practical living
find another home. Those things can be
stressful, and that’s why it’s imperative to
start these conversations early. You said that farmers are quite resilient,
but that it’s difficult for them to settle.
Does that resilience come through
when they’re trying to settle in?
What do people say about their
experiences of settling into an aged
care facility? Absolutely. They have a resilience that
they’ve learned all their lives – a patience
and an ability to just work through a job.
Somebody told me years ago in the bush
that there’s always an answer to your
problem – it might just take longer than
you think. I’ve taken great comfort from
that when I’ve been on a dirt track with
two flat tyres. Farmers understand that.
But while that resilience serves them
well, it’s still a major issue. The potential
cost to farming families of aged care
could be anything between $100,000 and
$1 million-plus. Farming families need to
pay attention to this stuff.
Farmers do typically find it difficult. They’re
appreciative of the care, but they find
the confined spaces difficult. They find it
difficult not being able to go out and walk
on their land or property to inspect their
crops or livestock.
In many cases, what I see happening is
that people go into residential care from a
farm, and there will typically be some sort
of arrangement whereby they’re able to go
back and visit that farm.
If family have taken over the farm, they’ll
sometimes be involved; if there’s a big
amount of work on – mustering, weaning
or branding – they’ll typically be involved
as well, and they might come out and do
jobs around the place to help.
However, it’s a very difficult transition
for them.
What can aged care providers do to
help with a smooth transition from
farming to aged care?
Make no mistake, aged care providers are
across this issue. There’s perhaps not as
many resources available in regional areas
as there should be, but it’s growing, and
the more voices we put to this, and the
more interviews and articles shine a light
on this, the better it will be.
But I guess what we’re seeing now is
a push. It’s not only a government push
– and that’s come from an economic
imperative – but it’s a ‘good for people’
push as well into home-based care.
In many regional areas – I know
definitely in NSW and Queensland – there
are regionally based home care package
providers, and there are lots of websites
you can go to.
The Department of Human Resources
and other aged care websites provide
great information on how to start that
conversation. Or for many people in
rural and regional areas, there will be a
government hub in town where you can
go in and ask about aged care.
What we’re seeing more and more is
an understanding that delivering aged
care in the home is something people are
willing to take up, rather than going into a
residential space. ■
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