Supported by Carers WA

A Long Way from Home

A Referral Guide for taking care of an older

person

‘across the miles’

Supported by Carers WA

Supported by Carers WA

Table of Contents

1. About this Referral Guide

2. Carers – who are they?

3. Understanding older people’s needs – a snapshot

4. Useful things you can do and resources you can access

5. Looking after yourself

6. Bringing it all together

7. Check list and Resource Guide

References

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Chapter One

About this Referral Guide

We live in a time of geographic mobility. Many Australian families are now separated by distances longer than one hour’s travelling. Families are separated not only by outer suburbs but also by states and countries. When everyone is healthy and active this can work very well, especially for older retired parents who take much joy in travelling to visit their adult children, grandchildren and other family. However when illness strikes it is a very different experience.

It can all happen quickly with a stroke or heart attack or a slower decline with cancer or dementia. Whatever the illness some family members may find themselves thrust into the role of carer – a long distance carer.

There is very little data on ‘caring from a distance’ but empirical evidence suggests that this is a growing trend in Australia and countries such as the UK, Europe and the US. These carers need a special kind of assistance.

This referral guide will endeavour to bridge the gap in information for young and middle aged adults

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who are looking after an older person ‘across the miles’ and provide helpful, useful information.

We will look at what is meant by being a carer, the older person’s needs, useful things you can do, how to look after yourself through this stressful time and finally a check and resource list.

Start where you are Use what you have Do what you can

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Stories …

Five years ago, Gillian’s widowed father moved from the family home in Scarborough (Gillian lived nearby in Doubleview) to a retirement village that was closer to his older sister in Mandurah. Gillian was the eldest child and had one step sister who was estranged from her family. Gillian was happy to visit her Dad and they met up weekly for lunch. Sometimes they would go to a movie. It was an arrangement that suited everyone. After all, what was an hour or so travelling? But as time passed the trip seemed to get longer, time together was harder to arrange and as a result they saw less of one another. Then Gillian’s Dad’s health began to slide. His aunt called to say that Gillian’s Dad had fallen and broken his hip and was in need of urgent help. Gillian’s world collapsed. What should she do? Where could she go? And how could she manage looking after her father from a distance?

Tom lives in Karratha and his mother Barbara lives alone in a Busselton unit. Tom visits her several times each year. Barbara also has two married daughters who live overseas so Tom is the only child who she sees on a regular basis. Tom began to notice that his Mum was starting to have problems managing some things on her own – she seemed tired all the time. He called his sisters and they agreed

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that he should make enquiries to organize some assistance for their mother. Tom managed to organize cleaning help and meal deliveries for Barbara though the HACC program and this was working well. But a few months later Barbara fainted in church and was taken to the Busselton Health Campus. The hospital contacted Tom and requested he come to Busselton immediately but as Tom was working out in the field it took him some days to get to see his mother by which time the results of Barbara’s tests were available. She had stomach cancer and would need ongoing care. One of Tom’s colleagues suggested he organize Enduring Power of Attorney documents as a first step then follow up on Power of Guardianship and the Advance Health Directive and find out if his mother had made a Will. Tom’s sisters were happy for him to be sole attorney but did not want their Mother to go into Aged Care. Tom spoke to the social worker at the hospital and she gave him three packages of information for Tom and his sisters to help them work out, with their Mum what to do next. In the meantime the hospital suggested that Tom contact Silver Chain who could assist Barbara with medical support and ensure that her immediate needs were met.

When Tony received his promotion to a new position in his company in Geelong he was excited at the prospect of a new life and looked forward to the transfer from Perth to Geelong. He was the only

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child of Kay, a single mother who had worked hard all her life to support them both. Kay enjoyed good health and had a great zest for life. Now retired she had recently moved to a Villa in Yokine and was also making a new life for

herself. Life was good for them both. Tony and Kay kept in touch by phone, TXT and email but Kay was not able to afford the airfares to visit Tony and he promised to visit home twice a year but life was pretty hectic and it just didn’t happen. One day Kay was at the shopping centre when she suddenly felt ill and collapsed. She was taken to the Emergency Department and it was pretty clear that she’d had a stroke. There was no prospect of recovery for Kay as she now had vascular dementia. Kay was no longer the woman she used to be and would need constant care. Overnight her only child Tony had become her carer – and he was a long way from home. His life and priorities were about to change.

