How Michael and Anna Found Their Way Back Home to Each Other
*Names and some identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of the people involved.
For Michael and Anna, home had always meant being together.
They had shared a life for many years such as the everyday routines, familiar conversations, quiet evenings and small moments that make a house feel like home. Their relationship was built around companionship and the comfort of knowing the other person was close by.
Then everything changed due to an unexpected incident.
Michael experienced a life-changing spinal cord injury that significantly affected his mobility and independence. Overnight, the life they had carefully built together became far more complicated.
As Michael’s support needs increased, the home they shared was no longer able to safely meet his physical needs. Everyday tasks that had once been routine became increasingly difficult, and it became clear that he required an environment specifically designed to support his changing abilities.
The only immediate option available was for Michael to move into a traditional Supported Independent Living (SIL) home.
It gave Michael access to support, but it came at an enormous personal cost. At the time, neither Michael nor Anna realised there may be another pathway. They were unaware that Michael’s existing NDIS funding could potentially be used to access a Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) home, one that was purpose-built for his physical needs and could allow them to live together again.
Yet, because they were unaware of this option, he had to leave Anna behind.
*National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA)
A Home That Never Felt Like His
Michael moved into a shared SIL property with other participants.
The people living around him were not friends he had chosen or family members he had grown up with, nor were they Anna. They were strangers brought together because, at that time, Michael believed they required similar levels of support.
He had to adjust to unfamiliar routines, shared living spaces, different personalities and a social environment that did not reflect his preferences.
His days were often structured around the needs and routines of the household. Meals, activities, support and quiet time all had to be coordinated with other residents and staff.
Michael had very little control over who he lived with or what the atmosphere of the home would be like from one day to the next.
More importantly, the property was a SIL house, not a purpose-built Specialist Disability Accommodation home.
It was not fully suited to Michael’s physical needs. Everyday activities could present avoidable risks, including navigating narrow spaces, accessing the bathroom, transferring safely and moving around the property without suitable accessible features.
The house provided support, but it did not give Michael the environment he needed to feel safe, independent or at home.
He was supported, but he was not living the life he wanted.
Michael missed Anna deeply.
He would speak about her frequently and became upset that they could no longer live together. What had once been an ordinary part of their lives, waking up in the same home, having meals together and spending their evenings side by side, had become something they could only hope to experience again.
Anna felt the separation just as strongly.
She visited Michael and remained involved in his life, but every visit ended the same way: she went back to one home while Michael remained in another.
They were still husband and wife, but their housing circumstances meant they could no longer live like a married couple.
The Bigger Picture
💡44% of people receiving Supported Independent Living (SIL) funding do not receive SDA funding.
This means thousands of Australians continue living in homes that may not have been purpose-built for their accessibility needs.
The Funding Barrier
💡 For many participants, funding mistakes or arrangements can unintentionally create barriers. A participant may have funding for shared support but still dream of living with a partner, spouse or family member.
Finding a solution often requires creative planning, collaboration and a detailed understanding of both SDA and SIL funding.
Michael had SDA funding, but it was based on a shared living arrangement.
His funding supported a group-home model rather than a single-occupancy property. On paper, the shared arrangement may have appeared practical. In reality, it did not reflect Michael’s emotional wellbeing, relationship, safety needs or housing preferences.
For Michael and Anna, the challenge was not simply finding an accessible property.
They needed to find a way for Michael to live in an appropriate SDA home while allowing Anna (who did not have SDA funding) to live there with him.
They had been led to believe that living together may no longer be possible.
Then an email changed the direction of their housing journey.
Finding Steadway
Anna learned about Steadway through an email campaign promoting an available SDA housing property.
Rather than seeing only a vacancy, she saw the possibility of a future she had almost stopped believing was achievable.
Anna initially attended the property inspection to determine whether the home could meet Michael’s needs.
She considered the accessibility of the property, the surrounding community and whether it could become a genuine home for both of them.
A subsequent visit was arranged so Michael could experience the property and the team could gain a clearer understanding of his support requirements, preferences and daily routines.
From the beginning, Steadway approached the situation differently.
The focus was not:
“How do we fit Michael into the vacancy?”
The focus was:
“How can we create a safe and sustainable arrangement that allows Michael and Anna to live together again?”
Looking Beyond the Traditional Model
The Steadway team worked collaboratively with Michael, Anna, the Support Coordinator, the SDA provider and other stakeholders to explore a solution.
The answer was to separate the different components of the living arrangement.
Michael’s eligible SDA funding could contribute toward the accessible dwelling. Anna could live with him by making a private contribution toward the household’s rental costs.
This meant Anna would pay an agreed amount alongside Michael’s reasonable rent contribution, allowing them to share the home while maintaining a clear and sustainable financial arrangement.
The outcome came with an unexpected benefit.
Anna’s contribution toward the new home was approximately half of what she had previously been paying in rent.
The arrangement was not only emotionally right for the couple—it was also financially more manageable.
For the first time since Michael’s injury, living together again became a realistic possibility.
