Sunday, September 07, 2014

If I had the energy I'd re-invent myself as an Anarchist

I didn't think I could hate any politician as much as John Winston Howard but consider him as a pink marshmallow compared to the mouldy vicious lot that holds power now.  $800,000 for a bomb proof car? Why bother, Abbott's mouth is so big any one with good aim could chuck a bomb straight down his gullet.  As for Hockey, I hope his gastric band corrodes and he explodes and does an "Aunt Marge", disappearing over the horizon never to be seen again.

This government has taken the subsidy from pensioners in nursing homes and forced all homes to require a bond.  This bond can be anything from $300,000 to $400,00 and then residents have to find the daily cost of care.  If you're a large company running a large nursing home then you get more money from the government and this is forcing small places to close.  This is what is happening to my mother's nursing home.

The Kingston Council owns the land and the building.  The Comm. of Management owns the bed licences.  The Council has given us enough funds to the end of October and it won't matter how many petitions we collect or public anger raises a voice, we're more or less stuffed.  Suddenly talk of helping us look for suitable places and offers of assistance in moving has gone quiet.  According to Doc Marvin, who has experience, they will already have a plan to shove the oldies into anywhere they can get them. The idea is that then the partners or relatives can try to get them into a home near where they used to be, as long as they are out of Mentone after October.

I am 'persona non grata' because I was asked after the meeting what I thought by the cheery Com of Man. lady who is all gung ho and we won't go. I told her all it was were weasel words, meaning nothing and the Home was doomed.  Funnily enough she looked right through me when we met the next day.
Oh woe is me, did I hit the nail on the head?  The residents who came to the Home from the 1st of July have had to pay a bond but we were never informed of this.  High level care homes never had bonds.  After 5 years my mother doesn't have a lot of money left, plenty if this place stayed open but not enough to front up a bond if she goes to another place.  And why should we after paying over nearly 280,000 dollars less pension for the last five years.  I was too tired to do all the sums properly like add up the pension and take that off the Home accounts and then add up the clothes, books, dvds and such.

Fortunately with sister being in the geriatric health system we have a head start on placements and should know how we stand next week.  By the way, there will be no meeting next week at the Home.
We'll leave mum where she is for the moment, just in case miracles happen.  All the residents are very upset even the dementia ones, they can sense things are not right.  Sister says the odds of 50% being alive 2 months after they're moved is about right.  It has come to this, old people in need are big business but old pensioners are also the new bludgers according to our great leader.

Now I have to go and phone the BOH and tee him up to remove the huge bird bath we bought for mum so she could watch the birds from her bed.  That's ours and we're moving it now.

19 comments:

River said...

"This government has taken the subsidy from pensioners in nursing homes and forced all homes to require a bond."
Just where in hell does this government think pensioners are going to find extra money for bonds after all this time already spent in a home? Do they think each one has dollars stuffed under their mattress?
What of those who don't have a house to sell? Are their children and grandchildren expected to front up the money by extending their own mortgages? What if their kids don't own homes but rent instead?
It seems to me that bbabbot wants all oldies to just turn up their toes and die so he doesn't have to worry about them. I fear for my children's and grandchildren's futures.

JahTeh said...

River, an update has just come in, two of the Home are in hospital and I'd say it's stress related. I hope they make it back.

I think it's a new way of population control, starve all the under 30s without a job and knock off the oldies with worry.

By law the homes are required to keep beds for people who do not have money. They take 85% of your pension to keep you in food but don't forget you are at the bottom of the food chain.

Anonymous said...

I say pet, I say love, I say pet. You just aren't playing for Team Australia.

I'd heard of these plans and assumed they would not happen. I am astonished. Your mother has people who care about her. So many don't.

Elephant's Child said...

I am ballistic with inarticulate rage.
And yes, they do think that all pensioners have money stuffed under the mattress. Just as they think that young people can survive with no income for six months.
Hiss and bloody spit. And I am spitting vitriol.

River said...

Good for you taking that bird bath!

JahTeh said...

Andrew, you're pronouncing it wrong, it's team arsehole. I've been assured that when she is placed there will be no Bond asked for, she must go with the same agreement that we signed 5 years ago. That's what will make it difficult for placing.

