General Medical issues thread

[Quickstatus]

I walked down a dark passageway

Sounded to me (initially) as a dramatic start to a novel

Guilty as charged. Very poor planning with regards to mum and dad. We did not think this moment would come.

In fairness to you, I don't think a lot of people have planned for this either. Effectively and rough round numbers to be self funding in Australia for a nursing home placement can require $1M in savings. So a lot of people if they ever considered it would think what the heck , I'll spend all my assets before I need a NH

 

[prozac]

I walked down a dark passageway without turning on the lights. Crashed to the floor when I tangled with some shopping. Bruised and bloodied I snuck back to the bedroom after wiping off a lot of the blood.
Have decided not to do that ever again as I landed on my re-constructed shoulder and bottom.
Flying home was a bit uncomfortable. I was lucky.

You've had a bottom reconstruction?
That's a new one even for me.

 

[love_the_life]

You've had a bottom reconstruction?
That's a new one even for me.

Apparently derriere augmentation is quite the thing.

Regarding nursing homes, my mother only ended up paying for about 4 weeks of care. She had some respite through DVA, then a try before you buy 2 weeks free. I paid for the it and then was reimbursed from the estate as she had gone in quickly from hospital and didn't have the Centrelink paperwork etc. That was a nightmare as she had money and shares stashed all over the place and no one knew exactly where. Kept finding accounts with $30K etc. Anyway from memory it was about $700 per week at that time. She was adamant she didn't want to sell the house (which as it was she passed away before it needed to be sold).

 

[Quickstatus]

She had some respite through DVA, then a try before you buy 2 weeks free.

In aged care, people get 63 days per year respite which is free

That was a nightmare as she had money and shares stashed all over the place

Same here. Accounts kept popping up like whack a mole

it was about $700 per week at that time

I don't know about DVA but for those self funding, the initial payments can appear to be high. Especially when they have to pay the means test fee . The means test fee is different depending on individual means. It can be up to $35K capped per year, then add on the daily fee of 85% of OAP to see what theytake out of bank account.

The means test fee is also not spread out over 12months - they charge you up to $400 per day toward the annual capped means test fee (for those who have to pay it). It can be anywhere between zero and $400 depending on the amount of means test fee liable - this is worked out again by Services Australia. So whatever the means test fee is for the individual person, the annual cap is reached after about 90 days in a year. After that no further payments are made until the next year when it starts again. The means test fee also has a lifetime cap of up to $85K (again actual number determined by Setvices Australia). This means that after about 2.5years there is no more means test fee and , the only outgoing is the 85% of the OAP.

 

[Pushka]

These fees going to aged care might be somewhat more palatable if the services provided matched the cost. Thankfully mum couldn't see much of what was an issue but we could.

 

[Quickstatus]

the services provided matched the cost.

The problem I think is that the cost of providing the services for many facilities is less than the income generated.

As of November 2025, the facility can retain 2% per year of the RAD for up to 5 years so only 90% is refundable.
Changes to NH fee structure only affect new entrants.

Also as on November 2025 there will be a hoteling supplement of up to $22.50 per day. Services Australia will determine through the same means tests the amount paid by new entrants.
Then depending on liability to pay for the hoteling contribution, the govt has introduced a new payment called non clinical care component also means tested for those who have to pay the full hoteling supplement. The daily cap for this is $105.30. With a lifetime cap of $135K or 4 years whichever is reached first.

It can be good to be poor