"I am living in Singapore and my parents’ health (physical and cognitive health) deteriorated. Dad was in hospital and Mum’s diagnosis of dementia and progress of deterioration meant that she couldn’t remain at home any longer. My sister-in-law had used Danielle Robertson from DR Care Solutions to find home care for her own mother and suggested I reach out to her to find my parents’ next home. We were unsure whether Dad would be coming out of hospital or when. His mobility was severely compromised. Danielle spent time with all siblings to understand Mum's and Dad’s needs, wants, and wishes; she took the time to understand who they are as people to determine which home would suit them best. 

We needed to find a home that would accept the couple together with their differing care needs. Mum and Dad and two of my siblings live in the Central Coast of NSW.

Danielle commenced work quickly and efficiently and identified five homes that may have suited Mum and Dad. She undertook due diligence of the homes,  arranged a day of tours and encouraged Mum to come along for the tours so she could have ‘buy in’.

Danielle ensured that Mum and Dad were clinically accepted and that the homes had a couple’s room available. Tours were undertaken in one day. Danielle walked alongside the family on this journey. Mum identified which home she felt most comfortable with.

Mum moved in soon after the tours and really enjoyed the activities (including dancing), food and being well cared for. Dad joined mum after a month or so. There was quite a long settling in period for Dad. At times, the family didn’t think he would settle at all.

I flew in to see Mum and Dad last week. They made a real effort to be happy when I was there. They told me numerous times about how lucky they were to be there. From my perspective this is the happiest that I have seen them for a long time. 

Mum goes for a walk every day without Dad, just around the gardens. I suppose now that it is getting colder she will walk around the building more. I was lucky enough to be there in concert day and everyone had fun.  

Mum was dancing and Dad was singing away. He remembered the chorus of Elton John’s ‘Crocodile Rock’ and we sang like drunk teenagers. Mum was dancing away…

Dad is fond of his carer Ben. Ben is soooo patient with him and because he is a bloke Dad has time for him. Ben set us up with a lunch on the balcony and both parents rave about the special treatment they were getting. 

They are as happy as they can be given their situation. It’s quite sad that their decline has been so steep, and we are all still shocked.  

Both parents thanked us (myself and siblings ) for finding such as nice place for them. I told Mum that even though she doesn’t remember it was her choosing with your help.

Once again thanks for your help, guidance, care and support at a time when we most needed it. It took all the stress and pressure out of an already stressful situation.

"Thank you for your care and attention to detail, Danelle! We could not have achieved a smooth transition into residential care for my in-laws without you!

We were in the middle of COVID restrictions and had no idea where to start. You quickly organised a shortlist of appropriate facilities, online 'walkthroughs' and an added bonus of a few certified organisations that could help with financial advice as well.

They are both happily settled in now despite the sudden change in their living arrangements.

You were our guiding light and we're so grateful for your help... all that from following you on LinkedIn all those years ago!

Wishing you continued success - your service to families is so valuable!"

"I apologise for not contacting you before; I've been 'behind the scenes' managing all Dad's financial affairs and typically visited him on the weekend when I could escape my three young kids for a few hours. I just wanted to thank you for the expert advice and support you have provided to me and my siblings. Dad's carers were great. They provided him with company and the ability to stay in familiar surroundings until the end. I am very grateful for that. I know that's how Dad wanted it to be too. Having the support from an external person took much of the emotion out of the situation. Thanks for getting in touch and checking on us."

"When Dad fell at home and ended up in Acute Aged Care at hospital, respite care was required.

Danielle Robertson came recommended to me by a mutual friend who had engaged her services. I reached out to Danielle and I was contacted promptly.

She met with us and obtained a very clear understanding of our urgent need to find Dad a suitable new home. A strategy plan was put in place to visit care facilities that Danielle had deemed to be suitable for Dad's needs.

We found the ideal new home for Dad quickly thanks to Danielle's diligence. She was very proactive with communication and was always ready to answer any concerns that we may have had.

The prospect of placing a parent into care is traumatic in itself, but the idea of finding a suitable facility was enough to bring on even more anxiety and worry. Danielle alleviated this angst and made the transition seamless. We were also referred to a Financial Aged Care Planner who gave us expert advice on the best way to manage assets.

