By Goya Dmytryshchak
A South Kingsville woman who became a carer after her late grandmother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer will testify at the aged care royal commission.
Nicole Dunn was invited to this week testify in Mildura for the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety about her caring for her grandmother, Roma Dunn.
“I became a carer for my grandmother in 2015,” Ms Dunn said.
“I got a phone call at my work one day – I work at a hospital in an emergency department – and it was from my aunty.
“She said that she’d just been at the doctor’s with my grandmother – she appeared a bit jaundiced.”
Ms Dunn learnt from a medical colleague that a mass had been found on her grandmother’s pancreas.
“It turned out to be pancreatic cancer, which was terminal,” she said.
“It could only be treated with palliative chemotherapy and she was given a prognosis of a year to live.”
Ms Dunn moved into her grandmother’s Maidstone home and became a live-in carer at age 32 while still working.
Her submission to the royal commission was made in the hope it would create change.
“There needs to be increased supports to help an older person remain at home,” Ms Dunn said.
“Older people often wish to remain at home for as long as they can and carers often want to support that, particularly with access to things like in-home respite.
“It is quite limited and there’s quite a difference if you can pay for services or if you’re relying on government services.
“She spent the last six months of her life in a nursing home because the care she needed was greater than what I could provide.”
Ms Dunn’s experience led her to establishing her own business called Empower Aged Care Consulting to help others.
Members of the public and institutions have until at least the end of September to make a submission to the royal commission.
