Written by PDA President, Andrew Fairbairn.
In my last blog published in May 2021 (https://www.pda.org.au/2021/05/13/the-one-legged-sax-player-on-home-modifications-part-two/), I wrote of the process I had to go through to engage a Project Manager, Builder and OT. Well……I am so happy to write that as of today, the 29thJanuary 2022:
THEY ARE NOW COMPLETE.
Let me take you back in time to the middle of 2021, and please forgive me with timeline, I am old, and I sometimes forget things.
By the end of May, all the reports were lodged with the NDIA by my OT and PM. I then had to wait while they were looked at, dissected, discussed, and according to the Delegate, LOST. You can imagine how that went down with me. I wasn’t impressed at all. My OT had to upload the Complex Home Modification Request (CHM) again, adding yet more wait time.
In the middle of October, yes, five months later, I received a phone call from yet another Delegate telling me that I needed to upload the OT CHM again, as they “couldn’t find it on the system” Well, you can imagine how that went down with me, so I insisted that the Delegate send me this request by email in accordance with my NDIS File stating that I only want contact by email.
The email arrived, and I immediately replied to it, stating that I knew that the document was on the system, and I called the Delegate out. I also copied my reply to NDIA CEO Martin Hoffman, NDIA WA State Manager Ed Duncan and his Associate Manager Nathan Hills.
Now bear in mind, this has been ongoing now for 2.3 years. About 30 minutes later I received a phone call from Ed Duncan, wanting to know what was going on. I explained the situation to him, an lo and behold, 6 hours later a new plan dropped into my email, complete with all the funding required to complete the home modifications.
The build began in early November, with me and my wife moving into the backroom of our son’s house for the next 2.5 months.
I had to modify a few things with the design and placement of things as we went along, but overall, I now have a fully accessible house, complete with wide doorways throughout, ramps to the front and back doors, completely redesigned bathroom and laundry, new carport and a fully electric gate to access the back of the house.
As I close out this chapter, I implore you to keep on with gaining access to funding for home modifications. Stick to your plan, research, and know what you want, but mostly, don’t take no for an answer. YOU’VE GOT THIS.
BEFORE PHOTO
DURING PHOTOS
I will follow this up with a VLOG walk through to show the final product.
Stay tuned and stay safe.
Thanks Natasha
Great work with the photos.
❤️
Great outcome! What a lengthy process to get what you need !!