Perhaps we need aged care "brokers" -

that is people who can handle the maze you need to travel through in order to get any sort of aged care. 

We are fortunate that Middle Cat knows people,  useful people. This is due to her own experience as a physiotherapist. Middle Cat is also a rather assertive sort of person. She has no hesitation in using her contacts either. 

I am a much more cautious sort of cat. 

Yesterday the receptionist in the residence tried to tell me that the Senior Cat's "respite" time was up. "It will cost you a thousand dollars a day from now on."

I knew that was not right. It has another week to run and Middle Cat had already begun the process of extending it for another three weeks. The Senior Cat is now saying that "perhaps I should stay here". He can if he so wishes - and it will not cost a thousand dollars a day. That is hospital sort of rates and might be demanded from someone staying for a week or so post operation before going home. It would also be covered by their private health fund.

But no, the receptionist insisted that this was what it was going to cost. I don't know what she expected me to do. Was I supposed to go and pack the Senior Cat's clothes, books and DVDs, the pack of cards and the other magic tricks? Was I supposed to go and call for an Access Cab? 

I looked at the receptionist and said, "I am absolutely certain that is not right."

She then said that perhaps it "could be arranged to extend..." and that we would have to meet the Finance Officer who only works on Thursdays, "and you will still have to pay the higher rate until she sorts it out". 

I let her think she had won and went off to deliver the Senior Cat's laundry. He was reading a book and was full of questions about how vaccines are developed. I told him a friend of ours was coming in the afternoon and he could ask P... all those questions. (P...'s doctorate is in a related area and he probably told the Senior Cat more than he wanted to know.) 

I then prowled off to see Middle Cat. I have left most of this up to her because she has met the manager of the facility, someone who has worked with her son. I knew they had talked. Middle Cat growled and muttered things about, "Nonsense!" I said I would leave it with her.  She rang late in the afternoon to let me know that I was correct and that an additional three weeks of respite had been granted by the relevant government authority. It gives us time to get things sorted out...thanks to Middle Cat having that contact with the manager.

On my way home though I stopped because there was a bright orange flag hanging from a letter box. It is a sign to me that the person living there needs some shopping done or some other help. I had been expecting to see this one so I went in. I went around to the back of the house and called out and heard an answering call before letting myself in.

This is someone living alone who should no longer be living alone. M... knows this. She is diabetic and losing her eyesight as a result. She has other mobility and health issues too. As she is not yet 80 she has not been considered in need of "high" care yet. But she has, sensibly, realised that she does need to move now - while she still has sufficient sight to do it. Her son, stranded overseas, agrees. We have been in frequent touch over this. We have joint power of attorney but there are things I will not do - such as put the house up for sale. 

I will however fill out forms and I sat there with  her at the computer she can no longer see to use and filled out more forms. I found documents for her. We added up figures. I made a phone call to the bank and then handed the phone to her so they could get her permission to talk to me. I did the same thing with the insurance people and I talked to the receptionist at another facility. Fortunately that is someone I know and like and she passed me on to their Finance Officer - someone else who knows me. 

Eventually, having done what we could both do, I left her. As I was going "Meals on Wheels" was just arriving and a neighbour checks in the evening. M... the Meals on Wheels lady, and I agreed. It would be good if they actually employed people to do what I had done that morning. No, I am not unusual. I know other people who have done the same thing for neighbours and friends. It is much more common than other people realise. 

It is time to realise that it is a job for professional people though, people who really know their way around the system. It is not a job for people like me and Middle Cat who have to bumble their way around.