Personal accounts of lived experience give practical evidence to support Alpine Health in our push to get the Bright Health Precinct into the next phase of development.
Bright resident Ron tells his wife June’s aged care story. June’s battle with Alzheimer’s led her into residential aged care at Kiewa Valley House (Mt Beauty) on respite until she found a permanent place at Myrtleford Lodge (Myrtleford). Ron tells of the challenges of receiving appropriate residential aged care for June outside of their local Bright community.
Smoko resident Annie tells of her parent's aged care journey and the challenges of receiving residential high aged care for her parents outside of their local Bright community. Annie now has to make decisions about living in Bright into her older years as there is no suitable residential aged care to allow her to age in place in her local community.
A 96-year-old with decreasing cognitive abilities was admitted to Hawthorn Village from Bright Hospital.
Her 98-year-old husband, who had supported her to live at home with the help of friends for as long as he could, was visiting her daily. The rest of the family was located interstate.
After a short period, her care needs increased beyond what could be accommodated at Hawthorn Village, and she required a transfer to Barwidgee Lodge in Myrtleford - a facility designed to meet higher care needs.
Her husband was deeply distressed as he had to rely on friends to drive him long distances to visit his wife as there were no public transport options available. He expressed his wish for her to die as he was grief-stricken by not being able to visit her every day.
A resident from a local farming family who has been in the district for over 100 years entered Hawthorn Village for permanent care with cognitive impairment.
She was familiar with the location of Hawthorn Village and its proximity to her house nearby. She would inadvertently take herself back to her house on the other side of the Ovens River having lived in the area for many years.
As a result of her declining cognitive abilities and increasing care needs, she was transferred to a secured service at Beechworth Health Residential Aged services. This was the closest bed available and the family now travels this distance to see her regularly.
An 88-year-old timber mill man of large height and stature was a daily welcoming figure outside the entrance of Hawthorn Village for many years.
His specific wish was to die at Hawthorn Village surrounded by the people who had cared for him over the years. He had never married and his elderly sister was located in Melbourne with her own health issues who he rarely saw.
One weekend he become suddenly unwell and was transferred to a larger regional hospital where he died without the support and care of his ‘Hawthorn Village’ family.
An 83 year resident from the local area, aware of his deteriorating heart problems that would lead to his eventual death expressed the wish to die at Hawthorn Village as part of his planning for the end of his life.
When he became unwell one weekend he was transferred to a regional health service emergency department which assessed him to be in end-stage cardiac failure. He was then transferred from the regional emergency department to the admitting health service at Mt Beauty where he died.
In the last 48 hours of his life, he was transferred twice to different health services and died surrounded by people unknown to him.