Geoff and Tony have many things in common. They both love motorbikes, cars, Aussie travel and trips to Bunnings. They’re also the same age and have grandkids they adore.
As such, there’s a lot to talk about during their support sessions!
Here’s how Geoff found Tony on Mable, and why searching for like-minded people is a great strategy when building your support team.
Looking locally
Living with vision impairment, Geoff initially asked his sister to help him find support on Mable.
“We looked for people in the area, which is quite easy with Mable,” says Geoff.
The siblings made a shortlist of local independent support workers who were around Geoff’s age.
“People I thought I had more in common with,” he explains.
One such support worker was a man named Tony.
“I selected Tony because I felt with his profile that if I want to go to Bunnings, he’d be the man to
go with,” he says.
Tony certainly was, not only enjoying a trip to the hardware store with Geoff, but fixing a few minor repairs around his house, too.
“Geoff and I really gelled from day one,” confirms Tony. “We’re both car enthusiasts!”
Having a few common interests has made this support relationship a very easy one.
Geoff and Tony days
On the days Tony supports Geoff, they like to start it off with a coffee, before heading to the gym and hydrotherapy pool.
“Geoff does a lot of exercises in the water and I decided I may as well go in as well …we just chat away,” says Tony.
What Geoff likes most about Tony supporting him, is that he feels at ease in his company.
“We both have quite a lot in common – grandkids, past experiences, things that we did for work or places we’ve been to in Australia. Generally we always find something to chat about – cars, motorbikes,” he shares.
Clicking with independent support workers
Commonality is something Geoff values in his support workers.
“Being able to share common interests with a support worker makes things move along a lot smoother,” he explains.
“You can just chat about things freely.”
Tony wholeheartedly agrees. “Because we do have so much in common, it just makes it simpler,” he says.
“We’ve got a lot to chat about. We both have a grandson that we always talk about and we love spending time with.”
The two are even the same age!
“Geoff constantly reminds me that he’s six months younger than me, so I’m the old fella. That’s okay I can live with that,” chuckles Tony.
In addition to supporting him with transport, Tony will read Geoff’s mail to him and assist him with grocery shopping.
For both Geoff and Tony, using Mable has been as easy as their relationship.
Mable suits us both
Before joining Mable, Tony was working in sales for 30 years. A friend told him about Mable and he thought he’d give support work a go, wanting a change.
“Having not applied for a job for so long, I was a bit concerned,” admits Tony. After responding to support ads and meeting potential clients though, his fears dissipated.
He now has six clients, including Geoff.
“I do about 30 hours a week,” he says. “Building up my clients was a very simple process utilising the app.”
Geoff also loves how the Mable app works for him, too.
“It’s quite compatible with my screen reader,” he says.
“Mable notifies you if there’s new independent support workers coming into your area. Generally I’ll have a look at them,” he says. “In case I need somebody at short notice.”
When Tony had to go to a funeral, Geoff and his sister were able to find last minute support on Mable.
For Tony, becoming a support worker and meeting Geoff has been a joyous experience.
“It’s not a job anymore, it’s more a friendship,” he says.
Discover support workers who share your interests on Mable today.
You might be interested in
Recent news
- How Jasmin travels with mobility aids and empowers her community
- How Mable’s Home and Living Consultants helps support coordinators deepen their impact
- Celebrating 10 years of Mable with our community
- Have you heard of the Sunflower Lanyard for hidden disabilities?
- NDIS support lists: What is and is not a funded support
