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]

My Dad had Alzheimers and was in the UK.  We tried to keep him at home for as long as possible.  At some stage he stopped cooking for himself and I organised meals on wheels for him.  People reported back that he wasn't eating them ... just keeping them in the fridge.  I asked what the meals were ... can't remember now, but it wasn't stuff he would eat.

For years, he had had muesli for breakfast, a meat sandwich for lunch and steak and mashed potatoes for dinner.  That was IT unless I cooked when I was there, or we went out for dinner.  

So, I rang the MoW co-ordinator and explained what was happening and got them to change the menu.  

On a somewhat funny note ... when we did go out for dinner, Dad would always eat well, enjoy himself, and then pay for everyone.  In the morning, he would have no recollection of eating at that restaurant the day before, or ever.  But, he always remembered to pay for dinner.  

[izabsmiling]

Hi Az, Are your FIL and the SIL both currently living in NSW ? Is he very far from where you live ? It would make it very hard for you both to help if he was any distance away.

[lyndal1838]

I can hardly see his son and daughter complaining if you are providing meals that he likes and will eat.

As for insisting on him eating "proper" meals....many elderly people just pick at food. Dad's doctor recommended a multi vitamin tablet which allowed a bit of leeway when he did not want to eat.  Are his tablets dependent upon him eating a proper meal, or could he get away with a scratch meal and then something later in the morning.  Dad preferred to have brunch...he hated eating too early, which was necessary if someone else had to oversee the meal.

While he was still in the house we had someone coming in at lunchtime for a while, and then my eldest daughter called in at teatime (on her way home from work) to check that he was eating.  I went down about 7.30-8pm to give him his very specialised medications which had to be taken at a certain time.....and put him to bed.

[azureline**]

They both live in  NSW, younger son lives 10 k away from Dad, younger daughter lives 5 k from him. We are in Qld, 4 hrs away. My OH goes almost every weekend to give them a break, take Dad out and stimulate his brain/interests.

Lyndal, the sister strongly objects to anything we do. She likes control. She has no idea the older siblings have POA etc.....yet. The worst thing is, she takes it out on Dad if anything is done or asked about. (even something like cleaning)

[lyndal1838]

Oh dear....I can see some bitter arguments looming in the not too far distant future.  She will have no say at all in the ACAT assessment, especially if the POA and Enduring Guardianship orders are put into action.

Just a tip about the POA...when it is actioned you have to produce the original document, not a copy.

We discovered that Dad had given POA to another family member without mentioning it to anyone.   The original document was still in the solicitor's files...she had been blithely going to the bank and other institutions with just a copy.  There was no real damage done, but it could have turned nasty if we had not all been on the same page, so to speak.

[izabsmiling]

They both live in  NSW, younger son lives 10 k away from Dad, younger daughter lives 5 k from him. We are in Qld, 4 hrs away. My OH goes almost every weekend to give them a break, take Dad out and stimulate his brain/interests.

I thought that he was some distance away from you and wondered if a nursing home nearer to you may be a better option when the time comes.Perhaps not necessary if other family members and friends are close by? .It  makes it really hard for you now doesn't it ?

My Nanna died last year..one son (out of 3) had gotten POA years before .The other family members were very shut out of things...unfortunately most feel that this was not to my Nanna's benefit .

Here are some links which may or may not be of some help now or later on.

http://www.agedcareaustralia.gov.au/internet/agedcare/publishing.nsf/Content/Help+for+people+living+with+dementia-3

http://www.fightdementia.org.au/

http://www.fightdementia.org.au/services/support-for-families-and-carers.aspx

http://www.dementiacareaustralia.com/

http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Support_Services_for_Carers_of_People_with_Dementia

[izabsmiling]

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/ageing-publicat-qcoa-01info.htm

Publications

Information sheet 1 - How Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs) can help you

Information sheet on how Aged Care Assessment Teams can help you including what they do, how they can help, how they assess the type of care you need, and how to find them.

[izabsmiling]

I hope that it's OK to bump this thread.

Az, Have you completed the process of Guardiandship for your FIL ?

may I ask how long it took from the time you applied ?

If there is someone who has done this in Victoria recently I'd appreciate any info you could share.

Thanks

[azureline**]

Iza, my FIL is in a nursing home just up the road from our home, everything is in order with the Guardianship etc but my FIL arranged this when he was well. I have no idea how you would do this if it wasn't except it would need to be done through the courts.

[izabsmiling]

Hi Az, I'm glad that that's all sorted out now.I can well appreciate the relief it brings you all.

In Vic Guardianship applications are made through VCAT .From what I've been told the time frame for the VCAT court hearing could be a piece of string type thing perhaps more so after the Christmas/New Year period.