Alison is a very organized person who has a demanding job in IT. She is married to Jake and they have two children. Alison, Jake and their family live in London, love their life in the UK and have no plans to return to Australia. Her parents had been divorced for many years and just after his retirement her father Trevor re-married. Trevor and his new wife chose to live in Albany. They had

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only just settled into their new home when Trevor had a serious heart attack. Alison was stunned and her first instinct was to jump on a plane and go and see her father but her step mother told her this wouldn’t be necessary as he was being well cared for. Alison called the hospital but as she was not next of kin she was not able to get very much information – her stepmother continued to refuse to give her information apart from assuring her that all was well and her daughters (Alison’s step sisters) were being a great help. Alison felt hurt and isolated and didn’t know where to turn. But being a very resourceful person she got online and found Carers WA’s website and called their counselling line. At last Alison felt she was getting the support she needed. She decided that despite what her stepmother had told her she was going to visit her father, make peace with the family and work out a way she could assist – from a distance

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Chapter Two

Carers – who are they?

In Western Australia we have the Carer’s Recognition Act. It was introduced in 2004 and we were the first Australian jurisdiction to introduce stand-alone legislation that recognized carers.

The Act provides us with a legal definition of carer –

A carer provides ongoing support, care and assistance to a person with disability or a chronic illness (which includes mental illness) or who is frail, without receiving a salary or wage for the care they provide1

The Act requires government agencies such as the Disability Services Commission and the Department of Health – including public hospitals and organizations funded by these agencies to provide an annual report on their compliance with the Act and Carers Charter to the Carer’s Advisory Council. The Council reports annually to the state government Minister with responsibility for carers on compliance with the Act and provides the Minister with advice about carers.

And to guide best practice there is a Carers Charter which provides clear direction on how carers are to be

1 See the State Law Publisher’s website for a full copy of the Act. http://www.slp.wa.gov.au/Index.html

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treated and how carers are to be involved in the delivery of services.

Under the Carers Charter:

1. Carers must be treated with respect and dignity

2. The role of carers must be recognized by including carers in the assessment, planning, delivery and review of services that impact on them and the role of carers.

3. The views and needs of carers must be taken into account along with the views, needs and best interests of people receiving care when decisions are made that impact on carers and the role of carers.

4. Complaints made by carers in relation to services that impact on them and the role of carers must be given due attention and consideration.

Carers WA, the peak body that represents the needs and interests of carers in Western Australia tell us that there are an estimated 310,000 Western Australian carers. In Australia the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that in 2012 there were almost 2.7 million carers (12%) with 770,000 (3.4%) identified as primary carers. Females made up the majority of carers representing 70% of primary carers and 56% of carers overall.

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Each carer’s situation is different and anyone can become a carer at any time!

Many carers find themselves totally unprepared for the role– it wasn’t in the plan! Suddenly they are juggling physical and emotional demands as well as time and financial commitments. They are also more likely to be affected by health problems such as depression and stress related illness.

While caring for a loved one may be very rewarding it is important that carers receive recognition and support for the difficult and demanding role they have undertaken.

Caring from a distance has its own special challenges and frustrations. It is the purpose of this Referral Guide to provide information, suggestions and resources to make this role a little easier for those who are grappling with a myriad of caring demands.

Our key message to carers is – and you will see this repeated throughout the Guide is to take care of yourself. It’s a simple message but one that is so often overlooked. The caring role may sometimes become totally overwhelming and a very lonely journey. The good news is that there is lots of support, help and comfort out there – you are very definitely not alone!