Finding the Right Home
The chosen property offered more than a spare room and access to support.
It provided an environment designed around Michael’s physical needs.
The accessible layout reduced unnecessary obstacles and gave Michael more space to move safely throughout his home. Key areas—including the entrance, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living spaces—were designed to support mobility, assistance and daily routines.
The location also mattered.
It allowed Michael and Anna to remain connected to the people, services and community that were important to them. They could live as a couple in their own home while still having access to the support Michael required.
The property did not feel like a facility.
It felt like somewhere they could build a life.
A Carefully Planned Transition
Reuniting Michael and Anna involved much more than approving a tenancy.
The Steadway team developed a transition plan to ensure Michael’s move was safe, coordinated and centred around his preferences.
This included:
- Completing the intake and service assessment process.
- Reviewing Michael’s routines, mobility requirements and daily support needs.
- Working with his Support Coordinator and relevant stakeholders.
- Understanding the risks within his previous living arrangement.
- Planning how supports would operate in the new home.
- Preparing the property and support team before the move.
- Ensuring Anna understood the household and financial arrangements.
- Allowing Michael time to become familiar with the home before transitioning fully.
The process was handled carefully because the goal was not simply to move Michael from one address to another.
The goal was to give Michael and Anna the best possible chance of living together safely and successfully.
Keeping a Trusted Support Worker
One of the biggest concerns people have when changing providers or moving homes is losing trusted NDIS support workers.
Consistency matters. Familiar support workers understand routines, communication styles and individual preferences, helping to reduce anxiety and support smoother transitions
Michael had already developed a positive relationship with one of his existing support workers.
The worker understood his communication style, routines, preferences and signs of discomfort. Most importantly, Michael trusted them.
At Steadway, participant comfort and continuity are central to how supports are designed. Rather than expecting Michael to immediately adjust to an entirely unfamiliar team, Steadway explored whether the trusted worker could continue supporting him after the move.
However, familiarity alone was not enough.
To protect Michael and maintain Steadway’s service standards, the worker was required to complete the organisation’s usual recruitment and compliance process. This included the appropriate screening, documentation checks, interview and assessment of their suitability for the role.
Once these requirements were met, the worker could become part of Michael’s new support arrangement.
This approach gave Michael continuity without compromising safety, quality or compliance.
It also demonstrated an important principle:
Person-centred support means preserving the relationships that matter while still maintaining strong professional standards.
Home Again
After years of living apart, Michael and Anna moved into their new SDA home together. Their reunion was not marked by a major event or grand celebration. It was reflected in the return of ordinary moments.
Waking up under the same roof.
Sharing breakfast.
Choosing what to watch in the evening.
Sitting together without worrying about when a visit would end.
Anna could once again be Michael’s wife, not simply a visitor to his group home.
Michael no longer had to live with strangers in a social environment he had not chosen. He had a home that reflected his physical needs, personal preferences and relationship.
He continued to receive the support he required, but the support now fitted around his life rather than requiring his life to fit around a service model.
For Michael and Anna, SDA was not only about accessible housing.
It gave them their marriage, daily life and sense of home back.
What This Journey Demonstrates
Michael and Anna’s story reflects the values Steadway brings to every participant journey.
We listen beyond the referral
Michael’s funding and existing placement told only part of the story. Understanding his relationship, emotional wellbeing and housing preferences was essential to finding the right outcome.
We challenge traditional assumptions
A shared SIL arrangement was not Michael’s only possible future. By considering the roles of SDA funding, a reasonable rent contribution and Anna’s private contribution, a more personalised solution became possible.
We collaborate
The outcome required communication between Michael, Anna, Steadway, the Support Coordinator, the SDA provider and other stakeholders.
We plan carefully
The transition involved comprehensive intake, risk assessment, service planning and preparation, not simply filling a vacancy.
We value trusted relationships
Supporting Michael to retain a familiar worker reduced disruption and helped him feel comfortable in his new home.
We never compromise on compliance
The existing worker was still required to complete Steadway’s full screening and recruitment process before joining the team.
We see the person, not just the funding
Michael was not simply a participant with SDA and SIL funding. He was a husband who wanted to live with his wife.
And Anna was not simply an additional household member.
She was the person Michael called home.
The Steadway Difference
At Steadway, we believe support should help people build the life they choose, not separate them from the people and relationships that give their life meaning.
Sometimes the right outcome requires looking beyond standard housing models, asking better questions and bringing the right people together.
For Michael and Anna, that meant finding a safe, accessible home where Michael could receive the support he needed without giving up the life they wanted to share.
Their journey is an SDA story.
But more than anything, it is a love story.
Could a Better Housing Solution Be Possible?
If you or someone you support is living in accommodation that no longer meets their needs, it may be worth exploring what’s possible.
Start with our free SDA Eligibility Checker. This is our simple 10-question assessment that provides an instant indication of whether SDA may be suitable.
Whether you’re an NDIS participant, family member, Support Coordinator, or allied health professional, our team is here to help you explore housing options that support independence, choice, and the life you want to live.