I would highly recommend her services to anyone who finds themselves in such unfortunate and stressful waters.

I don't know how we would have navigated this difficult journey without her and the financial adviser."

"You can't put a price on having a trusted adviser hold your hand through a process like this.

Placing your loved one into aged care is fraught with many realities and Danielle has a way of making you feel like you're facing into the head winds with someone who knows what they're doing and is right by your side."

"Danielle helped myself and my family place my dad, who's got dementia and Parkinson's. We're having all sorts of trouble getting him placed into an aged care facility.

We were put in contact with Danielle and from the very start she was great; she had our whole family in, she sat us down, and she really got to know our family history and what we're about… And, you know, within 24 hours - not even – we were off checking out different aged care facilities just to see which one best suited us. Danielle came out and met us at a few of them. She also did some walk-through tours with the staff there, she guided us into the right places to go and what would be the best suit for us and for Dad.

We ended up settling on Summit Aged Care up at Randwick and it was the best choice we could have made and if we didn't have Danielle working for us and with us, we would never have never have got there and who knows where we would have ended up.

So just wanted to, on behalf of our family, from the Maguire family, just say a really big thank you to Danielle Robertson for everything you've done, and we'd highly recommend Danielle just for her professionalism and just the ease in which she made our family feel. So once again thank you very much, Danielle, we really appreciate it."

"I couldn't have managed the aged care system without Danielle's support and guidance. You can tell she really cares about her clients and their families and is passionate about finding the right fit. What she saved us in time, know-how and heartache was worth many times more what her bill was.

I can't recommend highly enough the service and support she provides."

"My mum had been in Wyong Hospital for nearly six weeks when they advised she was unable to return home. I am based in Sydney and was feeling the pressure of visiting Mum every weekend for the more than two months that she was in hospital. One of my work colleagues referred me to Danielle from DR Care Solutions as he felt she would be able to support me to find Mum's next home, closer to me in Sydney.

I started looking at aged care facilities myself but was quickly overwhelmed by the situation; I really didn't know where to start. Danielle was calm, professional and took the time to get to know Mum including her likes and dislikes. An overview was prepared (LifePlan^TM) and sent to the top pre-vetted aged care homes close to where I live. Mum was clinically accepted and then tours to four homes began. We reduced it down to two homes we liked.

The other key issue for me was how complicated the financial issues are with aged care. Danielle introduced me to an Aged Care Accredited Financial Adviser to ensure we could afford Mum's aged care costs going forward. The desired home was chosen and Mum was transported down from Wyong Hospital into her new home. She (and I) are grateful she's close by and settled. I can't thank Danielle and her team enough for her support, empathy and care throughout this process and would encourage others in the same predicament to reach out to her."

"The "Eagle has landed" and best news: no ruffled feathers! Mum loves it and can't thank us all enough.

Danielle, may I take this opportunity to thank you on behalf of the family for all your assistance in navigating the minefield of aged care. Without your guidance, we certainly would have struggled to get a placement, but to achieve an outcome where Mum "loves it" is an outstanding outcome that should not be understated.

Thank you also for connecting us with an Aged Care Accredited Financial Adviser. Whilst it's still early days with them, we feel very comfortable that through you, we will be in good hands."

"Many thanks again for your guidance through this minefield - and already I feel so much better - slept so soundly last night!"

"My Dad had several falls at home in his apartment and ended up in hospital. I didn't know whether we would be able to bring Dad home with care or whether we needed to relocate him into a residential care home. It was Dad's decision (while in the hospital) to relocate into care.

During the midst of Covid, we were very much restricted on doing tours. Given the tight restrictions, Danielle felt it was absolutely imperative that I was on the ground, and she came in remotely for all the tours to guide, support and ask appropriate questions.

We loved one place which didn't have the availability but were prepared to relocate into respite nearby and wait until a room became available at the favourite home. It wasn't too long before Dad was relocated and settled.

I can't thank you enough for being such an amazing support through what was rather an emotional time. You do amazing work."

"If you ever need to find the best possible care home, anywhere in Australia, for someone you love, you need Danielle.