The little quotes throughout this Guide are a reminder to carers that you are important and your needs do matter.

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Promise me you’ll always remember:

you’re braver than you believe,

stronger than you seem and smarter

than you think.

A.A. Milne

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Chapter Three

Understanding older people’s needs – a snapshot

We’re told that being “old” is more than the number of our birthdays – it is about how we view ourselves, our social status and how society views us – a complex cocktail.

One of the most difficult journeys for an older parent and their adult children is negotiating the power shift between parent and child – many ageing parents resist giving up their independence and being dictated to by their adult children. Suddenly Mum and or Dad are ‘stubborn’, ‘difficult’, ‘grumpy’ and a host of other labels. The changing of roles is one that needs to be handled with sensitivity and compassion.

It is important to the older person’s physical and mental wellbeing that their autonomy and independence is respected. Many of them prefer to be the helper rather than be helped and do not want to be a ‘burden’ on their children or grandchildren.

When older people retire their lives take on a whole new meaning. For some it is about downsizing and beginning a life of travel and adventure, others prefer a quiet life enjoying their home activities and grandchildren, others are joiners and are busy with club activities, others enjoy solitude (there is a vast difference

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between solitude and loneliness!) and others find their hopes and dreams shattered by sudden ill health. It is also a time when adult children are also busy with their careers and family – often sandwiched between adolescents (who are fighting to gain their independence) and ageing parents (who are fighting to maintain theirs). All parties are experiencing huge changes in their lives and often struggle to understand what is happening.

If this is difficult for adult children who live close to their parents then it is even more so for those living away. They are not around to witness the small but subtle changes in Mum or Dad’s physical or mental health. While telephone, Skype, SMS, email and social media all provide a great way to keep in touch it’s usually all about good news - superficial and spin!

If the adult child has siblings and shares a good relationship with them then it is more likely that they will be aware of what’s really happening with their loved ones. It could be useful for those who live away to plan for regular trips to visit – annually for long haul and more often for shorter distances. This is particularly important for only children. This group really does it tough! Such visits would provide an opportunity not only with re-connecting with their older relatives but also observing what is going on in their lives.

Some warning signs that older people may need help are:

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Problems with mobility Difficulty shopping for food, preparing and eating

meals Lack of interest in personal hygiene Problems with incontinence Can no longer drive, get to the shops or use

public transport Show signs of confusion and memory loss Difficulty with finances and personal banking Neglect of household maintenance, laundry and

gardening Problems getting to doctors’ appointments Difficulty in taking medication Isolated from friends Problems with vision and hearing Falls and accidents in the home

When such changes occur a gentle, encouraging approach is the best – bullying, harassing or making decisions about older people’s lives without consultation is not productive and can be damaging to all parties. And most important of all is to remember to treat older people with respect and do not ‘over cosset’ – it may take Mum, Dad or an older relative a little longer to do something but allow them to do it in their own time. It can be soul destroying to have a younger person barge in, even if they are well intentioned and say ‘let me do that’.

In the next Chapter we will look at some useful things than can be done to assist older parents but for now let’s

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re-visit the important points about what we understand are important issues for the older person – they would like to:

• Maintain independence and autonomy

• Not be a ‘burden’, cosseted’ or over protected – most important.

• Enjoy spending time with family

• Enjoy solitude

• Be treated with respect and dignity

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Chapter Four

Useful things you can do – and resources you can access

Where to start? Knowing what services are available and arranging care for someone far away can be a daunting task.

A good place to begin is with the My Aged Care website. This website has a wealth of information about Carers and will provide you with excellent information:

http://www.myagedcare.gov.au/caring-someone

1. Home and Community Care (HACC)

The Home and Community Care (HACC) program supports people to stay at home and be more active in the community. They can assist with personal hygiene, shopping, meals, housework, transport and home modification. You do not need an aged care assessment for this service. You can call HACC on 1800 200 422 to find out more about their services where your family member resides. HACC’s website is: http://health.gov.au/hacc . There are a number of changes afoot for the HACC program in Western Australia so we recommend that you call the 1800 number or check the website on a regular basis so you are up to date with what is happening. Alternatively you

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could call the WA Regional Assessment Service (RAS) on 1300 785 415.

