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Marisa and her parents are longstanding customers of Pinarc, and over the years have accessed a huge range of supports and services.
The NDIS has opened up new services for Marisa (pictured) and her family, which support the goal of ensuring she can live with her parents for as long as possible.
Marisa's dad, Tony, uses Financial Plan Management (FPM) to manage the range of invoices he has to deal with for Marisa's supports. "The stress of the first year of the NDIS when I was doing it all myself was a headache," he said. "FPM just makes it so easy."
FPM gives Tony the freedom to choose which services work best, especially the people that come in and out of their home, where being comfortable and able to trust people is paramount. They are able to use non NDIS registered services to assist with things like gardening and cleaning.
By using Pinarc FPM, Tony isn't restricted to NDIS registered services, so anyone he feels comfortable with who has an ABN could be used, including people known to their family and family friends. "NDIS is so complex, FPM makes it so much easier," he said. "I know I can get straight answers from Pinarc straight away."
Marisa has also received support from Pinarc occupational therapists, who recently supported the family to replace her manual wheelchair with an electric wheelchair. This has meant that Tony can more easily push Marisa, as the old wheelchair was getting too much for him. Staff at Active Living Options day program have also said the new chair has opened up more opportunities for Marisa to be able to go for walks, enjoy the outdoors, and move more readily about the centre.
Marisa loves going to Pinarc's Active Living Options day program - being a regular at the Pennyweight site for close to 20 years is testimony to her enjoyment. Tony said he isn't allowed to stay when he drops her off in the morning, as Marisa is too eager to get on with her day.
Participating in the day program gives her a break from her parents and a chance to socialise with her friends. With one-on-one support, Marisa is able to participate in all sorts of activities and social opportunities at the centre. She especially loves wheelchair dancing on Wednesdays and cooking up a storm on Thursday.
Tony appreciates the respite he and his wife have during the hours that Marisa is at day program. The support is fantastic, with everything he has asked or advocated for being implemented immediately. Rhiannon and Rachael at Pennyweight always listen to Marisa's needs and communicate with the family. "I rate Pinarc at the highest level I can give them," Tony said. "They have always been there."
This advertising feature is sponsored by Pinarc.