Change is hard for anyone, but it can be harder for autistic people. And one of the biggest changes someone can face is to move home. That is exactly what Rachel (name changed for privacy) recently went through.
Here, she shares what it was like and how the support she received from Mable's Home and Living Consultants, made a huge difference.
Rachel's change of situation
Rachel lived with her parents in her family home for over 20 years. As she got older, she wanted more independence so she took the exciting step of moving in with her sister. She enjoyed this new experience and learned a lot about living independently.
"Moving in with my sister was a good step for me. But when it came time to move out after a year, I did get stressed out and anxious about finding a new place," Rachel explains.
At the time, Rachel didn't have a support coordinator. So she decided to reach out to Mable's Home and Living Consultants for help, and was connected to our lead consultant, Libby Ellis.
Working through her new home options
Rachel says, "Libby spent lots of time talking to me to understand my needs and how my condition affects my living situation."
"My ideal home is not cluttered, very clean and has minimal noise. As I have sensory needs, I like living in places that have curtains so I can adjust the brightness, especially in my bedroom."
Rachel also hoped her new home would be close to public transport and shops.
Libby helped Rachel look at all options. After much discussion, they decided on community housing and together, went through the process of filling out and submitting the lengthy application.
While there are often long wait times for community housing, it would mean that Rachel can live alone, which is very important to her. "I find that easier socially and hygienically," she says. It also provides long-term security.
Due to the wait times, Rachel still needed to find a place to live in the meantime.
A short-term solution
Rachel talked to Libby about living with friends or relatives but in the end, decided that living in a share house was right for her. This brought some new challenges.
"I had trouble finding places. I was anxious about house inspections and meeting housemates. There was a lot of paperwork, and I don't like too many unexpected changes at once," she explains.
Thankfully, Libby supported her through the process, helping her work out what her ideal housemates might look like, suggesting places to search for private rentals, and setting things up so she could work with trusted independent support workers.
"I spent hours filling out applications and going to inspections with my support worker. I asked lots of questions but my support worker also helped me by speaking up when I couldn't."
Living in a share house
Rachel's hard work paid off as she moved into a share house earlier this year.
"Achieving that goal is a weight off my shoulders. Not having to worry about where I live lets me focus on other goals," she says.
One of those goals is learning new skills.
"I'm adjusting well to my share house and learning a lot about communicating. Sometimes my housemate and I have different expectations, and with my autism, I can get a bit overly emotional. But I get help from my support worker, and they give me ideas about how to deal with it," she explains.
Important guidance about funding
Rachel really appreciated the support Libby offered when it came to dealing with her NDIA Change of Situation documentation, something that was very complex.
"Lots of things had to be updated, not just from me moving from my parents to my sister's house, but also getting a report saying that it wasn't my choice to move out. We also had to add in more support of core hours for housing due to challenges with my organisational skills," she says.
Looking back, Rachel feels she gained a lot from Libby's guidance.
"It's great to have a second opinion about what suits me and my support needs. It means I don't overthink and can be more confident in my communication and decisions."
Advice for others wanting to find their own home
Moving out on your own is a wonderful thing, but Rachel feels it's very important to lean on your support team. She also says it's important to realise the work continues even after moving in.
"You still have to work on things like adjusting to a new routine. There might still be some tough times to go through. But you can always talk to someone, like a home consultant, your support worker or allied support team."
Need help?
Are you ready to live independently? If you're not sure, our guide might help you decide.
Enquire now with our Mable Home and Living Consultants to find out how we can support you on your path to independent living.
A note on language: At Mable, we use 'identity-first' language when referring to autism and autistic people. We've made this decision based on feedback from our community. We understand different people have different preferences, and we recognise and respect every individual's right to choose how their identity is described.
