Recent News

Rod

Are you entitled to aged care?

Imagine if you had reached the age at which you qualify for the Australian aged pension and you went into Centrelink and were told “I’m sorry, but you miss out because only 116 people out of every 1000 people of pension age actually get a pension. All the pensions for this area are taken at the moment and you will have to wait until there is a vacancy.”

Obviously this is an absurd scenario – or is it?… Read more

Flora

Earlville, QLD

I am following up on my story submitted last year. I have received an income increase of 0.6% and my retirement village fees increased by 5.4%. I am now starting to wonder when, with these increases, I will no longer be able to afford to live in a retirement village.

I thought I was secure and could now relax in my old age??… Read more

Tracey

– Chandler, QLD

My father suffered from Parkinsons for approx 50 years of age, so he was on a disability pension and didn’t have any money and lived in a council flat in Leyburn (middle of nowhere) as rent was only $60/week. When he was 69 he couldn’t urinate and was in strife, someone took him to a local doctor in Clifton and sent him home “nothing wrong with him apparently”, ended up at the closest Hospital in Millmerran and we found out he had prostate cancer, they inserted a cathetheter and advised they couldn’t keep him in hospital and sent him to the nursing home in Millmerran as a respite patient.… Read more

Flora

– Earlville, QLD
I see the politicians have received a 3% wage increase. I received a 0.1% increase and, guess what, the retirement village I live in increased my fees by over 7%. I wonder about their ethics. But, someone warned me once that ethics have no place in the business world!!… Read more

Paul

– Stirling, WA

Not accidentally, I haven’t had much to do with aged care facilities and ‘really old’ people for most of my life. Inscribed associations from my early childhood – of grandparents and great aunts kept away, in pleasantly horrible ‘homes’ that felt nothing like one. Artificial legs propped against walls, tired wheelchairs squeaking across stained lino, smells, old-people smells, disenfectant smells, bland food smells.… Read more

Lois

– Victor Harbor, SA

I am 87 and my partner is 90 years – we are very happy at Rosetta village but could loose our driving licenses which would mean we would be severely restricted with transport. We would like to move back to Adelaide – if possible near the beach in a Retirement Village,

At this age, we would prefer not to have to enter into a purchase agreement, but think it would be wonderful if some of these Villages offered rental to this age group.… Read more

Stephen

– Murray bridge, SA

Welcome to all who will follow my story and others stories that must follow.

I have been working in and around the Aged Care industry for over forty (40) years I have seen many changes during this time, some that assist the aged for the better; but to many that leave them wondering, what is to become of me now?… Read more

Brenda

– Huntfield Heights, SA

I have worked in aged care for at least 20 years as a careworker. I love my job. About my Mum: She had Alzheimer’s among other things. The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do was to find a placement for her. My family and I were lost in the paperwork!  In the end, the decision was taken away from my family when Mum had an accident and ended up needing an urgent high care placement.… Read more

Marelle

– Caringbah, NSW

My mother is aged over 100 now and was admitted to Hospital for 10 days last year. Unfortunately they have aged care patients mixed in with dementia patients and this was too much for her and some others in her ward as some of the people with dementia were yelling out all night that they wanted to die.… Read more

Dawn

– Devonport, TAS

I have had many experiences trying to access Aged Care help in numerous ways over the last 15 plus years and have come to the conclusion that not a lot of change has been made regarding understanding the “System”.

The answer to a lot of problems seems  to be “well you should have done  —-”

My main concern at the moment is that the idea of keeping people in their own homes for as long as possible is fine in theory but practical night time care (which is my main concern) is not there and is a very important safety issue let a lone nursing incontinent patients.… Read more