If you have siblings or other family members who live closer to your relative it will be easier for you to work out who does what – you may wish to offer to help with paperwork, arrange appointments or assist with online activities such as online grocery shopping. Work out a plan so everyone is clear on their responsibilities and nominate one person to be the main contact.

But if you are an only child you will need to tap into your family member’s networks – friends and neighbours and seek their assistance. Communication is the key – keeping in touch with people on a regular basis and building good relationships makes the caring role so much easier particularly in times of emergency.

2. Home Care Packages and Commonwealth Home Support Programme

Your family member may be eligible for a Home Care Package. An Aged Care Assessment is needed to qualify for these services and these Assessments can be carried out on the recommendation of your family member’s general practitioner (GP). The Aged Care Assessment (ACAT) team will visit your family member in their home or in hospital to assess their needs. It would be useful for a family representative to also be present at this meeting. From the 1st July 2015 all Home

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Care Packaged will be provided on a Consumer Directed Care basis – we recommend that you contact the Australian Government Department of Social Services on 1800 200 422 (Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm) for further assistance and information.

You may also wish to check out the information on Consumer Directed Care that COTA WA provides– see www.cotawa.org.au or give them a call on (08) 9472 0104

As from 1st July 2015 the Commonwealth Home Support Programme will bring together a number of services – Commonwealth Home and Community Care, National Respite for Carers, Day Therapy Centres and Assistance with Care and Housing for the Aged. Once again we suggest you give the 1800 200 422 a call for further information or check out the web site:

https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/aged-care-services/commonwealth-home-support-programme

3. Organise a Care Plan

One option for your family to help you all better understand and manage your family member’s needs is a Care Plan. If you are a sole carer then this would also be useful. Write down details about your family member’s preferences – what time they like to shower, food preferences, use of walking aids, likes and dislikes

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and a medication schedule. You can talk to your family member’s local pharmacist and request Webster Packs for medications which makes it easier for the family member or care professional to administer their daily medication. The Care Plan could also contain a list of all health professionals and their contact numbers. It is important that this Plan is kept up to date and circulated to all family members. This could be a useful task for you to undertake as it will keep you in touch with what’s happening and in regular contact with all players.

Here is an example of information that would be useful:

• Full legal name and residence • Birthdate and place, birth certificate • Centrelink and Medicare Numbers • Education records • Sources of income and assets including

investment income (stocks, bonds, property) • Insurance policies, bank accounts, deeds,

investments and other valuables • Most recent income tax return • Money owed, to whom and when payments are

due’ • Credit card names and numbers • Safe deposit box key and information • Will beneficiary information - see section 5. • Enduring Power of Attorney – see section 5. • Enduring Power of Guardianship – see section 5. • Advanced Health Directive – see section 5.

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• Where cash or other valuables might be kept in the home

4. Buying home care aids and equipment

If the person you are caring for is finding it difficult to get around the house or attend to personal hygiene they could benefit from home care aids and equipment. He or she may be eligible for these aids through HACC or a Home Care Package but a good place to start for information about home care aids and equipment is the Independent Living Centre of WA – http://ilc.com.au/ or call them om 1300 885 866. It will be able to assist you work out the best way to look after your family member’s needs.

