The winners of the two Allen Martin Scholarships for 2019 were announced at the Allen Martin Memorial Lecture and Scholarship Announcement event, held on Wednesday 13 November.
The Summer Foundation Board is extremely pleased to announce the re-appointment of Dr Di Winkler as CEO of the Summer Foundation. Di is founder of the Summer Foundation, and was CEO from the organisation’s inception in 2006 until early 2018.
When Sam Petersen was in her late twenties she had a medical procedure that would change her life.
Speaking to SBS News with the assistance of a speech-generating device, the now 34-year-old went from living independently to being placed in a nursing home.
The Summer Foundation has lodged its submission to the Aged Care Royal Commission.
The submission identifies the key policy and systemic changes needed to stop young people being forced into aged care. It covers what needs to change and how it can happen.
Our 12 recommendations are based on our extensive work with young people in aged care and with providers in the health and aged care sectors.
The people whose stories we used to illustrate the realities of living in aged care were selected from 95 young people who participated in one-on-one conversations with us.
People with disability in hospital and aged care now able to move home with support from the NDIS.
The Summer Foundation welcomes the decisions made on Friday by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Disability Reform Council for the NDIS to fund a range of disability-related health supports.
Summer Foundation founder, Dr Di Winkler has been appointed as a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia (General Division), for significant service to people with a disability.
The Summer Foundation’s very own Dr George Taleporos is back with a third series of his popular podcasts – aimed at helping you make sense of the NDIS.
Back by popular demand, Reasonable and Necessary with Dr George: Making Sense of the NDIS is available to listen to on iTunes or SoundCloud. There are five half-hour episodes in this third series, which cover topics such as how the NDIS can work better and how it can support people with complex needs. We also hear some fantastic insights about Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) from industry insiders, as well as a unique Q&A with the NDIA.
The podcasts are about simplifying the NDIS and helping participants, their families and anyone else involved in supporting NDIS participants to be able to work their way through a new and complicated process.
Q&A with the NDIA – featuring Maryanne Diamond AO, General Manager, Community Linkages and Engagement at the National Disability Insurance Agency
Previous episodes of Reasonable and Necessary with Dr George are available here. Full transcripts of each podcast are also available.
Last Friday (22 March 2019), the Australian Government announced a commitment to halving the number of younger people with disability entering residential aged care within 5 years. This is a significant announcement for the 50 younger Australians who are currently moving permanently into aged care every week.
At the end of last week the Federal Minister for Social Services Paul Fletcher announced a new government action plan to get young people out of aged care.
So what is in the plan, what does it have to do with the NDIS – and what will it mean for young people currently trapped in facilities around the country?
The Summer Foundation is pleased that a motion for a Royal Commission into the violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability in institutional and residential settings has been passed with bi-partisan support. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said he will work with the states and territories to establish the Royal Commission.
Having choice and control over where you live and who you live with is critical to addressing the high levels of violence and abuse that people with disabilities are subjected to.
Very few alternatives exist for people with high support needs and too many are stuck in hospital wards or are forced into residential aged care – an unacceptable option where abuse and neglect is commonly reported. We want to see continued action to promote more independent living options for people with disabilities to live where and with whom they choose, free from violence and with access to high quality housing and support options.
New and contemporary models of housing and support are creating alternatives for people with high support needs, including through the NDIS’ Specialist Disability Accommodation initiative. These point to the future of safe and inclusive housing options for people with disability.
The Royal Commission is an opportunity to learn from victims about the true cost of segregation and institutionalisation. We hope the Royal Commission will help to foster high quality housing alternatives for Australians with disability who are stuck in hospital wards or are forced into residential aged care.
