ADULT GROUP ACCOMMODATION
Mercy Centre in Albury supports seven adult group accommodation settings for people with intellectual disability from the severe to mild range. These group settings include group homes, and individual units within a group of flats supported by Mercy Centre. Mercy Centre works towards maximum compatibility between clients and safety for all involved within a warm homely environments.
Skill development and community access are high priorities.
ADULT ACCOMMODATION FOR PEOPLE WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIOURS
Mercy Centre has a clinical programming team, some of the members being specialists in behaviour management and clinical psychology. Mercy Centre also has access to psychiatrists who direct the medication management of some of the residents. These personnel support residents who present with challenging behaviours which arise from autism, a psychiatric condition, or learned behaviours.
Mercy Centre Albury offers a number of residential models for people who need this type of support.
ADULT HOUSE FOR PEOPLE WITH BRAIN INJURY
Two large houses nestled amongst native gardens on a large block of land is the setting for our supported accommodation services for people with acquired brain injury. These recently constructed houses (the second one finished in December, 2006) have large, open living areas with access and toilet facilities suitable for wheelchairs. Staff members are professional and have on-going training in relation to aspects such as the use of lifters, catheter care, and tube feeding.
The lifestyle and day to day routines are created and directed by the people who make this setting their home. This style of decision making is supported through the use of resident meetings.
The residents access the community through the use of a wheel chair accessible van. Shops are within a 5 minute drive and entertainment facilities are within walking or wheeling distance.
Day programme activities are organised five days per week.
Staff are there to support the residents to accomplish the tasks they wish to carry out on any given day
CHILDREN’S SERVICES
Mercy Centre offers supported accommodation in group home settings for children aged from 5 years until they leave school. This programme is run for 40 weeks of the year, excluding school holidays.
One house is for children and young people with high physical and medical support needs.
A second house is for children and young people who are physically active. Most of the young people in this house have autism.
This service is funded by the Department of Ageing Disability and Home Care.
SUPPORTING PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN HOMES
Mercy Centre supports many people who reside in their own homes in the community. These people receive different hours of support according to their needs. This could be two hours in the morning to assist them to get ready before they go to their day programme and two or three hours at night to assist with the evening meal, domestic tasks, washing, shopping, and community access. Mercy Centre is mindful that loneliness and isolation can be one of the greatest hardships of people with disabilities. With this in mind, much effort is put into assisting people to develop social networks. This can include having communal meals at times with friends or neighbors who may or may not be supported by Mercy Centre
DAY PROGRAMME
Mercy Centre, Lavington Branch is an approved day programme provider for Transition to Work, Community Participation, and DADHC day programme funding.
The day programmes operate out of various sites.
They all have a skill development focus.
Activities are:
- health directed e.g. gentle exercise, massage and physiotherapy;
- sports including being involved in Bocce tournaments and Special Olympics;
- recreational including bowling, movies and outings to the Henty Field Day, libraries, art shows and favorite coffee shops;
- and vocational including gardening and seed propagation, basic building and furniture removal.
There is also a programme for domestic skill development.
RESPITE SERVICES
Respite services for children and young people are offered in these same group homes at the weekends and during the school holidays. This is funded mainly through Riverina Respite in Wagga.