A new respite service in South Morang will give carers in Whittlesea a local option for a much-needed break.
A turning of the sod was held at the site of the future service in Embling Avenue last Wednesday. Respite provider Scope will operate the centre, which will provide six beds and respite support for about 60 families.
Whittlesea mayor Mary Lalios said the new centre, opening next year, would be a testament to the commitment of the council, Scope, Respite Alliance Whittlesea and the Whittlesea Disability Network to respond to the need for respite in the area.
“Caring for a family member with a disability is a 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year responsibility. Respite – having a well-earned break – is essential to enable carers to keep on caring,” Cr Lalios said.
Whittlesea council owns the Embling Avenue site and will be leasing it to Scope for a nominal amount.
Scope chief executive Jennifer Fitzgerald said there was a lot of unmet demand for respite services in the area. “It was a need identified by the local council and the Department of Human Services. Respite is an essential break for people with a disability and their families.”
Epping resident Gwenda Walton is one such carer who will begin using the facility come 2015. Ms Walton, 67, is the primary carer for her wheelchair-bound daughter Tamara, 27, who has cerebral palsy and requires 24-hour care. For six years they have been using a respite service in Preston, a half-hour to 45-minute drive away, depending on traffic density.
Tamara stays at the centre for a weekend every three months, and sometimes for longer periods so her parents can go on holiday. Ms Walton stressed the importance for respite services for their family. “My husband and I are getting on in age and we need more respite now than we did before.”
She’s hoping they’ll be able to access the new centre midweek and in times of emergency.
Whittlesea council is also lobbying the state government and opposition for a respite centre for children aged 6-12 and another for people aged 25-64 to complement the recently opened Mecklenburg Close Respite Facility for 12-to-64-year-olds in Epping North.