5. Financial and legal issues

Sometimes your family member’s needs cannot be met at home and they may need to go into residential care. It is very important that you seek professional financial advice from an accredited financial advisor to help you work out the costs and what is involved. There are a number of financial advisers who specialize in Residential Aged Care and an internet search will provide you with their information. (There is further information on Residential Aged Care in s.7 below)

It is vitally important that your family member has legal instruments in place to enable family members to care for them. In Western Australia these are Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) and Enduring Power of

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Guardianship (EPG) as well as the Advanced Health Directive (AHD). (See www.publicadvocate.wa.gov.au)

You can also contact Centrelink and be nominated as a contact person for your family member. It is worthwhile to spend some time looking at the sections on Older Australians and Carers on the Department of Human Services website - http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/dhs/centrelink

Your family member will need to have the capacity to initiate an EPA, EPG or AHD. If they do not have capacity and have not put any of these mechanisms in place you will need to call the Telephone Advisory Service of the Office of the Public Advocate – 1300 858 455. They will provide you with advice on how to proceed.

An up to date Will is also very important. As a starting point check out the Citizens Advice Bureau web page on Wills - http://www.cabwa.com.au/ or you could call them on (08) 9221 5711. If your family member’s Will is current you may wish to lodge it at the Public Trustee’s Will Bank for safekeeping – it will then be in a central place and easy to access - http://www.publictrustee.wa.gov.au/W/wa_will_bank.aspx

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6. Caring for a family member with Dementia

It is absolutely devastating for everyone when a family member begins to suffer significant memory loss and is eventually diagnosed as suffering from dementia. You will have the whole thorny issue of capacity to deal with as well as the struggle to understand what is happening to your loved one.

A really good place to start is to visit the Alzheimer’s Australia website – the Western Australian URL is – https://wa.fightdementia.org.au/ Don’t hesitate to call their helpline – 1800 100 500. They know what you’re dealing with, understand how you’re feeling and can provide wonderful support and information.

7. Residential Aged Care

The decision about moving to residential aged care isn’t an easy one. Quite often it is one that is forced upon families due to the stress of being no longer able to care for a parent or when home help is insufficient to do so. It is a difficult decision and a stressful time for all concerned.

Where to start? Fortunately there is, once again, the My Aged Care website which will point you in the right direction: http://www.myagedcare.gov.au/

Carers WA and Advocare, with the support of Lotterywest have a publication which really is a ‘must

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have’ for families whose loved ones are entering aged care – “Support Packs for Families whose Loved one is entering Aged Care” is available through Advocare Incorporated (08) 9479 7566 or for country callers 1800 655 566.

When you are caring from a distance your main mode of communication is usually the telephone. If your relative is in an aged care facility it is suggested that you keep a diary of phone calls made and the responses given to your queries. If you wish to confirm arrangements or have any queries it is recommended that you send an email. You are now dealing with an institution with all its rules and regulations and in a way it’s like dealing with a business but this business is about taking care of your loved one so it is very important that you keep communication clear so there can be no misunderstandings about your wishes. If you are frustrated in your dealings with the aged care facility or need some assistance Advocare can help you – call (08) 9479 7566 or country callers 1800 655 566.

8. Communication

Many seniors these days are relishing the advent of new technology and are busily emailing, sending TXT messages, making Skype calls to intra-state, interstate and overseas family members and some are even Facebook addicts (not forgetting Twitter and Instagram!). They also have smartphones, ipads and tablets as well as a personal computer.

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For families separated by distance these different forms of communication provide a lifeline – being able to see your loved one on video on Skype or Apple Face Time makes such a difference.

But some seniors while interested in the new technology may be a little hesitant to use it and lack confidence. This is where younger members of the family can assist by encouraging older relatives to take up the new ‘gadgets’. But please be patient! So much of this is easy or second nature to the Gen X & Y’s but for older people it’s like learning a whole new language. But it can and is being done. There are classes available to assist seniors acquire new technological skills... COTA WA runs computer classes for seniors at very reasonable rates – call (08) 9472 0104 for further information. The Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association (ASCCA) also runs classes, particularly in regional areas - http://www.ascca.org.au/

Finally two tips to those caring from a distance – if your older relative is active on the computer or other hardware please ensure they have adequate virus protection and equally important if they are into exploring social media make sure that their privacy settings are in place.

By this stage you may well be feeling pretty exhausted! There’s just so much to do and so much information to digest. It isn’t easy trying to manage another person’s life! The next Chapter is about you – how to look after yourself through this process.

