As soon as Andre stepped into the Sylvanvale residential property in Western Sydney, he knew it was the one. “We’ll take it!” he exclaimed.
Andre’s new home would be very different to many of the places he’d lived during his adult life, having spent a number of years living in and out of boarding houses.
“Andre has stayed in so many horrible places,” says his sister Cara.
In boarding houses, Andre had to share a room and lived under a constant threat of his things being stolen. He got into the habit of writing his initials on all his clothes.
By contrast, Andre’s new Sylvanvale home offered him his very own villa and courtyard in a modern, spacious and purpose-built property. His home also provided shared common areas – another plus for Andre, who has a social and colourful nature.
Andre quickly made friends with his housemates and built strong relationships with staff. He initiated contact with a homeless feral cat called “Harry”, who had previously hidden in the property’s gardens, turning him into a much loved member of the family.
Andre also thrived on the routine his new home provided and the new activities on offer. He began to go for daily walks and reconnected with his cultural roots, learning to make delicious curries. He also stopped labelling his clothes.
In his new home, Andre began to access the services of Sylvanvale Behaviour Support Practitioner, Michael.
Michael worked with Andre, his support team and his family to develop Andre’s emotional responses to situations where he was feeling anxious. One such strategy was encouraging Andre to walk away and take a deep breath to help him calm.
“Michael has a really good insight into Andre. He understands where Andre is coming from. It’s a definite plus,” says Cara.
The support Andre has received in his new home has brought positive changes to his interactions with the environment around him. As someone who thrives on boundaries, Andre now has the structure he needs to relax and just be himself. Andre can finally feel at home.
Sylvanvale provides a range of accommodation options across over 40 locations in the greater Sydney region and Blue Mountains. Click here to view our range of shared houses, self-contained units and villas.
