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.:-(

[lyndal1838]

Oh Az, I know how you feel...been there, done that for my own Dad.

Your first step will be to speak to his doctor, who will arrange everything. Once the ACAT team swings into action you have very little say in the matter.  He will be assessed for the care that they think is appropriate for him.

In our case the assessment was started while Dad was at home and several services were put in place to help him and us, but he had another stroke and ended up in hospital where he had a very bad fall.  His assessment was very quickly upgraded from home care to full nursing home care (high dependency).

[lyndal1838]

Just another tip....if dementia is involved you need to make sure the assessor is aware of it.  In our case Dad was an expert at hiding it from outsiders.  He was telling the assessors all sorts of tall tales that sounded completely plausible.  I made sure that they were given the correct information.

[janeababe]

The Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT)  Usually a RN, will come and visit with your FIL and Hubby and anyone can be present to ensure a friendly meeting for the relative being assessed.
They usually ask questions such as medical conditions, what they are and are not capable of doing by them selves eg: showering, toileting, preparing meals, cooking meals, taking own medicatioin at correct doses and correct times, attending to appointments by themselves etc..., they are trying to asertain your relatives limit of independance and their capabilities of remaining to live at home.

It is a necessary process and once it is done, then its on file should your FIl suddenly worsen and need higher care.
Before home care / nursing care can be given in the home (in NSW), it requires a current (less than 5yrs) ACAT assessment, so please dont be too concerned. This is a good thing. It will allow the team to give a quality assessment, listen to all your concerns with FIL's condition, its progress and be able to offer you some advice.

[syrupsmummy]

Aged Care Assessment can be done at home. You can ring up to put your name for waiting list and they will ring you up for the set date. Some years back we needed to wait for 6 months to get my MIL assessed. But the system changed a few years back and you can get assessment within a month now. I think the last assessment done (2 years ago) was within 2 weeks after the phone call.

The team will assess your dad's entitlement to go in nursing home, low care, high care etc. It doesn't mean he has to go to nursing home but without the assessment he can't go to nursing home.

The assessment team will discuss choice of care he can have such as home care including carer/nurse home visit etc beside nursing home option.

The assessment team will do a test on him with verbal questions like "who is the priminister of Australia?" What is your address?" "what year is this year?" etc. They also run a test with a pen and a paper such as draw shapes etc. And memory test like "remember 3 words I tell you now and I will ask you what they are later on."

They will interview carer/family member about his health behaviour etc. They also check his house for safety issue for falling etc.

We looked after my MIL here at home till she wasn't capable to stand up and walk. She was assessed as low care to start with and became high care at the second assessment. But we didn't put her in nursing home straight away till it became impossible to look after her at home.

So the assessment doesn't mean nursing home. You can explain to your sister about assessment is find out better options for your dad and more supports provided from NSW health.

[lyndal1838]

Syrups, if the doctor initiates the assessment it can be done within a couple of days, depending on how urgent it is.

My father's first assessment was done in 2 weeks, but when the hospital requested an upgrade it was done in 36 hours.

[kengillard]

sounds right syrups......my OH has early dementia and has been assessed by  ACAT to allow home care services at a gov. funded discount.  He has an appt with the Memory Clinic in March when they will assess his progress/or lack of it and we'll go from there.

Just ask your/his GP, and they'll advise you of the steps, Az.  It's all very emotional, so be prepared for that.  OH mum had dementia and ended up in a nursing home.

[polksaladallie]

Google, Azure, there is a wealth of information available.  In Queensland there are several agencies which provide information, and are very helpful, so I would assume it is the same in NSW.

[azureline**]

Thank you all, OH called his Dr yesterday, she said it is not her area of responsibility. OH called ACAT this morning who said OH cannot authorise an assessment?? only his dad can. OH and his older sister have an Enduring Guardianship which clearly says otherwise as Dad knew this might happen a year ago.

So, just called the person who comes to him daily, who said he had an assessment last April and is now due for another and she will arrange it. I don't know which dept she is from and forgot to ask. Problem is, the younger sister will obstruct (as she is a control freak) and wants everything done to suit her, not Dad. (she wants to move in and be his carer but Dad made it clear a year ago to his legal guy that this was not an option, under any circumstances.)

My feelings are, she could care for his physical needs but not his emotional, psychological or social needs

My biggest fear is one day he will walk out of the house and get lost.

Now my OH says he is going to lease our business out and go to live with his dad. The opposite applies here, he could not take care of dad's physical needs.

I hate dementia!!!!

[kengillard]

If a person lives with another person as their carer for any length of time, then that person has certain legal rights to a share of the will or the proceeds of the house in which they lived in to care to the patient......so I'd check that out with the legal advisor