Dr Bronwyn Morkham [National Office]

Dr Bronwyn Morkham has been the National Director of the Young People In Nursing Homes  National Alliance [YPINHna] since its inception four years ago.

As well as overseeing the Alliance's efforts to raise public awareness of the issue and the urgent need for action, Bronwyn has worked to make the YPINH issue one that politicians and administrators can no longer ignore. She has encouraged a partnership approach to resolution of the issue that has seen Commonwealth and State politicians begin to move away from longstanding and entrenched positions that previously allowed both tiers of government to deny responsibility and refuse to act.

Through the National Alliance, Bronwyn is currently working with State and Federal governments to implement the Council of Australian Government's (COAG) recently announced 5 year national initiative that will begin to develop the pathways out of aged care that young people and their families want.

With a strong sense of social justice, Bronwyn firmly believes in supporting people with a disability to be their own best advocates and has made the participation of YPINH a central aspect of the Alliance's work.

As well as working with YPINH to develop a range of accommodation and support options that will deliver lives of dignity and independence, Bronwyn has more recently developed the Alliance's submissions for the Senate Aged Care Inquiry's examination of the YPINH issue, and its Inquiry into the funding and delivery of disability services through the Commonwealth State Territory Agreement (CSTDA).  Bronwyn appeared before the Senate's Community Affairs References Committee at both Inquiries.

Jeanette Budak [Australian Capital Territory]

Jeanette Budak has been involved in supporting young people with an acquired brain injury in the ACT since first nursing a young man with an ABI destined to go to a nursing home from a Canberra Hospital eighteen years ago.

A tireless worker for the rights of young people with acquired disabilities to access the rehabilitation and support they need, Jeanette worked with the National Brain Injury Foundation (NBIF) to establish the Dorothy Sales Cottages, a supported accommodation setting that is home to 8 young people with acquired brain injuries in the Canberra suburb of Hughes.

The embodiment of “whatever it takes” in her efforts to secure the accommodation and support young Australians with acquired disabilities need, Jeanette works directly with young people and their families to develop the service responses they need.

Judy Wardale [Victoria]

Describing herself as the '…stubborn mother of young woman with Acquired Brain Injury…', Judy Wardale refused to accept that nursing home care was all there was when her 16 year old daughter was left with acquired disabilities and high support needs after a car accident.

Judy cared for her daughter at home for 10 years, her determination resulting in her daughter re-developing many of the life skills she would not have regained otherwise. Recognising she could not sustain the level of rehabilitation and support her daughter would need, Judy formed a co-op with other families who also had a loved one in need of rehabilitation and support.

The result was a model of community based care built around an individual’s needs for dignity, privacy and respect. This completely deinstitutionalised format began "…in an ordinary house in an ordinary street…" and supported 5 young people to have lives worth living in their local community.

Alan Blackwood [Victoria]

Alan has worked in all areas of the disability system from the ground up. He has worked as a personal support worker in several states and has also managed advocacy and support service agencies.

He is currently the Policy and Community Partnerships Manager for Multiple Sclerosis Limited, and has been involved in the YPINH Campaign from the outset.

Alan's sense of overview and his expertise in policy development has been invaluable in developing the Alliance's focus on strategic change as a critical component of service responses for young people with high and complex support needs.

Widely respected at both State and Commonwealth levels, Alan has a particular interest in the development of no fault insurance as one part of a suite of sustainability options needed to build a decent long term care and support system based on need, not age, for all Australians.

Kevin Griffey [New South Wales]

Kevin’s extensive experience in human and industrial relations and account management did nothing to prepare him for the role he now fulfils as carer for his 28 year old daughter, Belinda.

The victim of a road accident in 2004, Belinda was expected to make a full recovery until medical mismanagement left her with Extrapontine Myelinolysis, a rare but serious neurologic condition that occurs when plasma sodium levels fall dangerously below normal.  The result is massive brain swelling and injury.

Before this happened, Belinda was a successful accountant with a major Sydney corporation and had just bought her first house. 

Though Kevin and his wife have been urged to place Belinda in an aged care nursing home they, like many parents, have refused to do so.  Kevin wants Belinda to have the accommodation and supports that will allow her to recover as much function and dignity as possible and is prepared to do anything to ensure she does.

A fierce advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, Kevin is determined to see young people with high and complex support needs have the lives of dignity and meaning they deserve in the community.

Gayl Foy [New South Wales]

Hi! My name is Gayl and my daughter, Amber, was in a nursing home. For 2 years I constantly fought the NSW and Federal Governments to move Amber out of the nursing home and into supported accommodation.

