Budget 2021: ‘It’s so good to have a helping hand’
The last thing Keren McCullagh wants after losing her mobility several years ago is to be taken out of her home and put in aged care.
The last thing Keren McCullagh wants after losing her mobility several years ago is to be taken out of her home and put in aged care.
The 75-year-old Perth resident is one of about a million elderly Australians who receive care in their own homes.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Tuesday announced that $7.5bn of the $17.7bn allocated to aged care in the budget would be used to help elderly Australians stay in their own homes, should they choose.
It’s a decision Ms McCullagh says will go a long way in helping older Australians maintain their lifestyle as they grow frail.
“For people with limited mobility like myself, it’s just really good to have a helping hand, someone to pick me up,” said Ms McCullagh, who has been wheelchair bound for several years after developing polio. “Having Janine (her carer) come to my house three times a week is absolutely brilliant.”
Ms McCullagh, who has been in her inner-city Perth home for more than 40 years, said going to a nursing home would be devastating. “My house is my life. I’d hate to feel like it was taken away from me.”
Ms McCullagh’s carer, Janine Donaty, 58, has looked after elderly people in home care for more than five years. While the workload varies, on average she sees about 10 people a week.
“It’s a hugely rewarding job,” she said. “You’re helping them to get through their day-to-day activities. You’re often the first person they see and it’s nice to know you helped them get their day started on the right track.”
In light of the extra funding, Ms Donaty said she wished more people understood that home care allowed the elderly to maintain their independence.
“Having someone in your home is really not intrusive. People are happy to get the extra care. It’s actually lovely to have someone popping in and checking on them.”
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