Mount Alexander Shire Accommodation and Respite Group (MASARG) have been nominated in the 2022 Victorian Community Achievement Awards!
The awards celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2022 and are designed to encourage, acknowledge and reward the valuable contributions that individuals, communities and businesses make throughout regional and rural Victoria. There couldn’t be a group more deserving of recognition than the hardworking team at MASARG.
Many of us will at one time or another have felt the weight of caring for our families bear down on us.
We all love our families, but every now and then, a little “me” time couldn’t hurt, right?
Now imagine if one of your family members had a disability and the multiplying effect it would have on your current responsibilities.
This is the experience of people like Robyn, who has been a parent carer for over 30 years.
“I just need a break from being two people all the time … two people’s hair to wash, two people’s teeth to clean,” she said.
But unlike those of us who can lean on family or friends to take the kids for a night or two, carers don’t have that option due to the special needs that their loved one has, which often requires special training and modified facilities at home.
MASARG president Jan Steen said they felt we had an obligation to address the critical need for respite accommodation and found that the community was equally positive about the idea of building a custom facility for the benefit those living with disabilities.
“The Castlemaine community rallied around us and in 2016, the Lions McDonald Hill Respite House was opened, with Bendigo-based NDIS provider, Amicus as operators,” she said.
“We are really proud of what we have created with this facility and encourage carers within the community to take that break they so desperately need and deserve, with the knowledge that their family member will have a great time during their stay,” Jan said.
The house, which is often called the Melissa Court Respite House, is located in the suburb of McKenzie Hill and is set in a beautifully landscaped garden. It can accommodate four participants and has all-abilities features throughout, with 24-hour care provided by highly trained Amicus support workers.
All participants who stay at the Lions McDonald Hill Respite House, can look forward to one-to-one support, regular community outings and a great range of skills development activities to choose from.
Those who want to find out more about how they can book respite at the house, are encouraged to visit amicus.org.au or call 5441 2666 today.