My loved one's circumstances were most unusual; many homes would not - or could not - offer her a place. Danielle tirelessly approached so many over four weeks using her contacts across the city, clearly people who respected her reliable, discreet professionalism and appreciated her warm, friendly way.

I can't begin to imagine how I would have survived the process without her compassionate support until we found the perfect home.

There aren't enough words to express my admiration and gratitude!

Thank you, Danielle, for lifting such a weight. Your kindness goes way beyond business."

"Danielle specialises in assisting families find the right care solutions for their loved ones. There's no financial (or non-financial) arrangement between us and Danielle - I recommend her services because I know she's amazing at what she does and she provides the service that I'd want for my own family."

"Thank you, Danielle, for prioritising the aged care placement of my second cousin last week.

We were under extreme pressure from the hospital to relocate him into care and quickly. You sprang into action, provided us with five suitable options, toured four facilities and, within three days, had a lovely room in a facility close by to my home.

I have no doubt that your mum would be so proud of the work you're now doing with families like mine. You absolutely are an angel.

John is settling in fine and although it's a massive change for him after recently losing his wife, it's a great outcome. I truly couldn't have done it without you. Thank you again."

"You're so brilliant at what you do, Danielle. Your expertise and peace of mind are a blessing to so many!"

"My sister and I reached out to you in crisis. We were told that Mum could not return home and needed to be urgently placed into care. We phoned you and within a 48-hour period (before a weekend) and during Covid-19 lockdown, you were able to 'pull a rabbit from a hat' and find Mum the perfect place for her end-of-life care.

You moved swiftly and compassionately to ensure Mum could be moved. Unfortunately, Mum's condition deteriorated to a point where the hospital advised she could not be relocated. 

We appreciated your help when we most needed it, thank you so much. We are missing Mum every day but getting on with things and hope that now that the lockdown is finished, we can get back to something that resembles normal. I think there will always be that nagging feeling that something is missing now that Mum is no longer with us. I hope others feel comfort knowing you can help them at such a tumultuous and emotional time, quickly and professionally."

"In July 2021, I reached out to your company, DR Care Solutions, to get urgent help for my wife  Amanda who is only 57 years old and has early onset dementia.

Initially I thought we could manage her with a bit of external help and some funding from NDIS. Her condition was deteriorating, her behaviour became quite aggressive, and her existing carers were constantly abandoning her and would not come back as they could not manage her behaviour.

Myself and my 2 teenage daughters (one doing her HSC) were basically desperate and lost in what to do next.

After contacting you at DR Care Solutions, you came out quickly to assess Amanda and developed  a very detailed and comprehensive Life PlanTM for her with very clear recommendations. Thereafter you gave me a choice of thee quality home care providers with carer profiles which matched what was required in your detailed Life PlanTM for Amanda.

Once you helped me choose a suitable new care provider you also helped organise a support coordinator and a professional case manager together with a behavioural specialist to review Amanda’s current NDIS plan to get Amanda much more funding which would cover her needs now.

The new carers are highly skilled in dementia care and, together with altered medications for Amanda, have given her a more settled and comfortable daily routine.

I just want to thank you and DR Care Solutions from the bottom of my heart for all this you have done to make not only my wife's life easier but also mine and my daughters' lives have now had much stress and pressure taken off us.

Now Amanda can stay at home much longer which makes me very happy.

Thank you again, Danielle."

"I was significantly injured after being hit by a car. I needed support to keep my home running smoothly and my insurer agreed for me to have some domestic assistances.

A friend recommended that I reach out to Danielle from DR Care Solutions. Danielle sprang into action and organised a fabulous provider to assist me for several months. Their service made a big difference for my recovery. It has been extremely helpful to have those extra hands when needed the most. The cleaning service was very reliable and professional and managed the heavier tasks I was unable to.

Thank you very much again for your help and support. I would highly recommend your service to anyone in need."

"My Mum was based in Melbourne and became very unwell quickly. After being in hospital for a month, we were told she couldn't return home and would need 24/7 medical care moving forward. My brothers and I had 10 days to find her care in Sydney, complicated by COVID-19 restrictions.

