HCCS Meets with Michael Healy MP to Strengthen Community Support in Cairns

When we first started with HCCS, we understood that Agaru would be engaging with a whole new set of carers all over again! However, we came to realise that beyond our expectations, the HCCS administration and carer staff worked with so much diligence and professionalism, that Agaru was able to engage with more activities – personal, medical / physio and social - in just three weeks, than what he had in four months with the previous carer organisation. It was a valuable and significant decision to change to HCCS. Since starting, we discovered the recommendations to move came from our NDIS Plan co-ordinator, plus a family relative who had also completed a NDIS Plan co-ordinator course. Agaru is now undergoing planned hydrotherapy activities, with a specialist and the attending HCCS carer staff member, as well as continuing scheduled ongoing speech pathology therapy and other physical exercise activities. It is such a milestone to achieve......!!

Agaru Anderson

Hello, my name is Tula Maya Magar. I was born in Bhutan. Over 30 years ago I fled my home country and went to Nepal, following the mass exodus of fellow southern Bhutanese, who are mainly Nepali speakers. While living in a refugee camp in Nepal, I lost my vision and subsequently, I came to Australia as a visually impaired person. I have had a huge shift in life, moving from a refugee camp to the beautiful country of Australia. After relocation, things became relaxed to some extent. But my visual impairment could not be reversed. I always had to rely on my husband for community access and attending important appointments. My sons and daughters must work and thus cannot be with me. My husband, who is also my carer, is unable to speak English, not being able to drive, I had a limited movement because I had to mostly rely on him. He would hold my hand and take me to places that were within walking distance. But the circumstances have changed now since I started availing support through NDIS. I have my support worker. My support worker takes me to places, takes me to attend medical appointments. With the help of my support worker, the community and shopping centres have become accessible to me. Not only that, but my support worker also translates important information for me. Every second Tuesday, when I get to meet other community members, I enjoy speaking to them and singing songs. I became a rejuvenated person. I feel as if my vision has come back. I may never see things again, but I feel my inner eye, like a divine eye, has become open through which I can see things not only just that are around but those that are subtle, too.

Tula Magar

I was hospitalised for about three months. My Support Coordinator tried her best to find a matching Support Worker for me who can understand me, my disability, my culture and foster a positive care and support. I was lacking consistent support due to the incompetency of my SW’s. I was introduced to HCCS care in June 2022. Within a very short period of time HCCS and their SW become a crucial part of my support network. My Support Workers are friendly and understand my unique needs. I like their flexibility, they become available even with short notice regardless of any day or time. Sometimes I am not sure how my funding works and like to understand more about NDIS. The way they treat and answer me is very professional. Their empathy and effective communication skills have made a significant difference in my life.

Timena Blanket