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Chapter Five

Looking after yourself

Throughout this booklet you will notice quotes of encouragement and support - two essential ingredients for your mental and emotional wellbeing as you take on this new challenge of being a carer – albeit from a distance.

Many carers have described their caring and support roles as ‘relentless’ and one that has hi-jacked their life. In your case, caring from a distance while not as ‘hands on’ can be equally distressing and frustrating. Modern communication is brilliant but not being able to actually be there is very difficult.

As a first step in looking after you take some time out to look at Carers WA’s website - http://www.carerswa.asn.au/ Looking after the interests of carers is this organization’s prime objective and they provide terrific support. If you are in another state visit Carers Australia website - http://www.carersaustralia.com.au/ And even if you are overseas you will benefit from the information and support available.

And there is a lot of support available! If you are caring for a family member with a mental health issue Beyond Blue has released a Guide for Carers which is most worthwhile. http://www.beyondblue.org.au/about-us/news/news/2013/03/19/being-a-carer-doesnt-come-

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with-an-instruction-manual-so-the-lack-of-information-and-support-can-be-difficult

By now you have a lot of information about taking care of your loved one a lot of which is probably really confusing and maybe overwhelming so this Chapter is about you – and you really must come first. If you aren’t coping then you will not be able to care or contribute to the care for your family member.

Your General Practitioner (GP) can be of great assistance – make an appointment with the sole purpose of advising him/her of the change in your circumstances. If your GP is aware of the added stresses in your life he/she can monitor your health and give you advice on how to care for your health through a healthy diet, exercise and regular health checks and if you live in Australia may even suggest a Mental Health Treatment Plan that is available through Medicare.

As well as the basics of good diet, exercise and lots of sleep a holistic approach to your health is most worthwhile.

Some ideas:

• meditation • relaxation exercises • Yoga • Pilates, • Tai Chi • a brisk walk

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• massage • catching up with other family and friends • make time for a quick cuppa or lunch with

friends, family or colleagues – remember that isolation is deadly!

You may feel that all your holidays need to be spent visiting your family member, especially when you live a very long way from home. But this doesn’t have to be the case. You need your breaks to re-charge your batteries so you can continue in all your roles. Even if you are an only child try to organise others to cover for you while you take that important break away from reality.

It is normal to feel fearful, confused, guilty, uncertain, insecure and grieve for your family member. If these feelings become overwhelming there is telephone counselling available through Carers WA on 1800 007 332 or if you prefer you can email them on chat@carerswa.asn.au , organize a face to face visit or make use of Skype counselling – just call or email Carers WA at the above number for further details.

Another excellent source of support and assistance is Alzheimer’s Australia Helpline – 1800 100 500. If you are overseas you could search for support services available for carers in your area.

It is worth repeating – help is available and you are not alone.

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There are support groups available – once again check online for information. These groups can be extremely helpful for sharing experiences, learning new skills, making new friends and also having a good laugh!

And there will be laughter, lots of it, as your carer’s journey is not all negative – it is certainly difficult but there will be bright moments, times of hope and joy and the knowledge that you are making a wonderful contribution to improve the life of someone you love very dearly.

Piglet

“How do you spell love?”

Pooh

“You don’t spell it you feel it”

“Winnie the Pooh” A.A. Milne

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Chapter 6

Bringing it all together

We’ve covered a lot of issues in this brief Referral Guide - the role of carer, what it means and how it impacts on our lives and those around us – and of course, most importantly the person who is in our care.

And to help us understand the person we are caring for we have looked at the needs of older people and useful things we can do to assist them without becoming overbearing or patronizing.

Central to all of the above is the need to look after ourselves throughout the caring process and we have provided many links to helpful websites and information about support organizations.

The final part of this short volume is a Resource Guide. With the assistance of the World Wide Web we are hopeful that we can assist you to find the answers to your questions – especially those that emerge at 3am! Telephone numbers are also provided.