In what was an already stressful time (and over the Christmas break), Danielle got to work and was able to shortlist five potential nursing homes in lightning speed time. We walked through all five in the space of a day.

Danielle's wealth of experience within the industry made me feel like I was in safe hands. She knew what to look out for, asked all the right questions, and helped us secure a new home for Mum that, as a family, we (and importantly, Mum), are really happy with.

Navigating the minefield that is aged care homes was made infinitely easier with the help of Danielle. I honestly don't think that I would have been able to do it without her!"

"We used Danielle to navigate the nightmare that is the ACAT process and entering into aged care. The Government has made it very difficult for the average person to wade their way through all of the forms and procedures.

Because we are both busy running businesses, we didn't have the time to devote to the process.

Danielle made it easy and she really cared about the future of our 90 year old father. She quickly got the ACAT Assessment done (when he was in hospital after a fall) and then proceeded to explore a number of Aged Care Facilities suitable for his needs. She took the time to take him to a number of facilities so he could assess which one he preferred.

She even put us in touch with a Financial Advisor to assist with analysing the financial implications of the various options.

She found the perfect place for our Dad and he has settled in well.

Unless you have an enormous amount of time and patience, I would strongly recommend that you use Danielle and DR Care Solutions services as she makes the whole process seem like it is easy."

"Thanks Danielle, that is the most faithful representation of any meeting that I have ever attended... yet you were hardly taking any notes!! You obviously have every single one of your own brain cells intact! Cheers, Ian."

"Some very well written and, at times, confronting topics from you over the past few weeks. Excellent work! For our own situation, I wish we’d have known you 15 years ago when we were starting to make difficult decisions about my wife’s Mum, who lived with us for 11 years. It may not have made things any easier emotionally, but it certainly would have given the direction and clarity that, back then, was just so confusing to manoeuvre through. As I’ve said previously, you’re one of the very few people that I’ve come across in my life that I believe have found their calling in life. I’d count the total number I’ve met or known on two hands! Keep doing what you are doing to help those who are confronted by the Aged Care and Disability Care maze, often at a very emotional time."

"I still pinch myself for the absolute amazing good fortune you brought to my life to help me find and settle so quickly into the hostel environment providing low level care and support at Hunters Hill. We are all over the lock down. We cannot wander around the property, nor visit the cafe – ‘no problem I say’ as the facility must contain traffic throughout the property. Shame we cannot use the lovely grounds but that will come around in the not too distant future, I am sure. 

I now have a busy in-house schedule (giggle).  Exercise, Art class and balancing class, not to mention Zoom presentations on anything and everything, plus Stars of the Silver Screen in the Recreation room (they have loosened up numbers in groups), my word I’m such a busy girl! Seriously though, I am just so grateful to you for finding the perfect place for me to enhance my quality of life. You managed the process quickly and professionally and made the job for me and my son so much easier at a rather emotional time. I often recommend your services to others. I wish you every success!"

"Danielle’s passion is to help people keep their loved ones at home, when they are ill and become dependent, (rather than needing to be put in a hospital or home). 

My mum has a progressive lung disease and been very ill for over six years. For the past 18 months, Mum has needed 24hour care. I live in London, one sister lives in Mexico, one sister has a young family, my father is partially deaf. None of us are in a position to be full time carers.

Despite having the financial resource and learning how to cope along the way – there is just no way that we would have managed to organise mum the best possible care without the advice of Danielle’s experience and expertise.

First thing first, care is very expensive and can feel like a full time job to manage.

There is no doubt that Danielle has given our family the ability, resource and peace of mind to keep mum at home with the best possible care.

Danielle’s service consists of a holistic care program to include government funding, carers, physios, occupational therapy (to get the right set up at home), a palliative care team (to keep mum comfortable and with the best quality of life)- everyone visits mum at home with great coordination to ensure the correct pace and communication.  

There is no doubt that Danielle’s services have meant mum’s decline has slowed and of course we know that we are giving her everything that we possibly can, no stone unturned. Mum is extremely grateful and feels very loved and we know we are giving her our all.

It’s important to add, Danielle does not do a ‘one size fits all programs’, her services and recommendations have been tweaked to fit our needs and right family personality fit.  

