My Liverty SDA Journey: Louis

I have been living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for nearly 20 years. Living with MS has been a significant adjustment, and over time, I slowly watched all the things I valued about myself and my role as a man slip away.

Moving into SDA was a big deal; not just finding the right home but also navigating the NDIS world and trying desperately to learn all that I could about a really complex system. I was terrified and anxious in the months leading up to my move, but with the help of Liverty Housing, I was able to work through the maze.

Tenant Specialist Olivia spent a lot of time getting to know me – who I am as a person, my support needs, and what a ‘good home’ looked like for me. She spent time talking through the endless NDIS jargon and explaining the system and process. Olivia and I also had many conversations about all of the aspects of SDA living and explored what transitioning to this next phase of my life would look like.

Since moving in, I have grown in confidence. My anxiety is almost gone, and I’m learning so much from my Gadsden neighbours about moving through the disability space and maintaining a sense of dignity and self-direction. My wife and son visit me regularly at Gadsden, and we often have family events out on the beautiful rooftop terrace. My son is now able to independently catch the train after school to my apartment and is actively wanting to connect and hang out with dad.

My son can now see his dad as a “male role model” and not just someone that needs care. That’s what moving to Gadsden has meant for me – finding my place in the world again and having a good home where I can thrive as a family man and an active member of my community.

I have enormous praise for Olivia – her level of expertise across all facets of disability helped me enormously. She was able to explain and guide me step-by step through all the “… various bits and pieces”. and I valued that Olivia ‘held space’ for me – her lived experience was a real benefit.