After enduring the loss of his wife, various health conditions, and an intolerable wait for his Home Care Package, Wayne is reaping the benefits of his own perseverance and finally receiving the support he deserves. Here’s his story.
For Wayne, the journey to aged care support wasn’t easy. But after years of pushing for a Home Care Package, his perseverance got him through.
Now, with a home he loves, a dog that’s been by his side for over 15 years, and care he can finally count on, Wayne describes himself in one word: ecstatic.
Wayne’s aged care journey began five years ago, when he first applied for a Home Care Package after losing his wife and relocating to an over-55s community.
Despite managing prostate cancer, two knee replacements, and a 40-year-long spinal degeneration condition that leaves him in constant pain, it took Wayne more than four years just to be assessed.
‘They’d come in, look at me and say, “You look alright.” Even when they’d seen my medical records,’ Wayne recalls.
What followed was a frustrating period of dead ends and repeated explanations of the same story. Throughout that intolerable waiting period, though , Wayne never gave up—and finally, he was approved for the support he’d had fought so hard to receive.
It was a friend who first told Wayne about The CareSide.
‘He’d switched over because of the fees. He told me, “Ring Maha.” So I did, and after one conversation, I knew this was the right move.’
From that point on, everything shifted.
Wayne now works directly with Maha, his Care Manager, whom he describes as ‘lovely, organised, and always on top of things.’ They’ve settled into a system that works best for them and chat primarily via email, which Wayne prefers because it’s fast.
‘She’s sorted everything. My safety watch, a gardener, and my cleaner, Natalie, who’s absolutely wonderful. I couldn’t ask for more,’ he says.
Before The CareSide, Wayne had limited experience with other providers, only using their support for cleaners and meal service. But even then, it wasn’t smooth sailing.
With one provider, he was constantly assigned new cleaners, and sometimes they’d cancel on him at the last minute. Wayne got tired of them ‘stuffing him around,’ so he just stopped booking.
In contrast, his experience with The CareSide has been simple and reliable.
‘I’ve got no complaints. Everything’s going so smoothly,’ he says.
Even better? The CareSide is affordable. He says he’s being charged $20 to $30 less than he was with other providers, so he doesn’t have to spend his whole package just to get the basics—and that really takes the pressure off.
He’s realistic about the future, but hopeful, too. The upcoming aged care reforms and new Support at Home program, for instance, will be big changes for everyone, but Wayne feels prepared.
‘Maha explained [the reforms] to me. All the information The CareSide has given me is great. It should be business as usual, but I’m just so glad the team [at The CareSide] is looking after me,’ he says.
His deep sense of appreciation hasn’t stopped there. Wayne’s already recommended The Careside to others, including a close friend who’s currently waiting on a package.
Looking back on his journey, Wayne is proud of the perseverance it took for him to get here.
Living independently in a home he loves, he speaks fondly of community barbecues, Thursday happy hours, and the strong friendships that make the days feel full.
And of course, there’s Ollie, his 15-year-old Jack Russell and loyal sidekick, who Wayne says ‘got him through it all.’
Wayne describes himself as someone who doesn’t ask for a lot. But now that he’s with The CareSide, he’s grateful and happy to have the support.
And as for the future, well, Wayne knows exactly what to do.
‘I’ll just follow my heart. Whatever my heart tells me, I know it is going to be for my benefit. So that’s the way I’ll go, you know?’
