To say Beverly has had a tough few years is an understatement. And while her journey has been fraught with pain and grief, her outlook on life is nothing short of inspirational.
Beverly was a teacher, working in her hometown of Orange NSW, a very supportive Mum, and a doting Grandma. In 2013, when Bev was only 51 years old, she tragically fell down the steps at her home and severed her spinal cord at the lumbar. Everything changed in an instant on that day.
Now requiring a wheelchair to move around, and support for all of her daily activities, suddenly Bev was faced with the heart-wrenching reality of having to move into a nursing home. She felt completely out of place amongst the elderly residents,
“I didn’t really connect with any of the other residents at all. I was definitely the youngest, the average age was 80-plus.”
Devastatingly, her home could not be modified to suit her new care requirements and so Bev remained in the nursing home for six long years, eagerly waiting for the NDIS to roll out in Orange. In that time, her life changed in every way – Bev was forced to prematurely retire from teaching, she was isolated from her daughter and grandkids and understandably her mental health suffered terribly.
“I actually went into a really deep depression and was under psychiatric help for a while.
I thought I was going to die there. And I’ll be honest, I was thinking, I hope I don’t have a nice long life because I don’t want to be stuck here until the day I die.”
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In 2019, shortly after the roll out of the NDIS in Orange, Bev finally moved out of the nursing home and into her own home just a short drive from her daughter and grandchildren. She had four happy years there, receiving the dignified one-on-one care she requires and filling her days with family outings with her daughter, Emily, and her grandkids.
Then, in 2022, the unthinkable happened. Bev’s beloved daughter Emily tragically passed away after a boating accident. Emily left behind two young children, a loving fiancé, a wonderful big brother, countless friends, and of course, Bev; her mother and best friend.
Bev has never felt a pain so raw as the shocking and devastating loss of her beautiful girl. Emily was her closest companion, her proudest achievement, her person. As expected, Bev’s grief was all consuming. Suddenly she was left without her best friend, and she was not coping.
Bev could not manage living in Orange on her own anymore, her pain was too much, so she decided to make the move to Newcastle to be closer to her son; her only remaining support network.
As Bev is physically unable to pack her belongings and drive herself the six hours to Newcastle, the expense of the move was a serious financial roadblock and she feared she would be stuck.
“There’s no way I could have come up with that funding. I probably would have been stuck there.”
Thankfully Bev’s Social Worker suggested she reach out to Youngcare. Bev was given a Youngcare Home Support Grant which funded her moving expenses, something that is not covered by the NDIS but has been life-changing for Bev.
“It removed so much stress. Actually, it was more than just taking the stress away, it made it possible – I wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise.”
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In another unexpected turn of events, Bev’s granddaughter, Chloe, has since moved in with her. Chloe is only 16 years old and has autism, and understandably, has struggled terribly with the loss of her Mum.
As chaotic as life can be with a teenager, Bev adores Chloe and the two of them share everything from their support team to their bedroom!
“You got a 16-year-old with autism in the same bedroom as a 60-year-old paraplegic…it’s chaotic, to say the least. But she is a lovely kid!”
Bev would like to say this to Youngcare’s generous supporters:
“I would like to say thank you so much. And don’t underestimate the change you make for people’s lives. The Grant changed my life significantly. And even in a roundabout way, my granddaughter’s because if I hadn’t moved up here, she wouldn’t have ended up being able to move in with me. And that was unexpected.”
Now, Bev and Chloe are on the move again, to a bigger home – somewhere they can both receive around the clock care, but in the privacy of their very own bedrooms. Their story is full of heartache, but still, Bev and Chloe have a positive attitude and are ready to start fresh in their new town! The next chapter of their journey would not have been possible without the generous support of the Youngcare family, a heartfelt THANK YOU to each and every one of you.
