25 September 2015
Premier officially opens Share House for young people with high care needs
FOUR young Australians with high care needs are now living life with greater choice, independence and dignity, as Youngcare celebrated the official opening of its new high-tech Share House at Wooloowin, Brisbane on Wednesday.
This innovative house is a modern, purpose-built home with an emphasis on spacious design and natural light, backed by research and specifically developed to suit the care and lifestyle aspirations of young people with high care needs.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk joined housemates and invited guests to cut the ribbon and officially open the new home, which opened its doors in July.
“I congratulate Youngcare and [care partner] Wesley Mission Brisbane on developing this share house, which gives four deserving young Queenslanders choice, independence and dignity,” said Ms Palaszczuk.
“Young people need to be around other young people.
“I’m incredibly passionate about ensuring that young people with a disability are not forced to live in aged care facilities.”
Youngcare Chairman Nic De Luca opened proceedings and said that the Share House development was a culmination of support from across government, corporates and the community.
“There are a lot of people involved in delivering a project like this,” said Mr De Luca.
“This is the first Share House model that [Youngcare] has ever done, and it has been a huge success. We don’t just provide a bed, we provide a home.”
The project was also supported by a $300,000 grant from Master Builders Foundation.
The Youngcare Share House at Wooloowin sets the standard for a new era of age-appropriate accommodation, with an evidence-based design featuring state-of-the-art technology including iPad-operated lighting and entertainment, automated doors and blinds, and mobile voice control systems.
Right now, over 7,000 young Australians are living in aged care, with another 700,000 more being cared for at home by loved ones.
This year marks Youngcare’s 10th anniversary helping young Australians with high care needs live young lives by providing age-appropriate accommodation, grants, research and a national phone support service.
MEDIA CONTACT: Courtney Phelps | p. 07 3041 3400 | e. [email protected]
