Lessons from living independently
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Julia Hales discusses the challenges, discoveries and joys of living independently for more than 20 years.
“I make stories about people with Down syndrome. I love to make stories come to life on stage by showing the audience and the world that people with Down syndrome have rights and need representation.”
Tell us about your home. How long have you lived there?
I love my home. I can clean, I can do washing. I’ve been living here for the last 24 years of my life and I really love doing all different things in my home.I live in commission house and I love living with Tom and I am supported by Unique Directions. I live in Andergrove in Mackay.
What’s your apartment like?
It’s very nice. It’s very white and it’s brand new and I really like it.
What’s your favourite thing to do at home?
I like watching TV. I love watching my favourite show, Home and Away. I’ve been watching it ever since it first started. I like watching cooking shows. I love watching TV. It makes me happy.
How did you make the decision to live independently?
Before I was 16, I saw that my sisters Megan and Amy moved out and that’s when I realised I wanted to move out of home. I went to my mum and dad when I was 16 years old and I said to them if I can move out of home, but they did say I have to be 21 to move out of home. And so they got me ready to be independent. And then after my 21st, I moved out into my very new apartment.
Was it hard at the start?
It was hard from the start. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to be alone in my first night. I asked my sister to stay with me. And then it was hard with cooking. Mum always showed me how to cook.
Do you like cooking now? Do you have a favourite recipe you’d like to share?
I do. I love to cook at home. My favourite one that I like to cook is stir fries, healthy pasta and healthy burgers. I would love to do a step-by-step guide cooking book to help other people with disability and Down syndrome to get their cooking skills up and so they’ll be ready to live independently. It will be with pictures and plain English writing.
What are some of the other good things about living on your own?
I can do whatever I want. I can stay up as late as I like. I get around and yeah, I kind of teach myself to be more independent. I travel and also for family events I catch Ubers and buses and trains.
What are some of the challenges?
The challenges are being independent. Sometimes it is hard, but I keep teaching myself what to do all the time. So I have my own routine. Keeping this apartment clean. Sometimes it’s hard to do things on my own, but I overcome them.
How do you manage paying bills?
Very easy. I get to go to the post office, up to Subiaco. I go into the post office and pay all my bills on time.
What advice do you have for other people with Down syndrome who might be thinking about living independently?
Well, if the kids go to their parents and ask, “Can I move out?” but the parents would say, “You had to be 21 to move out.” That’s the same age I moved out of home.
I want them to have the same opportunities like I had, but also just to get them ready to be independent by going to TAFE and study and do whatever they can to get ready.
What kinds of things should they study at TAFE?
Kitchenhand attending, life skills, cash counting. They need to know about cooking, about cleaning, and all that kind of thing.
You are an actor and theatre maker. What kind of performances do you make?
I make stories about people with Down syndrome. I love to make stories come to life on stage by showing the audience and the world that people with Down syndrome have rights and need representation. And I got to do that through my show, ‘You Know We Belong Together.’
What kind of themes or ideas do you explore in your shows?
I have lots of ideas for my shows, so I’ll write them all down. Then I collaborate with other people and I show them all of my ideas, everything that I want to help people with Down syndrome to get their voices out to the world and to hear them and what they want.
What do you love about performing?
I love bringing stories to life on stage and so people can hear me and to hear all of my friends.
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