Port Macquarie man Geoffrey Cameron, 62, was spending the majority of his time inside his house, only venturing out for regular doctor’s appointments to manage Parkinson’s disease, and weekly visits to his nearby church.
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What a difference 12 months makes.
One year after joining the NDIS, Mr Cameron has been given a new lease on life.
”This time last year I would never go out of my house. Ever since the NDIS I can get out more," he said.
“I have people that help me, and I don’t call them carers, I call them my friends.
“They’re helping me get out and enjoy life instead of withering away. I can smile again.”
The addition of a motorised scooter and regular visits from support workers has allowed Mr Cameron a level of independence and confidence he had never expected, with the NDIS-funded scooter even elevating him to local celebrity status and bringing out his strong sense of humour.
“Everybody in town wants to be seen with me,” Mr Cameron said.
“I take it into town three times a week just to clean it, I think some people think it’s a bit of overkill.”
While maintaining his health through exercise and diet, Geoffrey is also finding the time to give back to his local community, regularly volunteering with the Salvation Army Emergency Services since August last year.
I go down there once a week and they give me jobs to do, I get to participate in other activities outside of my normal activities and you meet more people.
- Geoffrey Cameron
“I go down there once a week and they give me jobs to do, I get to participate in other activities outside of my normal activities and you meet more people.”
In addition to the volunteer work, Mr Cameron also visits the golf course for a drive around the green in a buggy, a long-time hobby of his.
On the eve of the Scheme’s one year anniversary in the region, Mr Cameron has a message to help educate those around him on the importance of its work.
“If the NDIS didn’t happen, I would still be sitting in my house, looking at four walls and watching the TV and my weight would have been getting right up," he said.
“I think it’s the best thing since sliced bread, it really is the best thing.
“The people involved are fantastic, if you’ve got a problem they will help you, the people that have helped me are like angels, they are fantastic.”
More than 2700 residents of the Mid-North Coast region have benefited from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) throughout the last year joining more than 160,000 Australians now participating in the nationally-delivered Scheme.
National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Branch Manager, Engagement and Inclusion, Matthew Wright, said this first anniversary of the NDIS becoming available to residents of the Mid North Coast region was an important milestone both in the region and nationally as the roll out of one of the lagest social reforms in Australia’s history continues.
