Carmen, 81 and living safely at home with dementia

July 13, 2018

Carmen is 81 and is living safely at home with dementia thanks to #AgedCareAtHome

“When my doctor told me I had early-stage dementia my heart broke. I knew something wasn’t quite right, but I would never imagine it would be dementia. Both my parents lived to a good age, and neither had a neurological condition. The news really knocked me, and I started to worry about what was going to happen to me”.

At 81, Carmen is an active and lively woman who spends her days gardening, visiting her children, caring for grandkids, walking their dogs and spending time with friends. She loves her independence and feels there’s still so much more to do and experience in life.

“My biggest fear was that I would be a burden to the kids. They are wonderful, and we spend a lot of time together, but I don’t want them to have to juggle their busy lives to accommodate me if and when my health declines. I started to feel really down and considered if I should sell up and move into an aged care home. It was not a very good time for me.”

Fortunately, a couple of Carmen’s friends had investigated care options for themselves and discovered there was support available to live in your own home while you age.

“When they told me that Aged Care at Home was an option, I got my daughter to help me investigate how it works and what I needed to do.”

After looking into it, Carmen and her daughter Nina decided that not only was Home Care the more attractive option, allowing Carmen to stay at home, it was also the one that made most sense financially for them, paying fortnightly for the hours of care Carmen needed. By paying for Home Care, Carmen gets exactly the services she wants and when she wants them.

“I have my regular services like assistance with the garden, housework, and shopping. I’m not driving anymore, but whenever I need it my care worker drives me to appointments and to visit my friends. It’s been marvellous. I’m not so worried anymore, and I know that I can increase my services at home whenever I need to.”

With Aged Care at Home support, Carmen is able to live safely at home. Her Service Advisor works closely with her and daughter Nina to monitor Carmen’s needs. She is receiving help with medication reminders and has a personal emergency alarm as an added security measure should she ever need help.

Keeping fit and active is also high on Carmen’s agenda, and once a week her carer takes her to an aqua aerobics group. Maintaining connections to community, family, and friends is vital for everyone, and that’s perhaps one of the greatest benefits of Aged Care at Home.

Find out more about Aged Care at Home by visiting #AgedCareAtHome page or by calling 1800 632 314.