Aged Care Assessment, NSW

[azureline**]

Can someone tell me the process please? OH is organising this today for his dad, he and his older sis have Enduring Guardianship and POA for him and are about to exercise it.

Younger sis is adamantly against it.

Does anyone know, if they do an assessment do we have to specify what they are assessing him for?

eg: nursing home or care at home? Dementia?

He called on the weekend wanting to know about ebay, as he wanted to buy a $40,000 motorbike for someone 😐 Access to those funds has now been stopped but he will be upset/angry when he finds out.

It's just so sad as he was/is the loveliest caring man.:-(

[katydidthat]

Can I just add a general reminder here?

If anyone is thinking about putting a parent or other person into a nursing home, please get specialised legal advice on Centrelink issues first.  There are welfare rights lawyers in every state and territory that can give wonderful and free advice. 

https://www.welfarerights.org.au/

[ashjoma]

I have just gone through this with my dad as he lives with me now (since mum died)

I saw the local solicitor POA and enduring guardianship - very easy - just sign the paperwork and keep a copy for banks / phone companies etc.  Dad was able to sign.

ACAT referral - took 3-4 months to happen after the initial referral. An RN comes to the home and assesses.

WE have a referral for a nursing home if need be in the future and also respite care.

Also referral for day care a couple of times a week and also where a volunteer comes out and spends time reading / chatting or whatever.

We had a referral for vital call for half price as Dad is a returned veteran.

If you get Meals on Wheels - check everything carefully and keep ALL receipts in a very safe spot - I have had no end of trouble with MOW billing us for meals we did not order, and billing after cancelling.

(apart from that a wonderful service and people)

Also keep dates and names of anyone you speak to eg if cancelling so you can state when you cancelled if they keep billing you.

And cancel by phone and via a letter.

.

[kengillard]

we don't need all that extra aggravation Ash....however.that's life♥

[azureline**]

Be back later to update but really, thank you all so much for the info posted, going through it with a fine tooth comb. Much appreciated. :-x

[syrupsmummy]

I've read some posts and thought I might post this.

When someone is going to nursing home she/he have to do asset assessment. The fee and bond will be determined by how much the person own including property.

So when your FIL owns his house and he lives by himself the house is counted as his asset. It can be counted to determine the price of bond. And he might have to sell the house for it.

However if he has family a member or a carer living with him for certain period the house is not counted as an asset for bond. I think it was 5 years but it could be 3 years. I can't remember. Asset assessment application form has question about family members and live in carer and mention how many years.

My MIL didn't have to pay bond even though she owned a house because we had been living in the house for 16 years. She was a pensioner and she needed to pay for only daily fees for nursing home.

We thought we might have to move out of the house which we renovated and built two bedrooms and a bathroom extensions but we didn't have to.

[katydidthat]

Hi Syrups, it's situations like that where you have to be really well advised.  Preferably 5 years in advance.  

A pensioner I knew gifted his house ... that meant a 5 year waiting period before he could enter a nursing home.  

[ashjoma]

OP - just to add

you are not alone

my Dad is about to turn 89 in a few days

he was fine till Mum died last March and has deteriorated rapidly physically and mentally and wants to die now.  

He is also forgetful now and could not manage his own affairs or live alone, cook,clean

but having said that, he does not go and try  to buy motorbikes or anything else thankfully !!

I have his ATM card and can use as I choose and pay his bills etc etc.

He does get upset with me if he has less than $200 in his wallet (even though he doesn't really need anything and he knows that )

and gets angry and says I am dishonest and am keeping things from him.  

So as long as he has $200 or more, he is fine.

So you will have to see the nest way of keeping your FIL happy and as content as possible.

Small things make all the difference.

I am going to get him to go to daycare as he is driving me slightly crazy at times.

I do have the POA and enduring guardianship which is very important for me to manage his bills etc

Also another tip - and this was told to me by a friend in a similar situation to mine and 

i found it to be very true and knowing this has saved me alot of grief and I thanked her for the tip.

If he asks something, make an immediate decision  and don;t let things hang as he will dwell on it. Especially if a trivial matter.

eg  my dad keeps asking me how long should he wear his underwear and socks before washing - and I am asked this regularly, sometimes every couple of days,

and he says 'how long, one day, two days, three days or what should I do ? "

I would initially say 'as long as you want dad - I am happy to wash them  whenever you wish'

Now this would puzzle Dad and leave him anxious.

So, armed with this tip from my friend, when I am asked this question, I now say

'every day Dad, just leave the dirty ones in the laundry'

this has solved the problem of leaving him abit bewildered  and he goes off happy that a decision has been made, no matter how trivial

.

[azureline**]

OK, all moving along well atm. OH contacted solicitor and clarified what he can do. The assessment will be done as requested.

FIL is not taking his medication, flatly refuses it. He will not have meals on wheels, is very much against eating food strangers have cooked.

He had NEVER eaten in a restaurant or cafe until 5 years ago, I have been cooking his meals for 2 years now,  they are kept frozen and the daily health worker defrosts/reheats it at lunch time for him. He ran out a week ago as OH forgot to take more down last week and I arranged meals on wheels and paid for them. When the meals arrived he refused to accept them..:-( He called me and asked if I could bring him some food.

We want his house to be sold so there is no chance he can return there as it is isolated, 10 acres and full of his late wife's belongings and it makes him melancholy. He needs stimulation and people his own age to talk to, imo. If every cent he has needs to be used for a place where he is safe, we will be happy.

[azureline**]

OP - just to add

you are not alone

my Dad is about to turn 89 in a few days

he was fine till Mum died last March and has deteriorated rapidly physically and mentally and wants to die now.  

He is also forgetful now and could not manage his own affairs or live alone, cook,clean

but having said that, he does not go and try  to buy motorbikes or anything else thankfully !!

I have his ATM card and can use as I choose and pay his bills etc etc.

He does get upset with me if he has less than $200 in his wallet (even though he doesn't really need anything and he knows that )

and gets angry and says I am dishonest and am keeping things from him.  

So as long as he has $200 or more, he is fine.

So you will have to see the nest way of keeping your FIL happy and as content as possible.

Small things make all the difference.

I am going to get him to go to daycare as he is driving me slightly crazy at times.

I do have the POA and enduring guardianship which is very important for me to manage his bills etc

Also another tip - and this was told to me by a friend in a similar situation to mine and 

i found it to be very true and knowing this has saved me alot of grief and I thanked her for the tip.

If he asks something, make an immediate decision  and don;t let things hang as he will dwell on it. Especially if a trivial matter.

eg  my dad keeps asking me how long should he wear his underwear and socks before washing - and I am asked this regularly, sometimes every couple of days,

and he says 'how long, one day, two days, three days or what should I do ? "

I would initially say 'as long as you want dad - I am happy to wash them  whenever you wish'

Now this would puzzle Dad and leave him anxious.

So, armed with this tip from my friend, when I am asked this question, I now say

'every day Dad, just leave the dirty ones in the laundry'

this has solved the problem of leaving him abit bewildered  and he goes off happy that a decision has been made, no matter how trivial

.

Thank you :-x I will talk to his family about this too! 

[ashjoma]

azureline  - he sounds like my Dad  - the sadness and melancholy

Dad also needs to get out and be with other people and have some stimulation and something to do