"[It] wasn’t a fit for me," Evelyn Churchill, now at Rowan House, reflects on her previous experience living in aged-care facilities due to a lack of suitable alternatives.
"[It] wasn’t a fit for me," Evelyn Churchill, now at Rowan House, reflects on her previous experience living in aged-care facilities due to a lack of suitable alternatives.
For many young people living with physical disabilities in Hawke’s Bay, the quest for suitable housing is a struggle.
Evelyn Churchill, 39, who has cerebral palsy, a condition that affects movement and posture, relocated from Wellington to Napier in 2017.
Initially, she could only find availability in an aged-care facility.
“I didn’t really like it because I was living with elderly people, there wasn’t anyone my age and that just wasn’t a fit for me,” Churchill told Hawke’s Bay Today.
In January 2018, she received respite care at Rowan House, as part of the Presbyterian Support East Coast (PSEC) disability residential service programme.
Churchill’s daily routine reveals the effort that goes into navigating life with disabilities.
“I need help getting out of bed, having a shower, getting dressed, undressed, I need to have food cut up.
“Sometimes people take those things for granted. They see people with disabilities, and they seem not to care.”
Evelyn Churchill in her room at Rowan House. Photo / Rafaella Melo
Her journey highlights a broader issue faced by disabled people in Hawke’s Bay: a severe shortage of accessible housing that meets their unique needs.
According to PSEC, over 35 young disabled individuals in the Bay are currently living in aged-care facilities, making it difficult to connect with peers and live independently.
Public health waiting lists further highlight the heavy demand for housing options for younger people with disabilities.
Andrew Wordsworth, service manager at Enliven Disability, which leads the Rowan Apartments project, says it is aimed at tackling this pressing issue by offering more accessible and independent living options for people like Churchill.
“We try to give these guys an ordinary life experience that we would expect for ourselves,” he says.
Since the opening of Rowan House in 1983, the project has developed ways to better meet the needs of the community with improved buildings.
With construction under way in Napier, the Rowan Apartments will feature two two-bedroom, fully accessible apartments designed specifically for people with complex physical disabilities.
With hoist systems for easier mobility, automatic doors, and touch-activated controls for blinds and lighting, the project will be a step towards offering a higher degree of independence than what is currently available in the region.
“The aim is to give people living with disabilities more control over their lives. They will also have a say in who they live with, who cares for them, and how their home works,” Wordsworth says.
Enliven Disability service manager Andrew Wordsworth stands in front of the Rowan Apartments construction site. Photo / Rafaella Melo
The Rowan Apartments are expected to be completed by early August 2025, but the fundraising effort to build the apartments is ongoing.
With a total estimated cost of $3.8 million, Enliven Disability has raised $1.3m so far.
“The cost of the building is not funded by the Government. We are continuing fundraising to bring down that initial cost for us,” Wordsworth told Hawke’s Bay Today.
With an eye on future expansion, he says the next goal is to provide apartments in Hastings.
“It’s really important to people to be able to live where they are connected to their land. It would be lovely to support people in Hastings as well. That’s my hope for future projects.”
For more information on how to donate to the Rowan Apartments or get involved in fundraising efforts, visit the project’s official website.