EC, what I hate are fellow penioners who want to know why others can't live on what they do. Some have rent to pay on top of everything else including the $7 co-payment for a doctor's visit.

JahTeh said...

River, it's a monster weight so we decided to leave it as a monument to greed and let the new owners deal with it.

Ann ODyne said...

oh the damn mongrels.
and just how heavy is the birdbath? how did it get there? what will the birdies do now?
Be ready to give any local politicians a prepared earful when they come looking for your vote in October doorknocking.

I cannot understand how even the numpties who voted LNP can be supporting their actions lately.

R.H. said...

Testing, Blog Big Woman.

R.H. said...

Hi, I died, came back, feels funny being alive.

-Robert.
Team Latrine.

Shut up.


R.H. said...

Poor mother, looks like she'll have to come home.

R.H. said...

Yes well the black people at Footscray hospital tried to bump me when I twigged they were stealing and selling morphine. Meanwhile they danced reggae, on the rooftop. I got furious, "This is a hospital," I yelled, "not a fucking dance hall!"
Bob Marley was there too, came and sat in a chair in my room. Lots of courtship going on. Romance. Black people

Davoh said...

Anarchist? Nah perish the thought (or emigrate to Syria).
Waste? Um don't get me started. $800,000 is small bikkies.

Try 24 BILLION on F-35 aircraft that may, or may not be supplied. Manufactured in America ... geesh, who woulda thought. Another one of John Howard's legacy fantasies - continued by the wannabe Papal (not paypal) Papa of Australia.

Could only achieve a certificate from the Jesuit College - is our Abbott.

R.H. said...

In the ICU, connected to a machine, I sang Ferry Cross the Mersey for two poofs; male nurses if you don't mind. One was from Liverpool and deeply touched. We were distracted, forgot where we were, then a matron came down and told us to shut up.
The poofs came when I called them, spooned a little ice cube into my mouth.
Well darlings I was in the wilderness, no way out. Finally I put my hsnd on the bar, the raised bar, side of my bed, and said a short prayer. Then a finger touched mine, truly.
I didn't look, I knew there was no one there

Frances said...

They are truly foul, CopperWitch.
The rage,worry and misery that this action causes must be immeasurable.

On Bob Ellis's blog "Table Talk" someone says that in an article in (NSW) Sunday Telegraph, Julie Bishop wrote that the Royal Commission into Gillard was payback for her misogyny speech. $77 million dollars spent on payback. It seems to sum up a lot about them.

Vest said...

It seems My mind is running parallel with yours when it comes to politics. recently I learned that praying to the Lord for the safekeeping of friends is not a wise move, but if your friends are pollies and the lord does not like you , the lord will eliminate your polly friends quick smart. Btw the rule only applies to pollies.
The Lord will accept six at a time.

R.H. said...

I hear wedding bells.

JahTeh said...

Ermaghad, where did you lot spring from?
Annie O, the birds have disappeared already because no one will go out and hang the bird bell I usually bring.
The bird bath is in two pieces, is full of 20kgs of river rocks to make the water shallow enough and empty, it takes two guys to move it. I think it's ugly but it had to be high enough for mum to see it from her bed.

Robbert, wondered what happened to you.
So you nearly died, obviously the Devil couldn't stand the competion and St. Peter lost the keys to the Gates. Welcome back, Old Mate.

Speaking of Old Mates, hello Davoh. Did you know Big Ears got his Rhodes Scholarship because of his boxing ability not intellect? And shade of Pig Iron Bob, our subs will come from Japan.
I spit on the LNP and all who sail in it.

Francis, I'm with you there, even the Pink Batts was payback for Rudd. Julia has never wavered from her story that she was stupid and would do things differently knowing what she knows now.
I bet there are a lot of voters saying the same thing about the last election.

Vest, try dealing with local politicians on Council, real bastards this lot. I hope no-one forgets in November that the Libs have just given Bernie Ecclestone an extra 10 million for that stinking Grand Prix. 10 million and we can't get 250,000.00 to keep a nursing home open until a new one is built.

Heavenly bells, Robbert, take notice of the Angels calling.

R.H. said...

I only took ill about five weeks ago, prior to that I'd decided to give you all a nice rest. Then I contemplated how much you'd be missing me. And so I've returned, for a while anyway; here by the good humour of God.