Despite health challenges, Michael has always met life with tenacity. Now with help from The CareSide, his days are no longer defined by constraints. Here’s his story.
From biking adventures to back problems
Michael Foster has never been one to sit still, no matter what life throws at him. Most afternoons, you’ll find him at the pool table with friends or volunteering at an aged care home.
Michael brought that same energy to his career. He spent years as a state manager for a paving manufacturing company and, even after retiring, continued working as a driver for a BMW dealership. Staying busy has long been a part of who he is.
Currently living in a retirement village in Melbourne and approaching 76, he’s a proud father and grandfather, and remains determined to stay independent for as long as possible.
But over the decades, that desire has been tested.
‘It goes back to when I was a teenager,’ he explains. ‘I injured my back slightly, and then in the early 70s, my car was hit from behind when I was stopped at traffic lights. Then the same thing happened in 1984. I also played lots of sports and did lots of lifting, so my back was pretty bad.’
Those injuries eventually led to a spinal fusion surgery in 2020, when six of his vertebrae were fused. Even then, he didn’t let his back problems stop him from enjoying one of his passions: cycling.
‘I’d ridden 5000 kilometres in the year before my operation. Then I had three months’ recovery and in 2021, I rode another 7100km. The following year, I did 5,500km,’ he explains. ‘Then COVID hit. Being in Melbourne, we were limited in where we could go. But I’d still go for a ride and do laps around the block.’
By 2023, he’d clocked another 2000 kilometres. Then came another blow.
‘I was riding in a back street and was hit by a car. I didn’t come off the bike, but the impact broke my bike and I had severe sprains in my left leg. I’ve still got problems with that.’
Around that same time, Michael received a devastating Parkinson’s diagnosis.
‘[My mobility] reached the stage where I was having difficulty making my bed and doing my cleaning. I was also having a lot of falls,’ he says. ‘Then my Parkinson’s started to affect my throat, making my voice croaky and making it hard to swallow. It’s a horrible disease.’
At the end of 2024, Michael decided it was time to seek support. He underwent an aged care assessment and was approved for a Level 2 Home Care Package. He’s since been grandfathered into the Support at Home program.
When change became the only constant
Michael valued the connection he had with the support workers at his previous provider. But over time, the company’s constant changes began to take their toll.
‘They kept changing my cleaning times, and I’d made a whole lot of medical appointments around those times,’ he says. ‘They also said, “Oh, you’re going to get so-and-so coming this week, and next week it’ll be somebody different.” But then they changed it again—the agreement in the first place was that I’d get the same person every time.’
‘Because there were different people coming every week, I’d have to explain what needed to be done and where everything was. I’d waste half an hour explaining things. It just didn’t work.’
Determined to find stability
After growing tired of how his support was being managed, Michael decided to look for a new provider. One thing topped his list: continuity of care.
‘I want to see the same face each week,’ he says.
Michael interviewed a few care providers before coming across The CareSide.
‘I enquired and Angelina [a Care Manager] called me back. While other providers talked about my care over the phone, Angelina was comfortable visiting me in person,’ he explains. ‘She’s been terrific. She’s organised everything I’ve asked for. If I send her a message, whether it be a text or an email, she comes back to me very quickly.’
With Angelina’s guidance, things quickly began to fall into place.
‘I’ve had a physio seeing me for the last three weeks, which has been good. He’s been trying to get my left leg working again. I’ve got approval for podiatry now too,’ he shares.
Michael also receives weekly meals and a cleaning service.
‘Courtney is the [support worker] who comes to do my cleaning. I explained once where things were, what needed to be done, and she does it with a smile from ear to ear. She’s terrific,’ he says. ‘We [also] have a bit of a chat—it’s not just “do this, do that.” Her time is valuable to me.’
While Michael looks into teeing up a gardener through The CareSide, he’s already experienced a level of flexibility he wasn’t expecting.
‘Angelina said to me a couple of weeks back, “I’m sure Courtney will pull a few weeds for you, if need be.” So last week when Courtney came, I mentioned the weeds and she said, “Yep, that’s fine.” She does everything I need,’ he smiles.
A welcome return to routine
As Michael prepares for his upcoming aged care reassessment, he finally has stability back in his routine.
‘I just cannot believe that everything [has] worked like clockwork. I haven’t had to complain about one thing. It’s been terrific right the way through,’ he says.
‘Everybody seems to know what’s going on in the background, whereas the previous company I was with never seemed to have any backup. Their systems were basically non-existent.’
Since changing providers and transferring his services to The CareSide, Michael says the lower cost has been another welcome improvement.
‘[It’s] much more affordable. Probably 20% less than my previous provider,’ he shares.
When it comes to recommending The CareSide, he doesn’t hesitate.
‘Oh, certainly, because of the honesty, the pricing, the nature of the people that are involved.’
Michael knows his health challenges aren’t going away, but with consistent support in place, his days are no longer shaped by uncertainty. Instead, he can focus on what still brings him satisfaction—one game of pool, one volunteer shift, and one good conversation at a time.
