Ailing elderly couple left to fend for themselves

BY KAY BLUNDELL

A Waikanae couple in their 80s battling inoperable prostate cancer, incontinence and a shoulder injury have had their home care help axed.

Frank Woodfield, 87, has been battling prostate cancer for three years. The worst symptom is incontinence.

Nelma Woodfield, 81, fell and seriously damaged her shoulder a few years ago. After repeated trips to orthopaedic surgeons she was told nothing more could be done.

"[They] said I had to avoid scrubbing, sweeping and vacuuming," Mrs Woodfield said.

About three months ago their one-hour-a-week home help provided through the Capital & Coast District Health Board was reassessed over the phone. They were told they no longer met the criteria.

Hundreds of elderly people are having their home-help hours slashed or axed – many by phone interviews – as DHBs try to cut spending to address budget blowouts.

Capital & Coast has refused to say how many elderly people have had hours cut. But Canterbury has cut at least 1200 since last year.

"I find cleaning the bath and shower, washing the lino and tile floors, vacuuming and hanging out washing difficult, but [the assessor] had her own agenda to cut costs," Mrs Woodfield said.

Wondering how they would manage, she contacted the care provider which said it would look into it.

The assessor rang back and confirmed they did not meet criteria and should arrange private help. "I told her we could not afford it, we were living on the pension. We just mess along together but it's not easy."

Mr Woodfield cleans the bath "with difficulty" and his wife cleans the floors – small sections at a time – over the week.

"My biggest fear is losing my driver's licence if I do not look after my shoulder," Mrs Woodfield said. "Going through the war and Depression we had to manage, make do and accept things. We know there are people worse off than us.

"I think the Government is cutting back in the wrong places on people who do have needs."

The couple believed assessments should be carried out face to face because "many elderly people do not hear well and find it difficult to understand what is going on".

Mr Woodfield was one of about 65 elderly who attended a public meeting in Paraparaumu yesterday, the first of 19 nationwide, amid concerns about aged care. It was organised by Grey Power, Green Party aged care spokeswoman Sue Kedgley and Labour aged care spokeswoman Winnie Laban.

Ms Kedgley urged the crowd to refuse phone assessments and ask for face-to-face interviews.

The meetings are being held to get feedback from elderly people about the care provided in their homes and in rest homes.

Ms Laban said there had been a flood of responses, which would culminate in a report to Parliament in September.

Ms Kedgley said forcing people into care would put more pressure on understaffed rest homes relying on untrained, underpaid caregivers.

There would be outrage if children were treated as poorly as the elderly, she said. "If toddlers were being left unfed, malnourished, dehydrated with inadequate care and untrained staff there'd be a national scandal."

- © Fairfax NZ News