I'd stay in bed all morning, reading magazines or hemming my dress for this afternoon but it went like this.
Ring Department of Ageing to check on how much money mum can have before it affects her pension.
They say ring Centrelink, it's their department.
Centrelink says they do this all the time when it's their department and what I have to do is scream for a supervisor.
Centrelink, sweet man, tried to to his best but could only give me a rough idea.
If after all the bills are paid and she has roughly $200,000 then they will reduce her pension since the cutoff point is $137,000.
So if her asset is now $200,000 instead of the original assessment of $351,000 then they will assess the assets again and drop the extra amount we had to pay the nursing home on top of the daily fee. And after the settlement I also have to appear in person at Centrelink with all closed accounts and the official amount of money remaining.
Are you still with me, because I was gaga by this time.
He assured me that she probably would be better off financially.
I wasn't assured at all.
Then I find out that I haven't got a something or other official to receive letters from Centrelink for mother so have to go to Centrelink in person.
But I filled out those forms for Dept. of Ageing. That doesn't matter they don't share.
So I'm off to Centrelink with passport, ring taxi, wait 20 minutes, fortunately as the postie comes and her ATM card is expiring, would I bring passport and other ID to get a new one.
Okay bus to Southland, bypassing my favourite gem store where I drool along the window.
Fix ATM card when ditsy bint finally figures out that I can have the card in my name as the card I'm using for mum is in my name.
Catch bus to Mentone and drop papers off to solicitor and trade insults with him as he's off on his Christmas holidays. I tell him not to upset a stressed out sick person who has a semi-automatic on her Santa list.
Walk to the home, dead on feet by now. They insist I sit down and have a drink. I need $1500 in a big hurry. I can barely describe how divine the chair is that I threw myself into. When you lean back into it, it rocks gently but when you get up it locks in place so you don't fall a over t.
None of the oldies can use it, they need wheelchairs. I want it, I can still feel the gentle rocking, backwards and forwards, and the pain in my back disappeared and I felt warm and fuzzy to the whole world. I want that chair, I need that chair, my life will be nothing without that chair.
Christmas Party was over by six o'clock and it was beddy time for the residents so I waste precious credits calling for a cab then have to run back inside and give mum some money.
I've already paid for my Christmas dinner so she's happy that I can't get back until Friday.
She's unhappy that I didn't drag those bloody parrot seed bells all over creation so she could watch the feeding frenzy.
And tomorrow I'm staying in bed with my magazines and a packet of jelly beans which I must have bought a week ago and forgotten.
I could really do with that chair.
Typical, no communication between necessary departments.
ReplyDeleteNext time you're at the home, just stuff that chair into your handbag, no one will notice, I promise....
Can I come and share your black jelly beans? I am good at comfort cuddle.
ReplyDeleteI started reading this and it gave me a headache.
ReplyDeleteI know those chairs...they're addictive.
ReplyDelete"the cutoff point is $137,000"
ReplyDelete- really? Useful to know.
Investing in some financial advice could be worth the money/effort.
Community Legal Centre in your neighbourhood? Talk with someone experienced in how these things turn out. Bet Seniors magazine is full of the gen on it all.
sympathy and good luck wishes from me.
River, just when you think you've got all the bases covered they come up with something else. Now I have another password to remember for Centrelink information.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, now we all know your price, anything for black jellybeans.
Nothing to what it gave me Robbert.
Jayne, scrap the chair. I was up all night with icepacks on my spine because that lovely rocking doesn't go well with bones that don't have much cartilege in between, especially after so much rushing around.
Bwca, I was surprised at that and what a stupid amount, why not $140,000? Nursing home exec has told me to get a financial advisor who knows Age care rules because they keep changing. At the moment I'm not thinking about it because it's too hard and I still haven't eaten any chocolate or had a G&t.
$137 or even $140,000 sounds to me like an apallingly small amount. I'm betting politicians don't have that cut off point. Heck, they retire with $$$$millions in assets and still get "pensioned off" with a yearly amount that would probably take me 5 years to earn.
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain, both of them and I send much sympathies. They make it as confusing as possible so they all have a job.
ReplyDeleteI can see how some people lose it and ring in threats after dealing with dept twits. Hope it gets easier for you.
How the hell do you put up with the treacle they call dialup internet? we've been throttled until the witching hour tonight and I was ready to troll the streets looking for an unsecured network or go park my butt in a 24 hr Macca's :D