skillsets and grow their capacity for independent living.
Zane isn’t a fan of cooking, but he likes to help with cleaning, washing and sorting the linen, and other chores that keep his space tidy and neat. He enjoys learning and practicing chores in STA with the ongoing support of staff and friends, and hopes to start practicing these skills at home too. Zane says that his mum has noticed his growth over the last year and that he’s benefiting from his regular stays. It’s clear how happy Zane is when he’s dropped off, and how at-home he feels when he’s comfortable on the couch, watching the news on the TV (he loves the adverts).
Behind the scenes, STA staff review all bookings and play the matchmaker, ensuring participants who are sharing the house enjoy similar activities and will engage well with each other. Most participants who stay at our STA house are regulars, which has created a compassionate, close-knit community where participants feel supported by their social network. Building community is a vital part of what we do, because social stability makes all the difference in people’s lives. Regardless of whether a participant is seeking a new experience or is planning to transition into long-term Specialist Disability Accommodation, our short-term stays provide people living with disability the opportunities and tools to engage in their communities, learn new skills, and grow confidence in themselves.
Although Zane stays at STA every second weekend, he wishes he didn’t have to leave. His long-term goal is Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), and he can’t wait for the opportunity to settle into his own home with a strong social network around him.
