ON-FOCUS Inc.
Support & Empowerment for People with Disabilities
ACCOMMODATION SUPPORT SERVICES (COMMUNITY LIVING)
ON-FOCUS offers a range of accommodation services to the meet the needs of people with disability, in both Casino and Lismore.
The different service types are:
ON-FOCUS philosophy is that all people have a right to independent living, to be active in their community and have a great quality of life. Please take a look at our Photo Gallery to view just some of the many ways in which ON-FOCUS help people achieve this,
How can you access ON-FOCUS accommodation support services?
The first step is to call ON-FOCUS Community Living Coordinator to tell us what type of service you are looking for. To obtain an accommodation support service from ON-FOCUS you need government funding. The Department of Ageing Disability & Home Care (DADHC) provide funding if you meet their criteria.
The Community Living Coordinator will give you the contact details and can help you complete the application form so your name can go on the DADHC Accommodation Register.
Community Living
Community Living support is provided by trained staff who help the person with disability with activities of daily living. This can range from personal care, shopping, cooking, budgeting, skills development, attending medical appointments and facilitating meaningful engagement with the community.
Support is flexible and aims to meet the individual needs of the person.
Support hours vary and can be a few hours a week or as much as 24 hours a day, dependent on the needs of the person. Some clients of ON-FOCUS are supported by staff at night, this can be staff either sleeping over (sleep over shift) or being awake (active night shift).
The clients’ homes are many and varied. Some clients live in units, some in houses; some clients live by themselves, some live with other people.
Currently ON-FOCUS Inc is supporting two married couples to live independently. Both couples have been supported by the organisation both in getting married and then in their married life together. (See Photo gallery – the wedding).
Everyone participates in planning their support through the Quality of Life Futures Plan (QLFP) meeting held annually. The QLFP provides goals for achievement and keeps staff on track to support the client to achieve their life goals.
OUTREACH
At ON-FOCUS we believe it is very important for people to be as independent as possible. However, sometimes people may need some extra support with life issues.
Outreach support is provided to people with disability in their own home. Clients of ON-FOCUS Outreach service have security and peace of mind in knowing that they will receive assistance with some of the more difficult aspects of independent living.
Outreach support usually involves providing assistance with some living skills, budgeting, and linking with the community. Hours of support may range from just two hours a week to twenty hours a week.
ATTENDANT CARE PACKAGES
ON-FOCUS is registered to support people who receive Attendant Care Packages.
Attendant Care services provide up to 34 hours per week personal care and support to assist people with disability with daily self-care and living tasks to help them live in their own home and manage their life in the community.
Attendant care services are designed for people aged between 16 to 65 years, who have a physical disability, who have the capacity to manage their own environment and who can direct their own support workers. The main areas of support provided by ON-FOCUS are in home personal care, domestic assistance, meal preparation and personal care to enable the person to undertake leisure or educational activities.
To receive an Attendant Care Package you need to apply to the Department of Ageing Disability & Home Care who assess all applications.
LIFEMOVES
LifeMoves is an intensive skills development program designed for people with a disability who may be living at home and are ready to live independently, or people who are living in the community but need a little extra support and skills development to be successful.
The program has clear entry and exit criteria and depending on the needs of the person can run for up to 12 months, with flexible hours.
The aim of LifeMoves is to assist with the skills development of the person with disability to enable them to be living independently at the end of the program. Support can include budgeting, nutrition and cooking and setting up networks in the community.
To receive a LifeMoves package you need to fill in an application form that is sent to the LifeMoves Consortium, for consideration. Applications are considered 4 times a year.
Application forms are available from the ON-FOCUS office at 39 Barker Street, Casino or we can send you a package if you phone us on 6662 2333. The Community Living Coordinator can also help you complete the Application form and let you know when the next round of applications will be considered.
ON-FOCUS News
ON-FOCUS Inc wins awards
In 2006, ON-FOCUS Inc won the Casino Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s Professional Services Award, was a Finalist in the Business of the Year Award and won the ABL State Chamber Award 2006 for Excellence in Education & Training
In 2007, ON-FOCUS Inc again won the Casino Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Professional Services Award,
In 2007 ON-FOCUS was the Casino Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year
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