"Aged Care. High-care resident at Algester Lodge"

My father is an amputee living in Algester Lodge as a high-care resident funded by the Government. October last year we investigated a motorised scooter for him. The resident physio was in attendance but denied all knowledge of being at the preliminary meeting where my father was assessed as competent. After discussions with the facility it was agreed that I would rent the scooter until my father was assessed. He was assessed by the resident physio and found to be not competent. I was denied access to this assessment based on the fact that the document was an internal document. I then engaged QADA to assist and with their help the facility and I agreed to a set of terms and conditions. One of these conditions was to have a qualified assessment done by a reputable physio - DART (Mater Hospital) did this assessment to which I had to pay. This was conducted and my father was found very component to drive the motorised scooter. I certainly question the original assessment. Slight changes were made by the facility to the terms and conditions without any negotiations however I let them go in order to give my father some independence. My father's doctor (Dr.K) requested an eye test and then gave consent for my father to use the scooter. My father then saw a doctor (PA Hospital) to be assessed for an artificial leg. This doctor noted in his letter that my father could not use his motorised scooter. Based on this information the facility and Dr K refused my father access to his scooter - a scooter he has been waiting to use since October last year. Neither the facility nor Dr.K have provided me with adequate or satisfactory explanations to why they did this except that it was based on the PA doctor’s letter. After discussions with this PA doctor I was told by him that he was not aware of the full information nor of DART's assessment and that he "didn’t know all the facts". I was told by the facility that Dr. K was to have a discussion with this PA doctor. Despite attempts to have this rectified my father continues to be denied his independence after 7 months of living with hope for some quality of life. I have lodged a complaint with the Aged Care Tribunal as well as the Health Quality Commissioner and hope to have this rectified before my father leaves this earth - 7 months is a long time when you are 84 years of age.

To see an update on this story visit:

https://www.patientopinion.org.au/opinions/59297