As part of the Aged Care Inquiry, I was asked at one of the Senate Committee hearings "How had I managed to break through the system?" My answer was to be on the politicians’ backs all the time, and not to let any of their letters go unquestioned. You have to be a thorn in their side and you also have to get to know the relevant politicians on both sides of parliament. It is vital to get as much media coverage as possible as well.

I succeeded and Amber is now enjoying the life that should never been taken away from her by being in the Nursing Home.

Jackie McRae [New South Wales]

Jackie McRae is 41 years old and has an 18 year old son. She was married to Todd in 2000 after 5 years together and in May 2002 Todd had a severe asthma attack which caused a brain injury.

Todd moved to a nursing home in January 2003 as Jackie did not have the supports in place to bring him back to their home to live. In October 2003, after spending every day with him at the nursing home and becoming increasingly frustrated by the environment and lack of rehabilitation, Jackie decided to bring him home.

It took two years to get there but in October 2005 she finally managed to get the supports to do this.

Passionate about the YPINH issue from a family perspective, Jackie wants to encourage other families to 'fight' the systems that are denying YPINH the chance at a better life.

Todd is now doing well at home, but Jackie won't be able to support Todd’s needs forever and wants more options available for his future care needs.

Jackie says,” This process took a lot out of me emotionally, but I was not going to give up, no matter what.”

Jackie has just started a family based group that is examining what will be needed to deliver accommodation and support options to young people with high support needs in the Southern Tablelands region of NSW. Jackie and her group hope to play an active role in the implementation of the COAG program in their area.

Zoran Kobelev [Queensland]

Zoran has worked with people with disabilities and older people for the past 32 years, 21 of those years in Melbourne and the last 11 years with the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Queensland.

From 1974 to 1984 he worked with people with psychiatric disabilities in a residential setting. Though institutional in its size and make up, the people living there played a large part in the operation of the facility.

In 1984 Zoran started working for Wesley Central Mission’s Aged Care Housing Services. During his last 4 years there, Zoran was part of a team that was responsible for the successful deinstitutionalisation of a very large hostel for homeless men.

Having decided that the warmer climes of Queensland offered better opportunities for touring on his beloved motorbike, 1995 saw Zoran accept a position with the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Queensland as its Manager of Accommodation Services.

In this role, Zoran is responsible for overseeing services that include a residential unit for people with high support needs, respite services, transition flats and a respite facility/holiday house on the Gold Coast. The Society is currently developing supported accommodation that is in the community and non institutional in nature.

Zoran believes that aged care is not appropriate for younger people, no matter what their support needs and strongly supports younger people with disabilities to live in the community in housing and with support of their own choosing.

Phillip Bedall [South Australia, Chair]

Growing up with a disability has allowed Phillip to understand the dilemmas young people with high support needs face when the resources they need are not available.

Widely respected by community groups and government representatives alike, Phillip has been an active board member of Disability Action SA and holds a number of board positions with other advocacy and support groups.

Phillip ensures that the broader community understands the need for increased funding and resourcing for disability in general and the YPINH issue particularly, through his weekly radio program on 8RPH. It is a measure of the respect in which Phillip is held that he has no trouble in getting the South Australian Health Minister or his shadow counterpart to be interviewed on the program.

Phillip wants to see young people with disabilities play an active role in service development opportunities and have a voice in the management of the services they use.

Sue Hodgson [Tasmania]

The mother and primary carer of a daughter with an Acquired Brain Injury, Sue Hodgson has been at the forefront of moves in Tasmania to raise awareness of the YPINH issue and the need for action.

Awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 1992 for her work in co-founding Headway Tasmania Acquired Brain Injury Association, Sue is also the co-founder and current Vice President of HOPES (Housing Options Providing Extra Support), as well as an active board member of both Advocacy Tasmania and the Brain Injury Association of Tasmania.

With a Bachelor of Education and Masters in Social Science (Social Research) from the University of Tasmania, Sue is adamant that young people with acquired disabilities should live with independence and dignity in the community.

Carol Franklin [Western Australia]

A mother of three children, Carol’s middle child has a rare disability called Prader Willie Syndrome. Carol’s son is her inspiration and her passion for fighting for the rights of people with disabilities.

Carol is employed as a Family Network Officer at the Developmental Disability Council of Western Australia. She is a member of several disability agencies and is a board member of service provider, Nulsen Haven Association.

Carol is also Vice President of Carers W.A. and was one of the founding members of CASA (Committed About Securing Accommodation), a community organisation that supports the rights of young people with disabilities and their families to access the accommodation and supports they need.

Carol was honoured with a Centenary Medal for services to people with disabilities and says that, while she values the award, she will continue working to achieve the right of people with disabilities to live in appropriate accommodation with the supports they need to achieve a valued life in their community.