Joan van der Koogh

Friday, 22 April 2011

My daughter suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and is currently in a Rehab unit at the LRH and needs 24 hr care. She has been there since January 29th 2011.The hospital wants to discharge her because there is nothing more medically they can do for her.
She is a divorced mother with three children and is desperate to return home to resume her share of caring for them, but to do this the home requires modifications that will cost up to $18,000. On top of this she requires equipment that will cost in excess of $14,100 plus continence aids. In addition to that she will require a care package for the rest of her life. The other alternative is to be placed in a nursing home, which would be unacceptable for a 44year old. She is very mentally alert and was in the workforce until 7 months ago.

We have been told that it will be necessary to find the money for renovations as it could take more than a year to receive help from DHS. She has to be discharged to respite care for 30 days before a request for funding is made and there is no guarantee that she will receive it.
I am enclosing a list of estimated costs so that you can have some idea of what is required.

Because she is not disabled due to an accident or work place injury she is not entitled to receive any assistance. My daughter represents possible thousands of people nationwide who are in a similar predicament. My husband and I are in our mid 70’s and have health issues and live a distance from her. She has no family members that can assist with her care.
 
A NDIS would benefit people like my daughter and parents who have to care for children who have been disabled from birth. Many such parents are now over 70 years and are very worried what will happen to their adult children when they are past caring able to care for them.

I urge the Government to adopt the recommendations of the Productivity Commission without delay and in the interim make it easier to obtain funding for those in desperate need.

Yours sincerely,

Joan van der Koogh