In the past year, Lillian has gained a great deal of independence, but things weren’t always this way. Lillian had a scooter which was very old and would often break down. Lillian’s husband, John, would often have to come and meet her when she was out and about, and push her back home on the scooter. This was placing a great strain on him.
Since joining the NDIS in November 2018, Lillian now receives funding for physiotherapy and social supports. Lillian greatly appreciates the support she has received from her Local Area Coordinator (LAC) in Port Macquarie, saying the LAC “is really good and always tries to help wherever she can”.
As part of her support package, Lillian acquired a new scooter. The new scooter allows Lillian a lot of independence, as she can now go to the shops or out for coffee by herself. She is far more confident about going further afield now, as the scooter is shiny and new…and reliable. In fact John thinks he may need to have a locating device fitted so he can find Lillian as she is always out and about now, and only comes home when she gets hungry!
Lillian’s husband is far less anxious, and can relax while she is out now, knowing that Lillian can get home safely.
Lillian’s NDIS plan has further improved her life with Lillian receiving some social supports. She thoroughly enjoys a weekly outing these days with her support worker. Prior to this, her husband was providing all domestic supports, including cooking, cleaning, assisting with her personal care as well as all her social supports. This was a big job for John, especially as he ages.
Lillian and John say they are very happy with the NDIS and have found a good service provider who they have formed a great relationship with.
Lillian really enjoys having contact with the wider community now and looks forward to her outings each week. She says that she literally can’t compare her life before with her life after receiving these supports.
In Lillian’s words, her life has “improved 100%” since receiving NDIS support. John has reported that the smile on her face was amazing when she received her scooter, and she hasn’t stopped smiling since.