The magic of Montrose
A serious car accident more than 12 years ago left Phil Gilbey with brain damage. After seven months of hospital rehabilitation, Phil told his doctor he felt well enough to go home.
His doctor smiled and agreed, but calmly said: “Phil, the only problem is you don’t have a home to go to.”
And it was true. After struggling with a gambling addiction, and alcohol and drug use (including heroin) for much of his adult life, in addition to two failed marriages, Phil was essentially homeless.
That's where Montrose Aged Care Plus Centre in Balmain in Sydney's inner west comes into the picture. The centre offered Phil a place and it became Phil’s home. Phil says the past decade or so has been the happiest and most stable years of his life.
“After I came here I gave away cigarettes and then drinking and I’ve never felt better. The 12 years that I’ve lived here have been the best 12 years of my life,” he says.
Without the care offered at Montrose Aged Care Plus Centre, Phil says he fears he wouldn't have survived: “I wouldn’t be alive, I know that.”
The Centre is part of The Salvation Army's aged care system, however it is unique in that it specialises in caring for men who suffer either from brain damage or psychiatric/behavioural disabilities. There are 44 men in Montrose's care.
According to Major Cheryl Kinder, Montrose Aged Care Plus Centre Chaplain, staff at the centre are devoted to making “a true home” for the men, especially as a large percentage of the men who move there have never had a permanent home or family to care for them.
“Without us, many of our clients would be struggling just to exist,” Major Kinder says. “At Montrose we value each man regardless of their background and are committed to making them feel part of our family. It is important that our residents feel that they are known and have a safe place to live out this last season of their lives with respect and dignity.”
Phil is deeply appreciative of the simple pleasures of a stable home and being part of the Balmain community.
“Havng the clear-headedness of knowing that I have a place to go home to every night is a great thing,” Phil says.
For Phil, the Christian foundation and support offered by the service and staff has also been encouraging.
“Through the hard times – and let me tell you there’s been some hard times – I have had a faith. But I have strayed at times too,” he admits. “I started off my prison life in 1978 and that was in Maitland. I used to go to chapel there, whatever service they would have on. Then when I went to Long Bay there was a chaplain there I was close to. I believe in grace and that grace leads to salvation,” he said.
Phil recently wrote a poem which he entitled “1AM”, as this was the time he started writing it. It also plays on the title of God as “I AM”. While he deeply appreciates his earthly home, Phil also knows there is an eternal home. The last stanza of his poem 1AM reads:
“The shame that to this very day
Many men decay away
Few thoughts are given to the one
That sacrificed his only son
A family one can never choose
Good friends are very hard to lose
But to this day the strongest man
Will not decay and in the end
A saviour will provide for all
A home for us forever more.”
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