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Ageing and Disability Housing Project Leads the Way

on Thursday, August 27, 2015

A unique Illawarra project that provides innovative solutions to the care of ageing people with intellectual disability is gaining plenty of attention from industry peers.

The Pathways Project at IRT William Beach Gardens is the first of its kind and will consist of 12 homes designed to the highest standard for accessibility and liveability, a community centre, and a five-bed respite centre.

In June, representatives from Anglicare and Anglican Retirement Villages toured the site to learn about the innovative approach IRT has taken to meet the housing and support needs of ageing people with intellectual disability and their parent carers.

Work on the community began in February and Acting IRT Chief Executive Stig Andersen said the first families were scheduled to move into their new homes by the end of the year.

"This project showcases the Illawarra as a leader in innovative thinking and design and creates a blueprint for other organisations that are looking to address this same need,” Mr Andersen said.

Pathways received $2.9 million funding as part of the $100 million Restart NSW Illawarra Infrastructure Fund, established by the NSW Government to drive economic growth in the region, with IRT contributing a further $1 million of cash and in-kind contributions.

It was designed in partnership with Greenacres Disability Services, Community Gateway Illawarra and Interchange Illawarra and is being underpinned by research and evaluation through the University of Wollongong.

  

IRT Ageing with Disability Partnerships Coordinator for Pathways Heather Marciano said the project addressed a real community need in a new and practical way.

"In Australia, there are more than 4000 parent carers over the age of 65 providing support in the family home to their son or daughter with a disability,” Mrs Marciano said. “Pathways is a new and practical way to reduce the need for crisis accommodation.”

"With Pathways on track to be completed by late 2015, we have experienced increasing interest in the project from service providers in the aged and disability sectors, and from individual families who are looking for more suitable accommodation options, which shows the real need for a community like this in this region."

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