Recommendations presented today by the Aged Care Royal Commission’s Senior Counsel Assisting, Peter Rozen QC, relating to younger people in aged care, have been warmly welcomed by Youngcare, the Summer Foundation and Young People In Nursing Homes National Alliance.
The new ‘Call-to-Test’ COVID-19 service is a topic of discussion for many people with disability at the moment.
This free service is for people in metropolitan Melbourne, who have COVID-19 symptoms but cannot leave home due to injury or mobility problems. To access this service, a referral to a GP is needed from a telehealth consultation.
Once you have a referral you can call the 1800 675 398 hotline.
A nurse will visit your home within 48 hours of the service receiving the GP referral. You will be encouraged to remain in isolation for a few days until the results are given to you.
Gina, a Summer Foundation Program Officer in our Lived Experience Team interviewed some people with disability in our network about their experience of this new ‘Call-to-Test’ Procedure.
“Smile Em,” my sister instructs from behind her camera.
I’m sitting fully masked (posing as directed) with my nieces and nephew standing at the required COVID distance.
I roll my eyes sarcastically and muffle, “Seriously Bec, smiling with a facial palsy’s hard enough! Now I’m doubly challenged with this mask!”
Hiding behind my eyepatch and bandages was once quite comforting earlier on in my stroke recovery. I could internalise my emotions. Botox masked my wrinkled lopsided expressions. My tears were plugged as my tear ducts no longer worked. My vocal cords were damaged so I couldn’t moan or whinge.
Staying COVID-free mainly… Especially in a household where we have support workers coming and going. Luckily I have a great team of women supporting me who understand that keeping me safe means keeping themselves and their families safe too. As long as everybody is doing their part to do that, we can prevent the spread amongst ourselves and our loved ones.
My biggest worry is getting COVID-19, because I have no idea and no control over who people who come into my home are mixing with outside my home. I worry someone will have come into contact with COVID-19 and then I will get it. It was really difficult to get masks, gloves or hand sanitiser.
Because it hard to access anything especially PPE. PPE protects me from catching COVID-19 and I feel safer when people are at least wearing masks when they are in close contact with me.
Q: As restrictions are eased around Australia, many are starting to enjoy the freedom they had prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The reality for many people with disability is that they will remain in isolation until a vaccine is available. Will you continue to self-isolate until a vaccine is developed and why?
I don’t mind being in my home, because I am safe and I keep in contact with friends and therapists via the internet.
I would like to stay home, but it might not be convenient because I want to get back to gym and volunteering at my school so I can get back to work, which was on the cards before the the Corona virus put my life on hold.
It scares me a bit to go back out into the community though.
Yes, because as people venture out and mix with more people, there will be a greater risk of COVID-19 spreading back into the community and so more risk of contracting COVID–19. I need my support workers to use PPE to ensure I am as safe as I can be.
Recommendations released today, 20 January 2020, following a review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) by independent expert Mr David Tune AO PSM, should unlock the benefits of the scheme more quickly and provide certainty for those trying to access it.
The winners of the two Allen Martin Scholarships for 2019 were announced at the Allen Martin Memorial Lecture and Scholarship Announcement event, held on Wednesday 13 November.
The Summer Foundation Board is extremely pleased to announce the re-appointment of Dr Di Winkler as CEO of the Summer Foundation. Di is founder of the Summer Foundation, and was CEO from the organisation’s inception in 2006 until early 2018.
When Sam Petersen was in her late twenties she had a medical procedure that would change her life.
Speaking to SBS News with the assistance of a speech-generating device, the now 34-year-old went from living independently to being placed in a nursing home.
The Summer Foundation has lodged its submission to the Aged Care Royal Commission.
The submission identifies the key policy and systemic changes needed to stop young people being forced into aged care. It covers what needs to change and how it can happen.
Our 12 recommendations are based on our extensive work with young people in aged care and with providers in the health and aged care sectors.
The people whose stories we used to illustrate the realities of living in aged care were selected from 95 young people who participated in one-on-one conversations with us.
