As a former foster parent, nursing assistant and mother of four, Gloria has been caring for people her whole life. But she now relies on others for even the most basic tasks, and is not eligible for the care and support she needs through government systems. She's hoping the government's long-promised new Aged Care Act will change that.
Gloria has a condition called spinal meningioma, leaving her with paraplegia, spasticity and chronic incontinence. "I want to walk so much, and I was told I probably will in time, but it is not true. It's not true at all," she said.
"Some people think I don't have a mind if I'm sitting in a chair that's got wheels, but I have." She was diagnosed at 69, meaning she is ineligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which is open to those diagnosed before the age of 65. That leaves her, along with many others, reliant on a Home Care Package under the federal government's My Aged Care scheme.
Unlike the NDIS, these packages are capped at just under $60,000 a year, meaning less funded support for Gloria's condition. Source: SBS News / Chris Tan That leaves most of her care to her daughter Sarah and son David. Sarah said they took on the role four years ago after moving Gloria out of a nursing home, due to concerns for her health.
She said taking on her mother's care was draining and physically demanding. "It involves a lot of bed positioning. It involves a lot of changes, a lot of rolling and turning a lot of heavy work, heavy lifting, mov.
