‘I graduated from McAuley’

For Rose, moving in with her daughter was supposed to give her the stability she needed. After living through multiple traumas since childhood, including a marriage marred by abuse with a husband who was like “Jekyll and Hyde”, she had hoped that her daughter would be empathetic to her needs and understanding of her limitations. But with seven children in the home, many of them with disabilities and complex needs, her daughter’s house was anything but a sanctuary and Rose was caught in a new and unexpected cycle of abuse.

“My daughter expected everything from me. She wanted me to cook and clean and look after the children, but she wanted me to do it her way. If I didn’t do what she wanted she would attack my character, my life, my mental health. She would constantly berate me, call me useless and tell me to go and kill myself. It was a really toxic environment,” Rose says.

Rose stayed with her daughter for over a year and her mental health suffered enormously. She battled depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, and eventually decided she had to get out.

With the support of a local service provider, Rose realised she was experiencing elder abuse. She knew she needed to move as soon as possible, but with few options available to her she felt stuck. She even posted in Facebook groups asking strangers for a room to rent.

Eventually Rose was referred to McAuley, where she entered McAuley House and found the safety, stability and routine she craved.

“When I moved in, having my own room, my own space, was so important to me,” said Rose. “I knew that if I didn’t feel like talking to others I didn’t have to, but everyone was very supportive. They do so much for you at McAuley House, they even make your meals and if you need some help, there is always someone there to talk to.”

Determined to do whatever she could to help improve her situation, Rose attended as many skill-building sessions and workshops as she could at McAuley House including yoga, barista training and IT skills workshops.

“I believe knowledge is power, so I put my hand up for everything. All the programs I attended at McAuley were beneficial for me. They helped me to get a handle on where I was and where I wanted to go, helping me to work out the next step,” says Rose.

During this time, and with the help of her McAuley Case Managers, Rose navigated her divorce from her husband, something she believes she couldn’t have done without support. She was also supported to access and receive dental work and the onsite Bolton Clarke nurse at McAuley House advocated for Rose to receive the surgery she so desperately needed for her endometriosis.

“If didn’t have McAuley, I don’t think I’d be here. I wouldn’t be able to cope with all that, it was full on and then after my surgery, they were there to help me recover. I’ve got a lot to thank McAuley for.”

After staying at McAuley House for just over a year, Rose was offered public housing.

“I got my dream; I’m housed again in my forever home. I feel like I graduated from McAuley.”