Introduction
00:00:03 | Jason van Genderen (Interviewer):
Hello.

00:00:03 | Megan van Genderen (Interviewer):
Hi, Jenny. How are you?

00:00:04 | Jenny:
Hi, how are you?

00:00:05 | Jason van Genderen (Interviewer):
Good to see you.

00:00:06 | Jenny:
Lovely to see you finally.

00:00:08 | Jason van Genderen (Interviewer):
How are you?

00:00:09 | Jenny:
Thank you. Well, good.
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Family life and caring for her brother

00:00:15 | Jason van Genderen (Interviewer):
Jenny, can you tell me a little bit about your family dynamic? Maybe set the scene for us about what life at home for your mum was like.

00:00:24 | Jenny:
Well, my mum has always been a carer for my brother, who was born with a disability.

He has a twin brother and he's fine, but Russell was born with a disability, was non-verbal and needed full-time care.

00:00:45 | Jason van Genderen (Interviewer):
Right.

00:00:45 | Jenny:
He basically couldn't care for himself.
So Mum looked after him from birth.

We're a pretty close family. I've got four brothers and I'm the only daughter, and the youngest.

00:01:02 | Jenny:
So, yes, we were very close.
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When everything changed

00:01:06 | Jenny:
We had care for my brother, but not for Mum, because Mum was fine.
She cooked, managed the home quite well and remained very independent.
Mum got COVID about two years ago. It was just before Christmas.

She wasn't very well afterwards and suffered a major respiratory illness.
Mum was in hospital for a whole month.
We really thought Mum wouldn't make it, but she did.

00:01:39 | Jenny:
She recovered and then went into rehabilitation for about a fortnight.

While she was in rehab, she said to me, "Jenny, I don't think I'm going to manage going home."

I was quite shocked because Mum was so independent.
So I said, "What do you mean? You don't want to go home?"

And she said, "I don't really think I want to go home."
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A different aged care conversation

00:02:12 | Jason van Genderen (Interviewer):
That's a different scenario because most families experience the exact opposite, where a loved one who needs care is very resistant to going into care.

00:02:20 | Jenny:
I know. I was shocked.

My mum actually said to me, "I'd like to go where Russell lives," because it was such a lovely place.

She had visited him there and used to see him every fortnight, so she already knew the community and the setup.
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Life at Bankstown Terrace Care Community

00:02:35 | Jason van Genderen (Interviewer):
Jenny, tell us a bit about Bankstown Terrace Care Community. What are some of the things that make that community feel right for your family?

00:02:44 | Jenny:
As soon as you walk in there, you feel like it's home.

00:02:49 | Jenny:
They greet you and say, "Hi Jenny, how are you? We've just seen Mum. She's looking great today."
00:02:57 | Jenny:
Everyone knows everyone by their first name.

00:03:02 | Jenny:
I think the most touching thing is that they call her "Mum" or "Ma'am," which is lovely.

00:03:10 | Jenny:
There's just a lot of really good energy there. That's what I thought

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Personalised care and daily activities

00:03:15 | Megan van Genderen (Interviewer):
How else does the team support your mum?

00:03:20 | Jenny:
She has a respiratory issue at the moment, so she has oxygen every morning for half an hour.

After breakfast they bring her back to her room, sit her comfortably in her chair and monitor her.

Then she'll head off and do some morning physio and exercise.

They've got lots of things happening there.

They have cooking classes and music classes.
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Staying connected with family

00:03:51 | Megan van Genderen (Interviewer):
How does the team facilitate your mum being able to see your brother Russell? Is that part of her daily routine as well?

00:04:00 | Jenny:
She used to pop in and see him every day, but she wants to give him some independence as well.

Now she visits him probably every second day.

I also have an older brother there.

00:04:17 | Jason van Genderen (Interviewer):
In the same care community?

00:04:19 | Jenny:
Yes, in the same care community.

Conrad is my older brother and he's there too.

He moved in about three months ago.

He visits Mum every morning.

00:04:31 | Jason van Genderen (Interviewer):
Yeah.

00:04:32 | Jenny:
So she sees all of us.
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Mum's verdict

00:04:35 | Jason van Genderen (Interviewer):
Is your mum happy with the decision she made?

00:04:38 | Jenny:
Oh yes.

I even asked her last week.

I said, "Mum, are you happy here?"

And she said, "I think it's the best decision I've ever made."

She told me, "I couldn't have looked after myself at home, Jenny. I couldn't have."
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Closing thoughts

00:04:54 | Jason van Genderen (Interviewer):
Jenny, we're hugely appreciative of you sharing your time and your journey with us.

It's unique to speak with someone who actually has three family members in the care community.

00:05:03 | Jenny:
I'm glad I could tell you my story.

There's so much negativity about aged care, so the good stories are rarely spoken about.

00:05:13 | Jenny:
That's why it's so important to get these stories out.