Caring from a distance isn’t easy. We wish you well on what can be a difficult, frustrating, confronting but also a very rewarding, satisfying journey and hope that this Guide can help you on your way.

And remember those wise words

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Chapter 7

Resource Guide

Advocacy:

Advocare:

Advocare Incorporated provides advocacy and support for those in Aged Care and with a disability - http://www.advocare.org.au/ Helpline – 1300 724 679 OR 1800 655 566 (Country callers)

Ethnic Disability Advocacy Centre (EDAC) – (08) 9388 7455 or 1800 659 921 Promotes and safeguards the rights of ethnic people with disabilities and their families. People with Disabilities WA (08) 9485 8900 or 1800 193 331 (country callers) Advocacy, referral and information for people with intellectual, physical and psychiatric disabilities.

Aids and equipment

Independent Living Centre – has branches in each state 1300 885 886: www.ilc.org.au Technology Assisting Disability WA (TADWA)

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(08) 9379 7400 Information and assistance with aids and appliances for individuals with a disability. www.tadwa.org.au Disability Services Commission: Community Aids and Equipment Program (CAEP) (08) 9426 9200 Assistance with aids and equipment and home modifications for eligible people with a long term disability. www.disability.wa.gov.au Carers:

Caring for others - Commonwealth government information http://www.healthdirect.gov.au/caring-for-others : 1800 022 222 My Aged Care – caring for someone - Commonwealth government information www.myagedcare.gov.au : 1800 200 422

Carers Australia - support, counselling, information (has branches in each state) http://www.carersaustralia.com.au/ : 1800 242 636 Carers WA – Freecall within W.A. : 1800 242 636 http://www.carerswa.asn.au/

Carers Counselling Line – Freecall:

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1800 007 332

ARAFMI - Association for Relatives and Friends of the Mentally ill -support, counselling, information.

ARAFMI Western Australia – www.arafmi.asn.au – (08) 9427 7100 or Rural Freecall – 1800 811 747 Alzheimers Australia – National Dementia Hotline – 1800 100 500

(Alzheimers Australia also has state branches – see https://fightdementia.org.au/)

Beyond Blue – provides information and support on anxiety, depression and suicide prevention. http://www.beyondblue.org.au/ Telephone: Support service, available 24/7 – 1300 22 4636

Computer training for Seniors: COTA WA – (08) 9472 0104 Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association - http://www.ascca.org.au/

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Emergency Numbers for Western Australia

Ambulance, Fire Emergency 000

Police Assistance 13 14 44

Poisons Information 13 11 26

Health Direct 1800 022 222 (Free medical advice) Gas Faults and emergencies 13 13 52 Electricity Faults and Emergencies 13 13 51 Water Faults and Emergencies 13 13 75 Lifeline – provides crisis support 24/7 – 13 11 14

Complaints The Health Consumers Council (08) 9221 3422 or 1800 620 780 Advocates on behalf of consumers to governments, doctors, health professionals, hospitals and the wider health system. http://www.hconc.org.au/home/

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Health and Disability Services Complaints Office (HaDSCO) (08) 65517600 or 1800 813 583 An independent statutory authority providing impartial resolution service for complaints relating to health or disability service providers in WA https://www.hadsco.wa.gov.au/home/ Aged Care Complaints Resolution Scheme 1800 550 552 Handles complaints about Australian Government-subsidised aged care services (residential or community care) https://agedcarecomplaints.govspace.gov.au/ National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline 1800 880 052 To report claims of abuse and neglect of people with disabilities in any government funded disability service. http://www.disabilityhotline.net.au/ Centrelink – complaints and feedback 1800 132 468 http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/information/feedback-complaints

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Financial and Legal – Western Australia

The Office of the Public Advocate has detailed information on Enduring Power of Attorney, Enduring Power of Guardianship and Advance Health Directive, Guardianship and Elder Abuse. http://www.publicadvocate.wa.gov.au/default.aspx. A Telephone Advisory Service is available from Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 4.30pm – 1300 858 455.

