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The Warrah Adult Residential Services are
devoted to providing therapeutic care for adults with
intellectual disabilities, based on holistic methods of Rudolf
Steiner.
Lifestyle and
Relationships
Residential cottages for people with
intellectual disabilities need a special atmosphere which should
create a feeling of security and comfort,
allowing residents to bring to expression human relationships and to
experience destiny and friendships with other people. This sense of
destiny resides deeply within each human being and is independent of
intellectual disability. At
Warrah, very careful consideration is given to these deeper aspects
of human relationships. In this way each person can find friends,
know himself or herself and develop to full potential.
The Individual and the Community
Healthy social development can take place only when the
individual is allowed to be true to his or her inner nature. As much
as Warrah endeavours to find a therapeutic means to improve each
resident's specific disabilities, there is also a deep respect for
personal freedom and individual needs.
Much emphasis is placed on the development of the
whole human being in a social sense and each resident is encouraged
to help and interact with the wider community.
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Mac's Cottage |
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Programs for Adults with Disabilities
From its beginnings as a small residential hostel with associated
organic farming activities in 1969, Warrah has grown into a
wide-ranging system of services for people with intellectual
disabilities - both children and adults.
Warrah provides residential care for adults as well as work
training and employment, in separate programs.
Warrah also operates a
Bio-Dynamic (organic) Farm, a
Transition/Vocational Training Program and three
Day Service Centres.
Warrah's adult clients can access educational
programs which includes regular social activities. There are weekly
sessions in eurythmy, music and drama in addition to evening classes
to maintain reading, writing and numeracy skills, in liason with
local TAFE programs,
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Banksia
Cottage |
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Wattle
Tree Cottage
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Family-Style Living Units
To provide individual care. Warrah has developed a
special kind of residential setting. It is designed to give
face-to-face continuity of care, allowing carers to be fully
responsive to the individual needs of residents.Residents
live in small groups in cottage-style homes throughout the northwest
of Sydney, where the rooms are homely and warm, and the daily
routine is not institutional or medical in character. Residents are
encouraged to make decisions about their own lifestyles and
activities.
Human-Centred Services
With all of its material advantages, modern society deprives people
with intellectual disabilities of a fully dignified education and
lifestyle. Individuals who have disabilities which may set
limits on their self-expression and awareness can find life
especially difficult. Our sense of natural justice causes us to look
for a creative solution to these issues.
This aim has led the Warrah community
to the development of human-centred services, and to the principles:
- Family-style Living Groups
- Individualised Environment
- Meaningful Work Training and Employment
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