Luxury Gosford Apartments provide new lease on life

The dream of an independent lifestyle has become a reality for the first tenants to move into 20 sleek and sophisticated, high-tech apartments in Gosford that have been custom built for people with High Support Needs disabilities.

The stylish two bedroom Ability Apartments were built by Ability SDA, a pioneer in the burgeoning Specialist Disability Accommodation space, and have been integrated into brand new Gosford residential developments. Ten of the new apartments are located within the 13 storey, 67-apartment luxury Gosford Central residential complex, with a further 10 developed as part of the 6-storey, 34-apartment residential building on Showground Road.

Each Ability Apartment has been designed and customised from the ground up to meet the unique needs of its tenants, including completely accessible bedrooms and balconies, bright, open-plan living rooms, customised kitchens and bathrooms and state-of-the-art home automation, including voice controlled doors, lights, blinds and more. Overnight onsite support out of a separate, dedicated apartment is also a key feature, allowing residents to maximise their independence, lifestyle and privacy while having the peace of mind of knowing that a support person is close by 24 hours per day.

“Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is a range of housing specially designed for people with extreme functional impairment or very high needs, that makes it easier for them to live as independently as possible,” said Paul Simmons, CEO and Co-founder of Ability SDA.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) estimates that there are over 28,000 people with disability in Australia who require Specialist Disability Accommodation. Examples of High Physical Support disabilities include but are not limited to; people with Cerebral Palsy, spinal injury, brain injury, spina bifida and degenerative neurological disorders.

“We know that one of the reasons that younger people living with a disability live in aged care is because there is simply nowhere else for them to live,” said Simmons who notes that the tenants moving into the brand new Ability Apartments range in age from as young as 20, through to 65.

“Even for those outside of aged care, too often it’s a case of ‘making do’ with accommodation that simply cannot cater for their unique needs and in our opinion, this is simply not good enough,” he said.

“We are delighted to be part of the solution in providing SDA apartments that provide the ultimate in accessibility, design and technology while being well located near amenities and part of thriving communities. Best of all, our apartments are extremely affordable for residents, thanks to vital funding provided by the National Disability Insurance Scheme.”

For 40 year old Matt, who lives with Severe Spastic Quadriplegia, moving into his Ability Apartment in Gosford is completely life-changing. “In my previous accommodation, I was totally reliant on my family and support staff for daily assistance in completing the most menial of tasks – like opening a window or preparing myself food or a drink,”

“Now, because of both the accessible design of the apartment, and the technology, I have complete control over my own environment and don’t need as much staff assistance day-to- day. It’s given me back the confidence I’ve lost. From now on, every time I go through the door, I’m just going to get more and more excited about what my future looks like in this exquisite unit,” he said.

The Ability Apartments are also equipped with access to stunning outdoor entertaining areas and are located in close proximity to services like supermarkets, cafes, restaurants, public transport and shops.

“In addition to our tenants finding the independence they’ve been seeking, in some cases for decades, they’re also becoming more engaged and socially included within their communities,” said Simmons. “They’re entertaining friends, socialising with each other and their neighbours, and making the most of all the amenities that Gosford has to offer.”

For 62 year old Allan, who suffered a permanent spinal cord injury after a motorbike accident 20 years ago, the Ability Apartment he moved into in October is a huge departure from the accommodation he spent much of the last two decades in.

“Once I became a paraplegic, I just assumed there would be accessible housing available for me, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. I spent most of the last 14 years in non-wheelchair friendly “emergency accommodation” located in neighbourhoods that left me feeling extremely isolated and unsafe,” he said.

“Being in my Ability Apartment in Gosford has given me so much more control over my life and my choices and overall, a far better quality of life. I’ve met lots of new people in the building too – not just people with disabilities, but able-bodied people too. And where I was once so isolated, I now have everything I need at my fingertips. I feel like I’ve finally found home.”

To date, Ability SDA has built 45 accessible apartments in four locations: Gosford Central, Gosford Showground Road, Villawood and Guildford in Sydney’s West. An additional development will commence construction in Townsville in mid 2022, creating another 12 apartments for people living with High Support Needs disability. For more information on Ability Apartments, visit www.abilitysda.com.au.