Residential Support

Rescare provides compassionate and professional fulltime residential support for adults who have an intellectual disability. Some of our residents also have a sensory or physical disability.

Managed by the charitable non-government organisation Rescare Homes Trust, our community is based on two sites which are currently home to 117 people aged from 21 to 70 who require a wide range of support.  

• Some of the people we support require full support in all areas of daily living 
• Others might require less physical care and support, but still require guidance and support with personal hygiene, taking medication safely, helping to cook meals, and household management  
• And then there are those we support who can do more for themselves and who enjoy staff supporting them to plan meals, shop, plan outings and provide support around their jobs.

Our two sites are both located in Auckland – one in South Auckland in Weymouth and the other in East Auckland in Flat Bush. 

A unique, gated community for the safety, independence and freedom of those we support

Purposely designed as gated communities, the two Rescare sites provide secure neighbourhoods that are fully fenced providing:   

• A safe home environment
• A sense of freedom. Many of the people living here enjoy walking in our well-kept grounds and gardens. For some, the gate and fencing means they are quite safe walking around without staff. Some visit friends in other houses and pop into the office to say hello to management staff, all of whom including our CEO operate with an open-door policy.

For many families, our secure community provides greater peace of mind. 

Houses that are proudly called ‘home’

Rescare residents live in 20 modern, tastefully furnished houses.  Eighteen were purpose built to meet the needs of the people they are home for, and two homes at Weymouth that previously neighboured the Rescare site were purchased. Both have road frontage onto Rebecca Rise.  Well-maintained by our Estate Manager and set in attractive gardens cared for by our in-house gardening team, Crew Cuts, each home operates autonomously and has its own vehicle.
To provide the best possible living arrangements for each person, we:

• Ensure compatibility, as much as possible, between the people in each home
• Roster, wherever possible, the same staff to each home to enhance the bond between each person and the staff supporting them
• Operate each home autonomously yet with residents being part of the wider Rescare ‘family’ where a sense of community and support for each other is an integral part of daily life
• Have homes exclusively for men, some just for women, and other homes where men and women live together as flatmates
• Have specifically designed some houses for people with similar interests and support needs, such as for young people or older residents. One home supports young men with ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder), and some homes have been designed for wheelchair users.  

Residents at our Weymouth community live in one of 12 homes, including one designed to support wheelchair users. The Flat Bush community has eight homes, two of which were designed for wheelchair users.

An Independent Living Plan for every Rescare resident

Each person we support has an Independent Living Plan setting out their coming years’ goals. These are formulated in partnership with the resident, their family / whanau and caregivers.

At Rescare, our residents’ goals are much more than words in a plan: they are the cornerstone of each person’s step towards greater independence and when achieved, no matter how small, they can make such a difference to an individual’s life.

The following is a very small selection of independent living goals that have been reached by our residents:

Rachel loves cheese, so she organised an evening at Whitestone’s cheese-tasting experience in Auckland City for herself and her cheese-loving flatmate.

Shopping is a highlight for many of the people we support. It takes many forms. For example, Christopher enjoys shopping for his weekly cooking night using self-scanners at the local supermarket, whereas Hayley choses to use the computers in her house to click and collect her groceries from the local supermarket after she goes to the movies each Saturday.

Being fit and active is important to many of the people we support. They use our onsite facilities as well as those in the local community to maintain their health and to train for specialist sporting events and local charity fun runs.

As in any house, the smell of baking brings hungry people to the kitchen: Rescare homes are no exception. We have many talented bakers – and many people willing to be taste testers.

People in House 6 Flat Bush have busy schedules and, though the house has a vehicle, if the staff are too busy with her flatmates to drop Rachel at the movies, she just catches a bus or a train.

Sometimes, we have to explore the world slowly as it can be a little unpredictable. However, once Jane learnt about how great the local Indian takeaway’s butter chicken was, there was no need to take it slowly anymore!

We love a good boogie at Rescare, and Scott and Yannik have taken this to a whole new level by joining local Zumba groups.

Many people living at Rescare like to give back to their local community. Tom fundraises for breast cancer each year; Louise and Amie regularly bake for Totara Hospice; and Garrick enjoys delivering donated goods to the local marae and Auckland City Mission.

Karl loves church and attends either in person, or online.

