Individual submission – Bea Sochan

I am a carer

Bea Sochan

Whilst there is value in providing services for carers to research and establish what services are available and what support both psychological and financial- there is very little in the way of support services for a full time worker where a person requires day care as a frail, aged person. The few frail, aged care services available are not in the inner west area, those that may be available as a day care service operate in the times which are not suited to a person working 9-5p.m or 7- 5p.m. [giving time for the carer to travel to take the person to day care and then go to work] What is needed is Day Care that is similar to Day Care for children for working parents. Perhaps it is worth considering a number of choices, can Nursing Homes offer a few day care positions; can a carer system be established similar to the family day care system, but the limit is one person per carer only, Day Care Facility that operates from 7a.m to 6p.m daily. Is there the possibility of providing Day Care that is associated with Child Day Care – this would mean that some families could drop off their child and parent at the one facility. Many older people in the early stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s or frail and older are able to stay at home with the family but not left alone. They may well benefit from going out and in a child/aged care situation be of benefit to children as well as the aged person benefitting from the presence of children. This area of care will increase in need as the longevity of parents increases because of improved medical interventions.