John’s journey to independence with Disability Plan Services

June 10, 2021

For most 30-year-olds, independence is a normal part of every day and participating in community activities is uncomplicated so it can be easy to forget that others don’t always have it so easy.

John is one of three adult children to parents Craig and Alison Lambert and has been a client of Disability Plan Services since day one!

Diagnosed with Down syndrome, although John is physically fit he has moderate to severe limited intellectual capacity. 

Even while there have been highs and lows, John is a happy 30 year old man that loves nothing more than getting out and about, playing sports and having a laugh!

We spoke to John’s father, Craig, about how the support of Disability Plan Services has helped improve his quality of life.

“John is a creature of habit. He loves his routine and getting out in the community with his carers to places like the library, golf driving range, bowling and supports like speech therapy and PT sessions,” Craig says.

“My wife and I are ageing, we’re both in our 60s so it’s important that John gains more independence.

“We’ve been working with Jack at Disability Plan Services since the start and he’s been helping us through the plan review process with the NDIS to get more funding for John. Without Jack, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

Living on the large family property in his own fully independent 2 bedroom house, John is able to live in his own space yet still be close to his parents should he need them.

A close-knit family, John enjoys spending time with his parents, sisters, nieces and nephews. 

Until recently, John has been living an active, participating in the Special Olympics and participating in community activities up to 6 times per week until a hiccup with his health set him two steps back.

“John was always friendly and outgoing until he suddenly started feeling very tired and was retracting from social situations,” Craig said.

“We weren’t sure what was wrong and everyone was very worried for a while until we figured out it was because John had sleep apnoea and coeliac disease.

“It’s been a difficult journey but with the help of Jack, we’re about to get a new plan for John that will allow him to access the support he needs.”

Less stress, more quality time

Craig says they chose to use an NDIS plan management agency, like Disability Plan Services, because of the freedom it allows their family to have.

With good systems in place to track your plan budgets, a seamless process to make paying providers invoices easy and the ability to remain in control, NDIS plan management was the top choice for John’s plan.

“We didn’t want to fully manage John’s plan funds but we also didn’t want to hand it over to the NDIA,” Craig said.

“We wanted contact with a plan manager and to be aware of the process.

“Jack at Disability Plan Services has been helping us with the funding side of John’s plan and Glen has been his support coordinator.

“We didn’t want to deal with lots of different organisations so it’s great that we can manage both in the same place.”

John has big goals to become more independent and maybe even move further away from his parents to his own place in the future which wouldn’t be possible without the ongoing support of the team he has built around him.

For John, receiving supports from people he knows and gets along with is also important. 

“Over time, staff at Disability Plan Services and his carers become part of a close team working together for John’s independence. For John, in particular, his personal carers become more like friends.”

About Disability Plan Services

At Disability Plan Services, we hear stories like John’s almost every day and love seeing people’s quality of life change for the better once they receive the support they need.

We believe that in order to achieve your life goals, everyone needs a little support from people they know and trust.

Our team members are more than just NDIS Plan Management service providers and Support Coordinators. We are your trusted partners.

We provide you and your loved ones with the knowledge and information you need to reach your goals, without the frustrating jargon. 

To get in touch with us about your disability plan, contact us today.