ANN Ayres is a veritable demon at the controls of her favourite game – Grand Theft Auto 5.
She also reckons she is a pretty dab hand when it comes to a crack at Uncharted 4.
Armed with her PlayStation 4, Ann enters another world where she is in control of everything, and she loves it.
The 27-year-old was born with an intellectual disability, and lives in a Kerang share home with her friend Sarah.
She works closely with her NDIS-funded support team to help widen her horizons and improve her ability to increase her all-round wellbeing and skillsets.
“My support workers help me with my personal care, going out and about, attending appointments, home care and meal preparation,” Ann said.
Her involvement with Shop Active is a highlight, twice a week.
“I take myself there and we can have as many as 20 people or so taking part and we do all sort of things together,” she said.
Ann says she has been at Kerang “for a few years” now after her mother Pearl passed away, and living with another NDIS participant helped make the transition to a new town much easier.
Her best friend is her dog Lady – a border collie-kelpie cross who needs, Ann laughs, a bit more exercise than she is keen to share.
“I do take her on walks, but I don’t really like walking alone, and when I do the pain in my back can get quite bad, but if one of my support workers or someone else comes with me and helps that makes things much easier,” she adds.
“But I love swimming, and Ben from Shop Active helps me with that. It is much easier on me because we are in the water, and I love to go to the pool.”
Ann says she went to the Specialist School in Swan Hill, for Years 8 to 12, and really enjoyed her time.
She says having so many people to mix with and do things alongside made it a great day.
“Since then my NDIS support workers have really helped me become more active, to get up and do more things, which I know is good for you,” she explains.
But ask Ann what she most looks forward to and her face lights up: “PlayStation, my PS4.”
“I play a lot of games where you do things, and yes, there is a lot of destruction, but the games are also a lot of fun and I am good at playing them,” she adds.
“Sometimes I play on my own and other times I hook up with other gamers and we compete.”
Ann says she is looking forward to doing more with her NDIS workers, with Shop Active, and especially with swimming.
Most of all, however, she is looking forward to Christmas and what she is really hanging out for.
“Grand Theft Auto 6 – it’s new and it’s on my wish list,” she says. “Right at the top.”
