Description

Those who will be Support at Home consumers have concerns about this new program. This week Coral sits down with two remarkable women, Danijela Hlis and Hanna Law, aged care recipients, carers, and advocates. From lived experiences, they bring powerful insights to the looming changes in Australia’s aged care system. Their stories are real and filled with wisdom.

As Australia inches toward the rollout of Support at Home (SaH) in November, Danijela and Hanna discuss the fears, frustrations, and hopes from within their communities. Today’s episode invites listeners to consider the effects Support at Home will have on older Australians.

In this episode:

• Two advocates share lived insights as home care package recipients and carers
• Many older people remain unaware of aged care options until a crisis hits
• CALD communities face extra barriers
• Systemic failures in cultural training and interpreter use lead to a lack of respectful care
•  Family carers, especially CALD women, feel neglected and unsupported by the system
• Co-contributions are a major concern, with costs forcing trade-offs between showers, food, and cleaning
• Some care recipients say affordability means they’ll opt out of their packages, risking premature entry into aged care
• Disparities between aged care and NDIS raise equity concerns
• Assistive technology and home modification caps ($15,000) deemed unrealistic
• Providers, consumers, advocates, and even Ministers lack clarity on core details of SaH
• Clear, culturally appropriate information remains a missing piece in the Support at Home rollout.
• Peak advocacy groups are perceived as disconnected from grassroots realities
• Consider policy co-design from people with lived experience
• Personal stories show the shortfalls in dignified care
• Danijela and Hanna call for reforms grounded in human rights, dignity and respect

Resources mentioned:

• Transcript of ABC Radio Adelaide interview Hanna and Mark Butler

Connect with Coral Wilkinson: 

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• See Me ACN website
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More about Your Aged Care Compass podcast: 

Do you support an older loved one at home and you're ready to give up because it’s just too hard? Your Aged Care Compass is for you.

We're Coral and Michelle, the sisters behind our business, See Me Aged Care Navigators.

Coral is a registered nurse with over 30 years’ experience in both health and aged care. A former assessor with the aged care assessment team, an advocate and author, there’s not much Coral doesn’t know about Australia’s aged care system.

Michelle is a former pharmacist with over 30 years in the public health and private sectors of pharmacy. Michelle is the client care manager for our business. 

Our story started as one of supporting our parents to remain in their own home, to be as independent as possible and...