Elliott has been checking out his local neighbourhood. He’s not so sure he likes playing basketball at the local courts, but he does love going on the train.

Whether at home, a local café, or one of the upmarket high tea locations around Auckland, Lesley is always keen for a cuppa and a natter about what everyone has been up to.

Though David loves running his site’s Happy Hour each Friday, you don’t have to ask him twice if he’s  keen to go to the local RSA for a beer with his mates.

Carol loves to dress for an event. Whether it’s having all the bling for the ballet or having her warm woollies and supporter gear for the rugby, she always looks the part.

Like everyone else, holidays are a highlight of the year. After much planning and saving, Mark’s trip to Wellington on the train and Amie, Yannik, and Chris’s boys’ weekend to Taupo were successes.

We have many talented artists living at Rescare. Fatu’s work is displayed in Auckland art galleries and our annual calendar is a big hit. Lisa is looking forward to working with a local east Auckland artist to see her artwork come to life in a giant mural.

Esther explores her love of space by researching the topic on her iPad and visiting the Stardome Observatory & Planetarium at One Tree Hill.

Did someone say music? If there’s a beat, Yannik is keen to be amongst it. He has recently attended the Laneway Festival and the six60 and So Pop concerts. He also makes his own music with StarJam’s drumming group.

Sisters Sharon and Diane both live at Rescare. They catch up regularly via Zoom, especially in the winter when it’s too cold to visit each other.

Trains, planes, and automobiles – if it has an engine, then Bruce is keen to ride on it. That could mean a trip on public transport to Newmarket for a spot of shopping; sightseeing at Ardmore, or a trip to Wellington. He and his flatmate John are also regulars at MOTAT and Big Boys Toys.

Pamela loves a spot of reading and is often seen flicking through the magazines that she purchases weekly from the local shop or borrows from the local library.

The local Clendon bakery is a favourite with many, but none more so that Angie who is there regularly on Saturdays getting her two sausage rolls.

We have some adrenaline junkies at Rescare. Glen and Ian love fast cars, and Mark and Allie love Rainbow’s End.

Who ate all the pies? Well, it was likely to be Jonathan because they’re his favourite food. If you want to know where the best pie in Auckland is you should chat with him and his support staff as he’s been trying all the local pies and can safely say his favourite is ….. all of them.

Bobbie loves to get dressed up and go dancing and is often seen at the annual Rescare Ball and the Dance for Ability parties looking stunning bopping away to the tunes in her chair until the last song plays.

You will sometimes see Anthony helping staff search for bargain fruit and vegetables at the local Otara market.

If you like Chinese kung fu movies, then Oscar and Amie are your men. Both are regularly found watching Chinese movies as well as cartoons and the news.

Jane loves fur so you might see her shopping in Spotlight to make herself a new fur necklace. Don’t worry, Jane’s animal-loving flatmate, Julia, ensures no animals were harmed in the process.

Marc is a man of few words. He likes the quietness of the local exhibitions at the Auckland Botanic Gardens.

We have some avid wine drinkers at Rescare. Carey, for example, has organised tours to Waiheke and Villa Maria, as well as organising a five-day wine and cheese cruise.

If you decide to move into a home at Rescare it’s important to us that you keep on doing what you love and what is important to you. Bring your list, ask us questions – we’re in this together and we all want to live a great life!

Whether it’s watching people bake; helping cook; organising outings; going to sports, the theatre, shopping, theme parks, or the observatory; organising trips away; embracing your artistic side; supporting local businesses or charities important to you; following your religious beliefs; taking responsibility for running a club or happy hour; reading; or dancing up a storm, we want to support you to create your own great life.

Having a voice

Every two months, our Residents’ Committee meet so people can discuss any matters that interest them and be kept up to date with information and what is happening.   These can include, for instance:

• Issues that have arisen within their home
• Ideas for an upcoming social event
• Suggestions for activities
• Health and safety matters
• Questions they may have for Rescare’s management team.

An organisational chart setting out the role of each person on the management team is available in each house to help people decide on the appropriate person to approach should they wish to raise a matter with our management staff.

Moving your family member to Rescare: working together

Rest assured, we’ll work closely with you and your family / whanau during the transition period to build trust with your family member and to develop understanding and rapport so that settling in happens smoothly and in a timeframe that suits all. We hope that our relationship with your family will continue throughout your loved-one’s life at Rescare.