The Problem

It has been a tough decade for Will and his wife, Angela*, and two now adult children. He tackled the years with courage, accepting his high level of dependency on personal care, attending gym sessions to build muscle strength, and joining a stroke group.

The personal care of 35 hours per week and physiotherapy has been provided in the family home by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for many years.

When COVID-19 arrived, the restrictions saw the end of Will's gym and stroke group support sessions. Towards the end of the year, his condition deteriorated to a point that he could no longer get out of bed unassisted and became immobile.

In January 2021 he was admitted to hospital and, after extensive tests, the doctors diagnosed his deterioration as natural decline.

The Care Solution

The new higher level of dependency prompted Angela to contact DR Care Solutions to help Will live comfortably in a place of his choosing.

From hospital, Will was moved to respite care in an aged care facility. He hated the experience for various reasons, in particular the disturbances brought on by residents with dementia.

While Will and Angela's initial instruction to DR Care Solutions was to locate a minimum of four aged care facilities and/or group homes across specific Sydney suburbs close to family members and suitable for Will's level of care and social and activity interests, the respite experience left an indelible negative impression.

Will is now back in the family home with a new team of in-home carers, with all parties settling into a new routine.

The level of in-home care required is challenging, but we are getting there and Will is much happier. The care team provides full assistance with his personal care and hygiene, and help with virtually all activities of daily living. A hoist over the bed is in place to get Will into and out of bed and for all other transfers. He uses a wheelchair for mobility.