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Gospel centred sermons, based on the lectionary often in advance.

You Can Help Mum or Dad now! Community Breakfast.

May 15, 2019

Come and join us for a community Breakfast and hear two great speakers talk about "What to do and where to turn when a Parent or Partner needs Care."  

Saturday June 1st 8am-10am

180  Swensons road Mt Crosby
$5 a head $20 family (4 or more)

RSVP 29/5/2019 0448 617 136 or secretary@kduc.org.au

More information. 

Read  my Story:

Below is a picture of my mum who died just under a year ago. My story is just like those of lots of people in our community which is why we have decided to host this breakfast. Read on below...

Picture of my mum

My four year old holding a sick bowl, sitting on one side of me. Mum barely able to stand because she is so weak sitting on the other side. Tears streaming down my face. An older patient comes into the crowded waiting area and I get up to offer him my seat. He takes one look at me and tells me to sit down. "You need it more than me!"   

    Less than six months earlier mum had been diagnosed with dementia, and now the doctor said she also had Parkinson's disease as well. She had become too weak to stay at home and I had to bring her to stay with our family.

    Mum loved our thee young kids but didn't cope well with the normal noise and activity that comes with young children and with both my wife and I working  I was at my wits end.

   I had filled in forms, gone to medical appointment, after medical appointment. I spent a long time on the phone to various government departments, including My Aged Care, Centrelink, and the people from ACAT (The Aged Care Assessment Team). I had tried to sort out mum's finances which were sound but disordered and concluded that if you were an older person and you didn't have dementia before going through this process, you might have it afterward! Fortunately I got mum to sign an Enduring Power of Attorney just before she lost capacity and she already had a will. Without that I don't know what would have happened to her. 

   In time I had to sell her house and get her into care. 

   I was totally unprepared for any of this and like a blind mouse I had to go though this confusing maze without any preparation or prior knowledge.  Through all of this I was also dealing with the grief of mum losing her independence and memory. I was losing her even as I looked after her.

   I wish I had known a lot more. Once she was settled in residential care and everything was sorted out it was still hard to watch her slip away but at least I could enjoy her company knowing she had the care she needed.