Hong loves keeping fit and holds onto his independence.
If you visit Hong at his Gellibrand share house, you might find him at work exercising on his punching bag, laying down some push ups, or doing squats. Whatever it takes to increase his strength and fitness.
“I’m enjoying moving around more, mainly exercising my legs, getting my balance back. I like to do whatever my body can handle,” Hong says.
When he became a Gellibrand client two years ago, Hong mainly used a wheelchair for mobility, but now he’s getting around on his own much easier.
“My goal is to live independently, get my own place,” he says.
Hong is proactive in getting all the support he needs as he aims to achieve this goal, working closely with his support coordinator to access resources that he can use to try to find appropriate accommodation.
“I’m looking for somewhere in the west, probably, but I’m not picky.”
Hong was born in Vietnam and came to Australia in 1981. He lived in the east of Melbourne before moving west and experiencing what he describes as Gellibrand’s “very good” support.
“I’m happy here. No complaints,” he says, adding that he takes care of all his own cooking – spicy food is his specialty – but he doesn’t think he’s a chef or anything fancy.
“I just eat what I cook,” he laughs.
Hong is a gentle and relaxed man, always ready to offer a friendly smile. He loves to play pool on the outdoor table and he gets his hands dirty in the garden sometimes. He also enjoys watching movies, often Chinese action films, but he’s always ready to “flick around” and watch different stuff.
“I like music too, mainly pop,” Hong says, adding that he likes getting out and about to the events Gellibrand runs – a trip on the Queenscliff to Sorrento ferry was a memorable one – as well as having lunch with friends on the weekend. “We’re all good friends in this house, doing our own thing.”
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