It’s a very emotional and stressful time. We are incredibly grateful.

As an added benefit, Danielle is warm, kind and a great counsellor. Our family has a new friend."

"Thank you so much Danielle for your support in finding the perfect residence for our 91 year old Dad. My sisters financial advisor recommended Danielle when we were unhappy with the carers that we had employed. Danielle came to visit Dad at his house and created a plan for him based around his needs and interests. Then Dad had a fall and ended up in hospital. Dad was unhappy in hospital, so when the doctors advised us that he should not return home but enter into care, my 3 siblings and I panicked. We had just a few days to arrange respite with a view to permanence.

Danielle immediately launched into action and found us a wonderful facility that even had a coffee shop. Knowing that Dad could wander down for a cuppa and a chat was really comforting as this was one of his favourite outings. Danielle continued close contact with us, we had not visited residences before and were still worried that there may be a better one out there for Dad. Danielle demonstrated caring and patience as she ran two Care360 reports and accompanied us to visit another 7 residences. We needed the reassurance that where Dad was, was the best place for him.

After all the running around, we knew that the first place Danielle had found was indeed the best. Our whole family can’t thank you enough, you were our heaven sent guide during an emotional and stressful time. You worked so quickly to find the perfect place for Dad and we shall be forever grateful for your patience, understanding and caring nature."

"Mum moves into care today for respite with a view to permanent care. I cannot thank you enough for all your help and support at a very emotional and stressful time for me and my family. You have been more than helpful and your advice has been second to none. Thank you!"

"Mum is doing really well and don’t think I’ve ever seen her as happy in years. She’s practically running the place. The head nurse mentioned recently they should be paying her!!! The staff love her because she has her marbles and can participate in all the activities. She’s started a knitting club, in charge of the garden areas (watering etc), heavily involved in celebrations Halloween, Melbourne Cup, Christmas decorations, shopping and setting up. Thank you so much for helping us find the right care and accommodation for Mum. We couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome."

"Thanks for your support and the inspirational, professional and empathetic way you help people, Danielle!"

"My feedback on the LifePlan^TM you developed for my clients, is that, this is brilliant! To put it simply, you have probably saved a life (or two).

I’d like you to come and speak to my GT colleagues when you have time. Many of them will have ageing clients who might be in a similar position as my clients. Thanks again."

"My brothers and I approached Danielle to see if she could help us when my mother needed to move quickly from interstate to Sydney and into respite and possibly longer term high level care. We were so glad we did.

Danielle moved smoothly into action, working with my cautious and unwell mother to ascertain her needs and preferences (by phone), identifying suitable options, working with us to arrange visits so we could finalise an option for respite, and identifying and sourcing all support needs to move my mother from Queensland. Everything went so smoothly. Somehow Danielle met everyone’s requirements and serviced everyone’s emotional needs too.

And the process meant the family was very involved with staff from the get go. My mother moved in and Danielle supported her in discussions for alterations to her room and routine and care. By the end of the respite period, Mum had decided to stay at the home - her health had improved enough for her to enjoy the expansive gardens.

Danielle again swung into action, helping us to negotiate with the home and settle all terms and conditions. Mum has been there a year - the family meets for lunch in the gardens most weekends."

"You have been such a great help in navigating and negotiating Aged Care for my wife and me. Both of us are 87 years of age and I am my wife’s primary carer. I was finding it very tiring and I really didn’t know where to turn. We had previous experience of having carers sent from a large organisation which proved incompatible with our family. My wife was not keen on having care and support services reintroduced. Danielle came along and listened carefully to our wants and wishes and introduced the right care provider to match our needs. Care and support started last week and I am pleased to say that Ann has accepted the help quite well. Thank you again for your involvement, it has taken enormous pressure off me."

"I wanted to thank you for all your help over the last few weeks.

As you were aware, we were in a desperate position trying to find a nursing home for Jeff’s parents, who both suffer from dementia. We looked for weeks trying to find a suitable place, however the aged care system is a minefield and we were out of our depth.

