Meet Ellen: Living Comfortably At Home At 98 Years Of Age

4 Minute Read

In April, we celebrated the 98th birthday of one of our clients, Ellen Waugh*. She looks wonderful sitting on the balcony of her Sydney home!

Meet Ellen: Living Comfortably at Home at 98 Years of Age© Danielle Robertson Consulting Pty Ltd t/as DR Care Solutions


Like most Australians as they age, Ellen wishes to remain at home rather than move to a residential aged care facility[1]. And living at home has been plain sailing for Ellen until more recent times.  


Back in 2017, Ellen’s nephew and Enduring Guardian called on us for advice and assistance. Ellen had had a fall and was in hospital recovering from a fractured ankle.


I met with Ellen in hospital and we discussed and finalised a Life Plan™ outlining her wants and wishes. In short, she wished to return home and receive in-home care.


Her wishes were met with DR Care Solutions arranging care services from one of our preferred suppliers of in-home care and providing assistance with the paperwork for a Level 4 Home Care Package (the Federal Government in-home care subsidy).


Currently, Ellen receives 11 hours of in-home care daily. While Ellen remains relatively self-sufficient, those hours of care provide supervision, grocery and general shopping outings, preparation of all meals, domestic cleaning, medication management, and importantly, the stimulation of outings to places of interest and companionship.


Having led an enriched life in the arts, Ellen has plenty of interests.


In the 1950s and 60s, she obtained degrees, both honours and masters, in arts education. During her career as a highly respected art teacher, she authored publications on the training of art teachers and was a judge of art prizes, including the prestigious Blake Prize.


More recently, she received some publicity on the 50th anniversary of the Kaldor Art Project where the US artist, Christos, wrapped the shoreline of Little Bay in Sydney. As an onlooker, Ellen took the Kodak slide film images that now form an important historical record of the art installation[2].


Ellen’s independent and interesting life continues in her late 90s, thanks largely to in-home care and her ability to fund that care.


While many readers may gasp at out-of-pocket spending of $5,000 on a week on in-home care, such spending is more common than you think.


If you have saved all your life and you do the care cost sums - involving “means tests” and residential care accommodation deposits of $550,000 (the Australian average), you may find yourself better off, in terms of lifestyle and finances, with increased in-home care[3].


* Ellen has approved our use of her photo and name.

 



Note: Information in this blog is not to be taken as financial advice. Please consult an aged care financial adviser on the funding options available to you. For your convenience, click below to browse our Financial Adviser Partners.

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If you seek to retain your independence and remain at home as you age, please feel free to call me, Danielle Robertson, for an initial discussion on how to set up the right care, support and assistance at the right time and in the right place.

- Contact Danielle - For An Impartial & Confidential Conversation

 


Resources

[1] Royal Commission Study: Australian Views on Ageing
[2] Sydney Morning Herald: Fifty Years on US 'Wrap' Artist Still Music to Ellen's Ears
[3] My Aged Care: How Much Will I Pay?

 

Danielle Robertson

Danielle Robertson

Working with you and your support network to get the right care outcomes for you and your loved ones. Danielle Robertson is founder and CEO of DR Care Solutions, offering aged care and disability care concierge services and expertise on how to set up the right care, support and assistance for your loved one, at the right time and in the right place. Danielle's experience in the Australian care sector spans over three and a half decades. Now that's a lot of experience, wisdom and networks!