Help Paul stay in his home...

Meet Paul.  Paul is 41 years of age.  He has cerebral palsy and requires 24 hour one on one support to help him with his daily needs.

Paul has lived in the same house in Forest Hill in Melbourne his entire life.  Paul lived with his mother up until 2016, when she became ill and died unexpectedly.  He has no siblings and his father, Bill Krieger, a plumber and gasfitter with the old Gas & Fuel Corporation of Victoria, passed away more than a decade ago. 

Often, and sadly, in circumstances like this, where the primary carer of a person with a disability passes away, the individual requiring care ends up in shared accommodation provided by the state, either in a group home setting or an aged care facility. 

This scenario would be particularly difficult for Paul given that he has not, for a range of reasons, had the opportunities to integrate into the community that are available now.   As was not unusual for the time, Paul’s mother chose to always keep him close to her, and he didn’t attend school or other special needs or integration programs whilst she was alive. 

To lose his mother and then be thrust into a completely unfamiliar and threatening new environment would be a major trauma for Paul.  His mother’s dying wish for her son was that he be able to remain in his own home, in the only home he has ever known, for the rest of his life. 

That was always going to be difficult as Paul was alone, and not able to manage his own daily needs, let alone negotiate with the NDIS, or do all that is required to live independently.  His mum asked her long-time friend and former neighbour Penelope McEncroe (pictured here with Paul) to “work it out” so Paul can stay where he is.

Three years on from that and Penelope has done an amazing job.  Literally years of negotiations with the NDIS have resulted in Paul receiving some NDIS funding support.  That support is sufficient to cover Paul’s direct care needs (24-7 care, 3 x shifts per day, every day).  But that’s all it covers, so the normal costs of maintaining his house, ensuring it is of a standard to accommodate his needs and his carers, still need to be met.

As well as managing his funding, accommodation and care arrangements, Penelope has set about expanding Paul’s social life.  When his mother passed away, Paul had two hours funded community access per week, which more often than not went un-utilised. 

Today Paul attends a day program of educational and social activities five days a week and has a day out with a carer every Sunday.  The change in Paul – mentally and physically – over the past two to three years has been nothing short of breathtaking.  A once completely withdrawn and non-communicative man is now enthusiastically engaging with others and smiling and laughing readily.  He is also much fitter and healthier physically. 

The model is working, and we don’t want it to end.  Paul is catching up on so much that he has missed out on, and the change in him has been profound.  He is extremely happy.   

Paul needs funds to remain in his house and continue his exciting development.  If we can raise $10,000 on Paul’s behalf, we can undertake some badly needed repairs to his house, and meet the maintenance costs – gardening, repairs, safe disability friendly new bathroom fittings etc.  The funds could also potentially allow Paul to accommodate a border at his house, the revenues from which could provide him with a modest income going forward. Thanks Richard McEncroe