Thank goodness you found a place within three days and it was such a pleasure dealing with you and so easy. You listened to what we needed and found us exactly what we had in mind, this took a huge burden and stress off our shoulder. Within two weeks they were in accommodation and being taken care of.

We can’t thank-you enough for your making our lives easier and finding the perfect place for Jeff’s parents."

"Our neighbour, Fiona was concerned about our health, safety and wellbeing and made contact with Danielle from DR Care Solutions. We contacted Danielle and had a brief chat about where we were at. Danielle arranged to visit us to determine the best way forward for our long-term care. Danielle informed us of all the options available and what she felt might be best for us.

Given the fact that we are 94 and 95 years of age, the family felt it best we move into a care facility close to an area we were familiar with. Danielle professionally assisted us to locate the right facility with two rooms next to each other. We were able to set one up as a bedroom and the other as a small living area. There is a shared bathroom just outside the rooms.

We knew it would be quite difficult to find a place that could accommodate both of us together in the area we wanted. We were just so grateful for Danielle’s sage advice and guidance. We would highly recommend DR Care Solutions to anyone who is unsure of their next steps."

"Thank you for your sensitive attention to the care needs of my friends and neighbours. We have lived in the same apartment building for some 20 years, so I have become close friends to them.

She has relatively little mobility and has suffered from several falls in their apartment over recent months. He is in better health, though nearing 94 year of age, when she falls he is not strong enough to assist her.

Some five weeks ago she fell once again, and you were good enough to respond quickly and at the weekend, made a comprehensive care assessment of both of them and arranged for carers to come to the apartment on a 24/7 basis.

I was impressed with your professionalism and understanding of what was required. The Care Provider you organised were also very capable and gave the couple good support for several weeks.

Thank you for your concern and help."

"Thank you once again for your assessment and comprehensive summary of our situation. Even though we are 79 and 80 respectively and extremely healthy and independent, it does bring to our attention that we are getting older even though we feel good, there will be a time when we will need some assistance and that is what you helped point out to us.

Thank you again for your empathy and support. It is appreciated."

"After only a brief time using the services of Danielle for our clients, I have found Danielle to be extremely empathetic, knowledgeable and personable in her approach.

Danielle's ability to understand our clients' care needs was accurate and assisting them find the appropriate care provider was fantastic.

I thoroughly recommend Danielle and her services."

"After some rather alarming behaviour of a much loved relative I, as the carer, was feeling stressed. Knowing that Danielle is involved with aged solutions I, initially, contacted her for advice. Her response was immediate and to the point. She elicited co-operation with our family doctor for review of recent medication and offered some coping mechanisms for me in the meantime.

We discussed other strategies to be able to keep this much loved family member at home where he is familiar. It took a huge weight off my shoulders being able to talk with a professional in aged care, whose main thrust is to provide support, not only for the client but their family as well. We thank you Danielle."

"It was such a pleasure (and relief) to meet Danielle. My frustration about how to find cost effective and quality care for my 93 year old mother who wished to live at home were mounting every day.

From our first conversation I felt that I had met a specialist in the field of home care for elderly people who understood what was needed for my Mum and worked with her to develop a good plan for her care and then arranged for us to meet potential providers - all good quality organisations with the same values as her. We were able to appoint a care provider very quickly after Danielle's assistance, she provided a very professional and caring service to Mum and we are very grateful."

"Thank you so much for explaining the aged care system to Mum. Even just your chats with her have lifted such a weight off of her shoulders. I know that staying in her own home is so important. So given that is your expertise it certainly removes the fear of having to relocate to residential care. Thanks again."

"In brief, Danielle Robertson Consulting (DR Care Solutions) is a boutique consulting service, specialising in the navigation of health, aged, disability care, retirement living and child care. Our partners at Aged Care Steps also highly recommend Danielle Robertson Consulting (DR Care Solutions)."

"Thank you so much for the time you have taken to complete the health and well-being assessment summary. I have let all the family read the document and printed a copy for my dad to read too. I can’t believe how much information you managed to gather from the initial meeting. You really gathered so much and it seemed like a casual chat rather than an interview as such. You seemed to make the family feel at ease and thus they were more open.

In relation to the recommendations you made, we will be working with Dad and Mum to make these happen. Thank you again."