A mother has turned to voluntary assisted dying rather than endure the long delay in receiving an improved home care package, as the number of elderly and sick people on the waiting list rises to 80,000.
The shocking case, which appeared on Ben Fordham’s 2GB show on Thursday morning, exposed the level of suffering of those facing endless delays in getting home care from the Government.
Home care packages, funded by the government through MyAgedCare, allow Australians to access support in their own home, including nursing, meal preparation, cleaning and help with personal hygiene.
Their goal is to delay or avoid moving into expensive residential aged care.
However, there are around 76,000 people waiting for home care packages, a Senate inquiry hearing into the aged care bill heard last month.
2GB has been inundated with calls from family members with older relatives who were approved for packages but told they could wait more than a year for services.
The most heartbreaking call came from a man named Mark whose mother Ellen opted for euthanasia because she couldn’t wait that long for home care.
“My mother suffered from severe COPD for several years while waiting for an upgraded package,” Mark told the show.
Ellen (pictured with her son Mark) opted for voluntary assisted dying because the wait for an enhanced home care package was too long.
“Her pride would not allow any of her children to care for her or bathe her, so she got approval for assisted dying and, in fact, a few months ago proceeded to do so.”
He added: “She passed away while waiting for the upgraded package.”
COPD is short for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a progressive inflammation of the lungs and airways that makes breathing difficult.
Fordham was devastated by the call and the suffering of so many vulnerable people.
“We are seeking answers from the Australian government in this regard because people are dying while waiting to receive home care packages,” he said.
“When Ellen chooses euthanasia, you know you have a serious problem.”
Fordham’s program heard from several people whose elderly relatives died while waiting months for approved care packages to be delivered.
Bruno revealed his 96-year-old mother was told she would have to wait more than a year to receive the NDIS “level four” home care support package.
Cyril Tooze (pictured), 86, was approved for the highest level of home care assistance under the federal government’s MyAgedCare program earlier this year due to his chronic lung and heart conditions, but was forced to wait nine months. He opted for voluntary assisted death.
Another listener said: “The $450 million spent on the failed Voice would have gone much further with home care packages.”
The MyAgedCare website reveals that it currently takes between 12 and 15 months for a person to receive level four care after being approved.
Daily Mail Australia has approached the Department of Health and Aged Care for comment.
Cyril Tooze, 86, was another who opted for euthanasia due to the long wait for home care.
Mr Tooze was approved for the highest level of home care support under the MyAgedCare program earlier this year due to his terminal lung and heart conditions.
However, the Adelaide Hills man was given a nine-month waiting period, despite having no one to care for him as his family lives interstate.
But when delayed demand and staff shortages extended that waiting period beyond October, he chose to end his life after a long hospital stay caused by a fall at home.
Tooze weighed just 46kg when he died last month.