Friday 24 August, 2012
New England Carer Support Service is undertaking a survey to identify the future accommodation needs of local people with disabilities.
The Disability Accommodation Future Need Audit was initiated after a number of carers contacted the New England Carer Support Service as well as the office of the State Member for Tamworth, Kevin Anderson, about the need for supported accommodation for people with disabilities in the local area.
This audit will assist the government and service to learn the exact need for accommodation now and into the future but also help identify the families who need support to access the current system.
`We are asking people with a disability ages 16 to 65 years or their carer to take a few minutes to fill out the survey.
`The information given to us will be collated and analysed to give us the first formal local research of the need for accommodation for people with disabilities in the New England area.’
Over the past three weeks, the Disability Accommodation Future Need Audit has been distributed to households in the 2340 postcode area.
The survey can also be accessed through the Tamworth Regional Council website at http://www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au/Community/Disability-Accommodation-Future-Needs-Survey-2012
Ms Alley said about 50 responses have already been received, but it was expected more will be received over the coming days.
The findings of the Disability Accommodation Future Need Audit will be presented to the State Member for Tamworth, Mr Kevin Anderson and the NSW Minister for Disabilities and Ageing, Mr Andrew Constance at the Carers Conference 2012 at Tamworth Community Centre on September 7.
Any family member or support person who provides assistance to someone who has a disability, chronic illness, mental illness or is frail aged can register to attend the free conference.
The Carer’s Conference will run from 9.30am to 3pm and include morning tea and lunch. The day will be filled with guest speakers from Ageing Disability and Home Care, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Enable NSW and the Council of Social Service of New South Wales (NCOSS). Along withthese agencies Minister Constance, Minister Humphries, Mr Anderson and Mr Torbay will also address the conference.
The keynote speaker for the day is Mrs Cheryl Koenig, carer and author who will share some of herexperiences.
Her son, who suffered a traumatic brain injury was given little chance of survival and was in a coma for six weeks, but 14 years on he has completed the Higher School Certificate plus a TAFE course and is working five days a week.
Mrs Koenig wrote a book about her son’s recovery and is a Carer Representative with Carers NSW and a life member of the Brain Injury Association of NSW.
To register for the Carers conference or for more information on the Disability Accommodation Needs Audit call Tamworth Community Centre on 6766 4480 by Friday 31 August.