In Home Aged Care for Sydney LGBTI Community
Their concern is perfectly understandable, after all it’s not that many years ago that many faith-based not-for-profits didn’t even allow LGBTI Elders to enter their Nursing Homes. However as the Government funding is provided by Australian tax payers, the Government amended the Aged Care Act 1997 to make it illegal to discriminate against LGBTI Seniors.
And it’s good to know the Government went even further in recent years by adding LGBTI Elders to the special needs group defined in the Aged Care Act 1997.
Like their straight peers, most LGBTI Seniors prefer to stay living joyfully in their own home for all their days. However, when LGBTI Seniors have in home care they have the added concern of having strangers come into their private home – their sanctuary from a sometimes less than accepting world. Not to mention, caregivers finding out their LGBTI status and safety concerns surrounding that. The preference for LGBTI Elders to stay in their own home with the support of in home community aged care makes sense. In Home Care enables LGBTI Elders to remain in charge of their life and continue living their way, as opposed to being placed in an institutional environment like a Nursing Home where they may not feel comfortable to be their authentic or true self. Daughterly Care Community Services makes staying at home safe, easy and joyful because we value premium quality aged care for all elders.
The good news is that the Federal Government understands the unique lived experience of LGBTI Elders;
- commonly rejected by their family, friends, society, religious institutions and employers in times gone past when people were not educated about the normal variation of sexual desire within populations; and
- the systematic financial, legal, tax and superannuation discrimination that financially disadvantaged LGBTI Elders for most of their life.
So in recent years the Government added LGBTI Elders to the Special Needs Groups as defined under the Aged Care Act 1997 who receive priority access to essential health care services like Government Subsidised In Home Care which can be worth up to $58,400.00 a year, per person.
Joan and Elizabeth both have Level 4 Home Care Packages due to their cognitive decline, so they both receive $58,400.00 a year per person in Government Funding to help pay for their aged care.
Under the Aged Care Act 1997, Elders and seniors with special needs who identify with or belong to one or more of the following groups receive priority access to Government Subsidised In Home Care:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities;
- non-English speaking (culturally and linguistically diverse [CALD]) backgrounds;
- live in rural or remote areas;
- who are financially or socially disadvantaged;
- who are veterans including the spouse, widow or widower of a veteran;
- homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless;
- parents separated from their children by forced adoption or removal;
- from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community.
Don’t Straighten Up for Us
Some LGBTI Seniors feel they have to “straighten up” their home if they have Caregivers visiting. Don’t straighten up for us. Daughterly Care Caregivers enjoy people as they are. Our role is to support, enable and care for you. We want you to be completely yourself. We are a helpful guest in your home and you don’t need to change or “straighten up” for us.
Equally, just because you disclose your LGBTI status during the ACAT Assessment for Government Funded Package which can be worth up to $58,400.00 pa – it’s just a tick on a form and it does not need to be included in your Care Plan. If you come from the era where you feel most comfortable not disclosing your sexual preference then let’s not put it in your Care Plan. That way, the Hourly Caregivers or Live in Carers will not know unless you tell them when and if you feel comfortable doing so. But equally, we want you to know our Caregivers are beautiful caring souls. They all have gay and lesbian friends or family members they love. You might enjoy talking to them openly.
Do not avoid applying for a Government Funded Package for fear that having a Caregiver or Care Worker in your home will be a worrying experience. Daughterly Care Caregivers and Carers are the best home care support care workers. Remember your Government Funded Home Care Package can help you pay for care at home so you avoid the Nursing Home. Why not book a one-on-one session with Robin Bower, our Mosman Aged Care Advice Manager? She will explain how a Home Care Package could assist you. Email Robin Bower now.
Government includes Lesbian Couple in their ‘5 Steps to A Home Care Package’ Booklet
You can see the Government has been inclusive of the LGBTI Elderly community by including photos of a Lesbian couple on page 2 and 29. They look too healthy to need care for themselves (don’t you love the way marketing for Elders is aimed at 1 or 2 generations younger?). Perhaps they are organising the in home care for one of their elderly parents? The original and suggested meaning of Daughterly Care, so to speak!! We have provided private elder care for many Elders whose adult children are gay and they appreciate our respectful inclusive ways.
Case Study
“I used to be illegal and now I’m a priority!” Phil, 93 years young, LGBTI Elder
Phil’s Backstory
Phil (not his real name) is 93 years young and wants to stay at home. He receives help from his neighbour, Helen plus his long standing friend and Enduring Guardian, Roger. Phil’s in home care needs have recently increased resulting in two hospitalisations. Each time Phil is in hospital, the Doctors tell Phil he ‘needs to go to a Nursing Home’. This is not what Phil wants and Helen is concerned that if Phil doesn’t put a professional home nursing system in place, like Daughterly Care, his next hospitalisation will result in him being placed into a Nursing Home.
Education gives you Greater Personal Power
Helen noticed that Daughterly Care empowers Elders and seniors, their family and their significant others through free educational In Home Care Seminars. So Helen attended our In Home Care Seminar, not once but twice, on Phil’s behalf to understand what In Home Care is and how it works. Helen discovered that Phil is entitled to a Government Subsidised Home Care Package.
Free in Home Care Consultation in Your Own Home
Daughterly Care visited Phil and his Enduring Guardian, Roger at Phil’s home for a cost and obligation free meeting and Robin from our Mosman Aged Care Advice Centre explained how the Government Funding for in home care services works. Daughterly Care started privately paid home nursing support services while we waited for his Government Funded Home Care Package.
Phil is happy living at home with a neighbour, his Enduring Guardian and nephews visiting him.
Phil received consistent private in home care from the same known and trusted Daughterly Care Caregivers, whether he paid privately for the service or the Government pays. Helen continued to support Phil however, she also knew that the weight was off her shoulders because Phil can call Daughterly Care Community Services when he needs additional help or extra assistance.
Phil has a formal in home care system in place via Daughterly Care with access to trusted and consistent Registered Nurses or Hourly Caregivers as needed. Phil’s in home care plan goal is to stay at home for life and to improve his quality of life through reduced hospitalisations and to live more joyfully.
“You have collected a marvellous group of women to care for us. They are all wonderful and I feel very lucky”.
At Daughterly Care, we understand that senior gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex Elders are unique and fabulous individuals. That’s why we are enthusiastic to listen to your goals and document an in home care plan that we co-design with you to meet your private home nursing needs for support at home and to remain connected with your family, friends and community.
Many Daughterly Care Caregivers have received ACON education on the issues that are important for LGBTI Seniors to ensure enabling elder support and appropriate personal home care and professionalism for our LGBTI clients.
LGBTI Elders can feel safe, comfortable and confident receiving home care services from Daughterly Care in their own homes. Over the last 24 years we have enabled, supported, cared for and palliated many LGBTI Elders or the parents of LGBTI adult children. We look forward to being of service to you.
Contact us now to learn more about the aged care support services we provide to older, young at heart, fabulous Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex people.
Read the article: 95-year-old embraces “true self” after years of torment
Read unsolicited feedback from our clients. We’re always thrilled to receive such kind words.
The next step is easy … contact us for a confidential chat about your needs or to organise your, free no obligation consultation email claireg@daughterlycare.com.au or call us on (02) 9970 7333.