My eldest daughter Katherine did some research and found Elba. We were very happy with what Elba had to offer us, so we didn’t bother seeing any other agencies. We have been members ever since.
I would definitely recommend Elba to anyone looking for an agency. They have a small administration team who provide a very personalised and supportive service. Prior to Candice becoming quadriplegic and having 5 strokes I had no experience whatsoever as a carer. I have built up my experience from visiting her every day and evening whilst she spent 8 months in Rehabilitation and then a further 3 years at the Quadriplegic Centre. Now that she is living at home, I am her full-time carer with the support of her Elba carers.
When we first moved home, Merrylin (Field Supervisor at Elba) assisted me with the carers and made sure they knew their roles and responsibilities.
Candice absolutely loves art and swimming which she does at Rocky Bay in Mosman Park. She used to swim every day before her accident. She also really enjoys speech therapy at Rocky Bay. She has Expressive Aphasia – difficulty in expressing her thoughts in full sentences – which she finds incredibly frustrating when trying to communicate with others. Candice also loves going to NeuroMoves (formally known as Walk On) because there she does all kinds of exercises out of her wheelchair.
At the moment everything is going really well. We have three fantastic carers through Elba who do a brilliant job with Candice. The fact that we can use Elba’s modified vehicle to get Candice to all her appointments is also a massive help. I am very grateful.