The Office also has a useful page of links to other agencies – www.publicadvocate.wa.gov.au

Wills and Estate Management – information available through the Attorney General’s Office - http://www.dotag.wa.gov.au/ The Public Trustee, a Statutory Body, also has Wills and Estate Management information and operates a free Will Bank – www.publictrustee.wa.gov.au Telephone – 1300 746 116

The Citizens Advice Bureau, a not for profit organizations, operates a legal service – http://www.cabwa.com.au/ - Telephone (08) 9221 5711

Community Legal Services – these are community based, and community managed and have branches throughout Western Australia. For Directory Information see:

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http://www.communitylaw.net/ or call (08) 9221 9322.

Centrelink – see http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/contact-us/phone-us For list of numbers for various Centrelink services. Help in the home:

Home and Community Care –services to assist people to stay in their own home. http://www.myagedcare.gov.au/aged-care-services/home-and-community-care 1800 200 422 – Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm

Home Care Today – consumer directed care information - http://www.homecaretoday.org.au/ - you may also call COTA WA, as follows:

COTA WA – www.cotawa.org.au

or call (08) 94720104

Ombudsman

Commonwealth Ombudsman – for complaints in dealing with Commonwealth Government agencies - http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/ - 1300 362 072 (9.00am to 5.00pm. AEST)

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Ombudsman Western Australia – for complaints dealing with Western Australian Government departments, local government, Statutory Authorities and public universities. http://www.ombudsman.wa.gov.au/ - 1800 117 000 and (08) 92207555

Energy and Water Ombudsman – for ongoing complaints concerning electricity, gas and water - http://www.ombudsman.wa.gov.au/energyandwater/ - 1800 754 004

Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman – for issues concerning telephone and internet providers. - http://www.tio.com.au/ - 1800 062 058

Residential Aged Care

My Aged Care - http://www.myagedcare.gov.au/

Support Guide for Carers – Advocare Incorporated – (08) 9479 7566

Respite

My Aged Care – www.myagedcare.gov.au

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1800 200 422 – Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm. Saturday 10am to 2pm

Carers WA

1300 227 377 – 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday

Disclaimer: to the best of our knowledge, the information in this Resource Guide was correct at the time of printing. COTA WA does not recommend or support any one provider. This list may not reflect the entire range of contacts or services available in Western Australia.

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References

Caring from a distance – Emma Hamilton: published on Aged Carer www.agedcarer.com.au

Lindley, S.E. Harper, R & Sellen, A (2008) Designing for elders: Exploring the complexity of relationships in later life. In Proceedings of the 22nd annual conference of the British HCI Group (HCI 2008) Volume 1, 77-86.

“So Far Away – Twenty Questions and Answers About Long-Distance Caregiving” – National Institute on Aging - http://www.nia.nih.gov/

The beyondblue Guide for Carers – Supporting and caring for a person with depression, anxiety and/or a related disorder. Caring for others, caring for yourself - www.beyondblue.org.au

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WHAT IS COTA WA AND WHAT DO WE DO?

COTA WA is:

• An independent organisation run by older people for older people;

• The Voice of Seniors – advocating on behalf of seniors to influence local, state and federal government, business and the community;

• A provider of programmes and projects that benefit seniors, including the Seniors’ Housing Centre, Living Longer Living Stronger, technology training, peer education and crime and safety talks;

• A member organisation providing benefits to

individual and organisational members including the Ambassador Card, COTA Maintenance, ‘ONECOTA’ magazine and free or reduced prices to attend our events;

• An incorporated, non-profit, charitable, deductible gift recipient organisation governed by an elected Board, managed and run by professional staff, and supported by the generous contributions of many volunteers.

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© COTA Western Australia 2015 Special thanks to Lyneve Cannon, one of our valued volunteers who kindly spent many hours working on this publication. Ken Marston CEO COTA (WA) September 2015