Here’s cheers to a new life
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Rathmines Road Community Residential Unit resident Dominic Barrese and his brother Robert raise a toast to Dominic’s new life in the spacious and modern home. |
A $2 million project is providing two new community-based residential homes and upgrading older homes to benefit 31 people with intellectual disabilities.
Opening the two newly-built $800,000 Community Residential Units at 58 Rathmines Road, Hawthorn, Minister for Community Services Christine Campbell said these will allow 10 men to live in a new home that is more spacious and modern.
Another $1.2 million will also provide improved, modernised and more spacious accommodation for 21 residents.
Ms Campbell said that providing people with a disability with modern accommodation to allow maximum integration into the community was a central plank of the Government.
The men’s former Lisson Grove units were built in 1984 to allow residents from the Kew institution to move out into the community homes.
One of the Lisson Grove units, a double-storey home, will now be replaced with two new and modern community residential units and another unit will have major renovations and extensions, Ms Campbell said.
Robert Barrese’s brother Dominic was one of those who moved from Kew to Lisson Grove to Rathmines Road.
Mr Barrese said Dominic’s quality of life had been dramatically improved along the way.
‘Now at Rathmines Road he is more independent and comfortable.
‘The units are smaller and more homely and smaller groups in the units enable residents to blend into the community.
‘It’s a nicer environment to live in with modern heating and airconditioning, better facilities and a greater ratio of staff to residents.
‘This has specially helped Dominic develop more skills.’
Mr Barrese is a member of the Parents Consultation Group who–with residents, direct care staff and the Department of Human Services–contributed to the design and style of the Rathmines Road units.