An insiders guide to Australias aged care system with a specific focus on the aged care programs designed to support older people at home, My Parents Are Ageing, What The Heck Do I Do? shows people how the aged care system works, enabling them to get timely and appropriate outcomes to keep older loved ones at home.
Australias aged care system is so complex and confusing that it creates barriers to people seeking the support needed to keep older loved ones at home. In My Parents Are Ageing, What The Heck Do I Do?, industry expert Coral Wilkinson explains how the system works in simple language, using real stories to portray how things have gone wrong for people and what can be done to make those situations right.
Coral shows readers how to initiate a sensitive and compassionate discussion with older loved ones, about accepting formal support at home and teaches them about the different aspects of aged care assessment equipping them with the knowledge on how to choose a home care package provider that is right for their needs.
My Parents Are Ageing, What The Heck Do I Do? is also up-to-date with current aged care requirements and also prepares people for the coming aged care reforms in July 2023.
This book is ideal for users of Australias aged care system, older people and their families and carers, as well as for GPs and practice staff, showing them how the system works and how to support their patients to get at home assistance.
Registered nurse, aged care navigator and advocate, Coral Wilkinson launched her business, See Me Aged Care Navigators in 2019, responding to the confusion and distress people experience when trying to achieve timely access to in-home support for older loved ones. Coral is a former assessor and delegate with an Aged Care Assessment Team, Nurse Navigator and Clinical Nurse Consultant (older persons) within the public health system and managed programs for both state and federally funded projects aimed at keeping older people well and in their own home. She has also worked with
providers of aged care programs such as the Short-Term Restorative Care program and the Home Care Package program and as a carer for her father, who had dementia and who remained at home through his end of life and presently supporting her mother, who still resides at home with the support of a Home Care Package level 4, Coral is committed to supporting others achieve similar outcomes. Located in Cairns but often travels to Brisbane
* There is no other book like this in the market. There are books that have attempted to discuss caring for an older person, but they are focussed on financial considerations or moving ageing parents into aged care facilities. There are no books that explain how Australias aged care system works and provides real stories that depict relatable issues that people encounter within the system.
* As one person put it to the author: "there are heaps of books that guide you when you have a baby, but there are no books that guide you when your parents are ageing". This book comprehensively guides spouses and older children of ageing parents on how to start a conversation, how to plan together about keeping them at home and offering practical and achievable advice as to when and which aged care programs can be accessed at different stages of ageing.
* The book is well regarded by the people in the industry who have read the manuscript. It has been read by researchers and academics, geriatricians, people who presented at the Royal Commission into Aged Care, aged care advocates and carers of older people.
* The language in the book is easy to understand and free from industry jargon, enabling people to put into practice the information that is offered in the book.
* The book is relatable to people because the author speaks not only from industry experience but also from personal experience, detailing how Coral was able to support her family to keep her dad at home right through his end of life.
* This book answers all the questions people are asking on social media and getting the wrong advice, about Australias aged care system.
Publicity:
• The book is already being actively marketed on our social media channels and this will continue.
• The author has been invited to present at ‘meet the author’ events during August and September.
• The author has already organised a magazine editorial and is planning a local and national publicity campaign in traditional media.
• The author is exhibiting at the Positive Ageing Fair in August.
• Queensland Seniors Month is in October and the author is planning to exhibit during this month and raise awareness of my book.
• The author is pursuing industry partners to collaborate on marketing the book.
• The author will also be contacting teaching facilities (TAFE) to offer the book as part of their curriculum for workers in the aged care industry and contacting aged care providers to use their book to inform their workforce.
