New respite cottage opened in Wagga Wagga

A new centre-based respite facility for people with disabilities who have high support needs was officially opened on Wednesday, 10 February by Minister for Disability Services Paul Lynch.

The new respite house – Budawang Cottage – has been operational since October last year, supporting 70 families across the Riverina.

It accommodates up to five people with a disability at a time and operates seven days a week.

The service is run by Northcott Disability Services in Wagga Wagga with financial support from the NSW Government.

Mr Lynch said the NSW Government was proud to provide more than $650,000 a year to operate the purpose-built facility.

“The NSW Government has a strong commitment to providing respite and other supports to people with a disability,” he said.

Mr Lynch said the service recognised the importance of carers.

“Carers also need some assistance – that’s why the NSW Government funds respite services to assist carers in their role,” he said.

“Respite gives the person with a disability and their family or carer time out from each another and importantly, it gives the carer a chance to keep on doing what they want to – that is to keep caring for the people they love,” Mr Lynch said.

Northcott Disability Services CEO Kerry Stubbs said the service provided much-needed respite to local families.

“Respite care is so important to families who care for someone with a disability,” Ms Stubbs said.

“This new facility will ensure that professional care is provided to eligible clients while parents take a break from their daily role as carer,” she said.

Ms Stubbs said that an example of the value of respite was Jeanette Puckeridge who has been caring for her sister Sylvia who has an intellectual disability for 25 years.

“Jeanette is very thankful for the respite Sylvia has been receiving and will continue to receive through Budawang Cottage,” Ms Stubbs said.

Ms Puckeridge said: “When Sylvia goes to respite it gives me a break and it also gives her a little holiday away from me.”

“Sylvia likes to feel important and at Budawang Cottage, she is well-cared for by the staff,” Ms Puckeridge said.

“She is also taken out to different outings and always looks forward to going,” she said.

Budawang Cottage was awarded to Northcott to run by Ageing, Disability and Home Care in 2007 and was modified to meet the needs of prospective clients.

Northcott responded to the urgent need for additional respite by employing a Client Liaison Officer to work solely with the families waiting for respite.

It also offered some families access to respite using the spare capacity of Northcott’s other respite house in Wagga Wagga, which was funded to operate during the weekends and school holidays.

This provided respite to 30 families while the new facility at Budawang Cottage was completed.