Planning resource helps siblings in crisis
Published: 4 June 2024
Article submitted by: Siblings Australia (Opens in new tab)
For some of us, the phrase ‘future planning’ usually involves making plans to ensure we can achieve the goals or ambitions we set for ourselves — whether that’s creating a superannuation nest egg, considering an overseas holiday or maybe even purchasing an investment property.
Future planning as the sibling of someone with disability or chronic illness can mean future plans or aspirations get cast aside while navigating the maze of supports for a brother or sister.
As is often the case with the parent/child relationship, a parent’s role changes with the growing needs or independence of their child. Ultimately, their goal is to provide their child with the love, care and support they need to lead a happy and healthy life and to grow and develop successfully into adulthood. For the parent of a child with disability, this role often extends well into the child’s adult life, and into a time when they themselves are facing the challenges that aging can bring.
Siblings Australia (Opens in new tab) often hears of siblings who have reached a point of crisis when a parent unexpectedly passes away or faces health challenges that impact their life. Suddenly the sibling finds themselves piecing together the thousands of puzzle pieces that make up their brother or sister’s carefully curated life, while attempting to maintain the status quo with as little impact as possible.
That’s why Siblings Australia developed SibPlan (Opens in new tab). Whether a sibling is just dipping their toes into the future planning pool, or in crisis following a sudden illness or the death of a parent, SibPlan has been built to guide siblings in all aspects of future planning.
Built with a focus on supportive decision making and preserving natural relationships, SibPlan is packed with tools and resources delivered from a sibling’s perspective, and covers topics such as:
- understanding a brother’s or sister’s disability
- funding and support options, including NDIS and My Aged Care
- disability health and wellbeing
- social activity, recreation and employment
- home and living
- guardianship and administration
- estate planning
- financial planning
The site also includes personal profile documents for both the sibling and person with disability or illness. When future planning, it’s vital to ensure that everyone is working from the same page.
For siblings looking for support, SibPlan (Opens in new tab) is a great place to begin planning.
Last reviewed: July 2024