General News
18 June, 2023
Getting the best care for a lifetime
Nikita is a very a special woman – with specific needs that require very special care. She is 29 and lives with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy that has restricted her intellectual capacity to that of a six-month-old baby. Mum...
Nikita is a very a special woman – with specific needs that require very special care.
She is 29 and lives with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy that has restricted her intellectual capacity to that of a six-month-old baby.
Mum and dad Trish and James know what's best for their daughter – and the Warracknabeal family has built a special caring regime around Nikita for more than a decade.
The couple use an NDIS-accredited agency that allows them to select the carers they want.
The family is partnered with Carer Solutions, whose Direct Employ service puts much of the care decisions into their own hands.
This means they have the autonomy to choose who comes into their home, and when, to care for Nikita and her unique needs.
"We can choose who works for us rather than have that decision made for us,” James said.
“At the end of the day our daughter's care is number one and we need to just simply make sure we’ve got the right carers looking after her."
Trish said they looked for women who had children of their own, nursing students or trainee allied healthcare workers.
Carer Solutions CEO and founder Jane Morrell said, particularly in regional areas, it was important to have consistency with workers.
"For families like Nikita, James and Trish, they don't have to worry about the burdens of being an employer," Ms Morrell said.
"Most people use our service to employ someone they have an exisiting relationship with so there is already that trust, reliability and connection."