Tristan + Scooter Tristan’s life has taken as many twists and turns as the ambulances he drove when working as a Paramedic. The latest turn has seen Tristan land back in his hometown of Adelaide, as Housing Choices South Australia’s first Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) resident. “I was in regional Victoria and there was absolutely no specialist disability accommodation available – I needed to move to Melbourne or Adelaide to get the type of accommodation I needed.”
Housing Choices have done for me and having specialist disability housing has literally changed my world.” Finding Tristan a suitable apartment, close to services and with the support mechanisms he required, was something Housing Choices staff were able to use their specialist skills to do. Tristan is now living completely independently, with the help of support workers and his service dog Scooter and making new plans for the future – including exploring career opportunities in drone technology. There’s even talk
of working in drone search and rescue, which would align with his previous paramedic work. As a younger man, Tristan found his calling as a Paramedic after spending six months in hospital following a severe motorcycle accident. He spent 10 years helping people who found themselves in distressing situations – just like he had been in after his accident – and loved every minute of it. However, a physical exam for an Air Life Support (helicopter) Paramedic role uncovered a concern
Having grown up in SA, Tristan had family and
friends nearby, which made Adelaide the logical choice. Additionally, the CBD location of Adelaide’s special disability accommodation meant Tristan could access all the services he needed to manage his form of muscular dystrophy. “I had actually been evicted and if Housing Choices hadn’t been able to approve me, I would have been homeless. What
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