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Caring for children, young people and adults with Spina Bifida and/or Hydrocephalus (SBH) can be extremely demanding and expensive, the need for respite is recognised within the Scottish Spina Bifida Association objectives. We have a respite cottage in Carnoustie which is available for everyone to make use of and we are currently in the process of upgrading the cottage to make it more accessible and update the interior furnishings.
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Situation
Organising a holiday is a big challenge for people affected by SBH. We have found that sourcing a suitable holiday is timely and costly, and there is limited access to for people with both physical and learning disabilities. There is also a lack of suitable information about holidays which would be appropriate and a reported negative attitude on the part of some organisations and their staff. Rebecca Cottage is owned by the Association and is a partially adapted self catering, holiday cottage which sleeps 8. This allows people to holiday with additional family, friends or carers for essential relief. We provide this respite cottage at a discounted rate to help alleviate the challenges outlined above. Everyone affected by SBH in Scotland has access to this resource at special discounted rates, alleviating some of the financial burden associated with holidays .The cottage provides very valuable respite to people with SBH and their support network, which is evident from the testimonials we have received. It enables a much need break from the stress and anxiety surrounding their conditions. The cottage is located in a peaceful setting, which is respite associated with escaping from the day-to-day life of long-term disability. For many of our families, it is the only holiday that they have. There are currently a number of problems with the cottage, so we need to refurbish the interior. We need funding for equipment and new furnishings. There are a number of outcomes associated with the project: (1) It will preserve the cottage for longer allowing the optimum number of people to enjoy respite holidays for up to the next ten years. This is a sustainable option. (2) It will allow more people to gain access to have a respite holiday. This will allow them to feel rested, relaxed, de-stressed and invigorated. (3) It will have an impact on the health of the people who use the respite facility both their physical health and their emotional health. (4) It will increase opportunities for people, giving them the opportunity to have a regular break. This will empower families and allows people to take part in an activity which everyone else does.