Building Independence Together: How Brothers Marcus and James Found Their SDA Home

For brothers Marcus and James, the idea of living apart was never an option. Growing up together, they'd always been each other's greatest support. But as adults with different disability support needs, finding accommodation that worked for both of them seemed impossible — until they discovered SDA.

Two Brothers, Two Sets of Needs

Marcus, 28, has a spinal cord injury from a car accident at age 19. He uses a manual wheelchair and has high physical support needs, particularly for personal care and transfers. James, 31, lives with an acquired brain injury from the same accident. His needs are different — he requires cognitive support, structured routines, and a calm, predictable environment.

"After the accident, we were separated into different facilities," Marcus explains. "I was in a spinal unit, James was in a brain injury rehab centre. When we finally came out, we ended up in different group homes on opposite sides of the city. We saw each other maybe once a month."

Their mother, Linda, spent years advocating for them to live together. "They're brothers. They need each other. But every service we approached said it was too complicated to accommodate both their needs in one place."

A Creative SDA Solution

When the family connected with dwellSDA, the team proposed something different: a purpose-built SDA duplex. Two self-contained units side by side, each designed for the specific needs of each brother, with a shared outdoor area and an internal connecting door they could open whenever they wanted.

Marcus's unit was designed as High Physical Support SDA:

• Ceiling hoists in the bedroom and bathroom

• Automated entry with key-fob and voice-activated access

• Roll-under kitchen benches and accessible appliances

• Emergency call system linked to his support team

James's unit focused on Improved Liveability features:

• Visual cues and wayfinding — colour-coded rooms and clear signage

• Simplified appliance controls with pictorial instructions

• Reduced sensory stimulation — acoustic insulation, dimmable lighting, and muted colour palette

• Structured daily schedule display on a smart screen in the kitchen

Building the Home

The duplex was constructed using dwellSDA's modular building approach, which meant both units were built simultaneously in a controlled factory environment. The brothers visited the factory during construction and were involved in choosing finishes, colours, and layout details.

"Seeing our homes being built was incredible," James says. "I chose blue for my bedroom. Marcus chose green. The builders let us put our handprints in the wet concrete out the front."

The entire build, from design approval to move-in, took just under five months — significantly faster than a traditional construction timeline.

Life as Neighbours and Brothers

Marcus and James moved into their duplex in October 2025. The arrangement has exceeded everyone's expectations.

Marcus describes a typical evening: "After dinner, I'll open the connecting door and we'll watch footy together in my lounge. Or sometimes James comes over and we play video games. But when I need quiet, or when James needs his routine, we just close the door. We have togetherness and independence at the same time."

James has flourished with the structured environment. His support workers report that his anxiety has decreased significantly, and he's started attending a local art class independently — something he'd never done before.

Linda says the change has been life-altering for the whole family. "For the first time since the accident, I feel like my boys have a real life. They're not just being cared for — they're living. They're happy. As a mum, that's all I ever wanted."

What Their Story Teaches Us

Marcus and James's story highlights several important lessons about SDA:

• SDA isn't one-size-fits-all — creative solutions can accommodate complex and different needs

• Family connections matter — housing design should support relationships, not separate people

• Participant choice is paramount — both brothers were involved in every decision about their home

• Modular construction enables flexibility — building two customised units simultaneously was efficient and cost-effective

"Don't let anyone tell you it can't be done," Marcus says. "If two brothers with completely different needs can live side by side in homes built just for them, anything is possible."

Marcus and James's names have been changed for privacy. Their story is shared with the family's permission.