‘Just so silly: Red tape threatens to split up mother and son

A Geelong family is calling for an exemption for a man with Down syndrome, who is set to be split from his mum because he’s not allowed in aged care.

Mark and Anna Deans. Picture: Alan Barber

Red tape is threatening to force an elderly woman requiring aged care and her son with Down syndrome apart.

Anne Deans has been the primary care giver of her 57-year-old son Mark since her husband died.

Mrs Deans, 81, has entered aged care due to declining health.

But because Mr Deans is under 65, he was unable to be admitted.

Victorians must be over 65 to get an aged care assessment, with exemptions made for Indigenous Australians due to shorter life expectancy.

Mrs Dean’s daughter Sharon Demopoulos said a similar exemption should be made for people with Down syndrome.

“They have a life expectancy of about 60,” she said.

“They have accelerated ageing … by the time they get to the age my brother is, they are experiencing the same health issues as someone in their 70s.”

An experienced actor, Mr Deans has worked for over three decades with Back to Back theatre, featuring on TV shows such as Neighbours and Blue Heelers, as well as performing at the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Mr Deans now needs help in most aspects of his day-to-day life, including getting dressed and bathing.

The plan was for Ms Demopoulos or her sister to care for Mr Deans when his mother couldn’t, but she said situations had changed.

“He’s just not comfortable anywhere else,” Ms Demopoulos said.

“We’ve had a look at disability housing, but he lives with mum, and he absolutely breaks down every time he leaves her.”

Ms Deans initially moved into an aged care home where Mr Deans could not go with her.

After the family posted on social media about the dilemma, staff at another facility, Calvary Balmoral Grove in Grovedale, reached out to reunite the pair.

The centre was able to organise a temporary exemption so mother and son could be together.

A Calvary spokesman said staff at Balmoral Grove had been supporting the pair and were looking at future solutions.

“We know that mother and son wish to remain living together as they have always done, however recognise that respite care is not a long-term solution,” he said.

“Calvary continues to work with the family and with the appropriate agencies to try to find a positive outcome.”

Mark and Anna Deans. Picture: Alan Barber

Ms Demopoulos said the situation had caused distress to her whole family.

“We just want someone to come along and say, ‘This is ridiculous that you’re having to fight to keep him with your mum’,” Ms Demopoulos said.

“It’s just a number, if he was over 65 we’d be able to get him in, unfortunately it just comes down to that.

“Everyone has been super supportive and empathetic … I wish there was something someone could do.”

A spokesman from the Department of Health and Aged Care said the 2018 aged care royal commission deemed residential aged care “not an appropriate service for people aged under 65.”

He said the government remained committed to a “target of no people under the age of 65 living in residential aged care”.

“To achieve this goal, it is a requirement that younger people seeking to access aged care need to work with the National Disability Insurance Agency or Ability First Australia to explore and exhaust all other age-appropriate accommodation and support options before they are assessed for aged care,” he said.

Originally published as ‘Just so silly: Red tape threatens to split up mother and son