Meet Jennifer, a devoted wife, mother, business operator, and up until recently, the primary carer for her husband of 50 years, Peter, who is now in permanent residential care.
Despite her commitment to his care and well-being, there came a time when Jennifer realised she was simply not able to provide the level of care he required. This was a challenging time and she needed to make some difficult decisions.
It was during this period that Jennifer first heard about Carer Gateway and decided to reach out for support.
“I wouldn’t have known about the extent of support I could access if I had not contacted Carer Gateway.”
After an initial conversation with a Carer Gateway Intake Officer, Louisa was assigned a Carer Planner, and together they began the process of transitioning her husband to an Aged Care home.
The supportive Carer Planner took on much of the groundwork, helping Jennifer navigate the process; finding a suitable home and securing an available bed. To alleviate some of the pressure, a month’s respite was arranged, giving Jennifer the time she needed to manage the paperwork and financial component. Carer Gateway also arranged for her to receive counselling services.
During such a stressful time, having someone to lean on made all the difference. When the time came for Peter to go into the home permanently, Jennifer felt well-prepared, thanks to the guidance and support she had received.
Unlike many carers, Jennifer recognised early on that she was her husband’s primary carer and took a proactive approach to prepare for the challenges ahead. They moved from their rural property to a regional city, where they could access better medical services and support, and began researching available support packages to support Peter while living at home.
As Peter’s health continued to decline, Jennifer knew that caring for him at home would soon become unmanageable. They needed to begin to prepare for the next steps.
The most difficult part for Jennifer was seeing the physical and mental changes in her husband.
“Every time you turned around, your level of caregiving had to increase.”
Although Peter has been in permanent residential care for three months now, Jennifer is still adjusting to this new reality.
Advice for other carers
“Get organised early. Have those important conversations early – because while those discussions can be difficult, delaying them can result in even greater challenges down the road.”
Names have been changed for privacy
