After 51 years living in the same regional community in Western Australia, Beryl Batt’s parents were forced to travel more than 90 miles (90 km) away to care for the elderly, despite the community’s efforts to the city to keep their elders at home.
Key points:
- Boddington seniors are determined to stay in their hometown, despite the lack of full-time care services for seniors
- Many elderly residents have no choice but to move to distant villages to seek care
- Demand is growing for the construction of a care center for the elderly in the county
Boddington, 120 km southeast of Perth, is one of the many regional communities in Australia that does not have a senior care center.
When the health of Ernie and Valda Jones began to deteriorate, their daughter Beryl Batt made the heartbreaking decision to move the couple to Mandurah, three hours round trip.
“When they left, it really made a big hole in us all … because I felt like they should be here,” he said.
Mrs. Batt says that while her parents are happy, they did not want to leave Boddington. (ABC South West: Jacqueline Lynch)
He said that while his parents were happy, they missed his home and his friends.
“If they were two minutes down the road, you could come in and have a cup with them every day … and they’d be among their friends,” Mrs. Batt said.
“Nobody really wants to leave Boddington. They wanted to be here forever.”
Ernie and Valda Jones had lived in Boddington for over 50 years. (Provided by: Beryl Batt)
Community rallies behind the elderly
The family situation is not unique. The recent Royal Commission on Care for the Elderly found that many elderly people in the Australian region had moved more than 100km from home to find permanent care for the elderly or a respite.
In Boddington, residents had traveled as far south as Albany or as far as Perth to access 24-hour care during their retirement.
It occurs despite the concentrated efforts of the local community to keep residents at home.
For years, every dollar raised from the city’s operating store sales has been used to improve local hospital facilities and help the city’s elderly.
Ms. Newman said dozens of medical coercion alarms had been funded by the store’s operations. (ABC South West: Jacqueline Lynch)
Boddington Assistant President Dawn Newman said the group had launched dozens of personal coercive alarms and other health care equipment for the elderly over the past eight years.
“We take care of it, provide it, install it, show them how to use it, and teach the family how it works,” Newman said.
“If one of them needs a walker and can’t afford one, we can help.
“It simply came to our notice then [the] lack of facilities, to keep people at home. “
The profits from the local operations store are intended to help the city’s senior residents. (ABC South West: Jacqueline Lynch)
However, Ms. Newman said the community could only do so much.
“The city was a super city a few years ago,” he said.
“What’s great about having people who live in this region all their lives and get to be 70, 80, 90 and have nowhere to go?
“There’s nothing cool about that.”
Care is needed for the elderly
Ms. Newman has joined the growing calls from the community for a care center for the elderly set up for Boddington.
Dr. Erasmus intends to put pressure on governments and the private sector to get support. (ABC South West: Jacqueline Lynch)
A recent report commissioned by the local council found a case for a 40-bed senior care center in the city to meet the needs of Boddington and the surrounding towns of Williams and Wandering.
Construction is expected to cost up to $ 15 million.
The head of Shire of Boddington’s elderly care committee, Coert Erasmus, said the facility was desperately needed in the city.
“It’s the number one priority,” he said.
“We have a lot of very old people here too. You know, over 90 and some still live independently, but for how long?”
Dr. Erasmus said the council would pressure the state government and the private sector to seek help.
“These are the first days, but we have some hope. At least I hope for the next five years. They may be ambitions, but that’s what we aim for,” he said.
Elderly people determined to stay
Gloria Batt, 99, lives independently and is determined that if care for the elderly is in her future, she should be in Boddington.
“I’ve been here since I was 14. I really don’t want to leave. I know all the people here and they know me,” he said.
“If the time comes, I’d rather be here than anywhere else.
“If they send you, you don’t know anyone at home and your friends can’t be traveling to visit them all the time.”
Gloria Batt doesn’t want to be away from family and friends for life support. (ABC South West: Jacqueline Lynch)
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Posted 1 hour ago 1 hour ago dig. May 29, 2022 at 12:08 am, updated 5 m ago 5 minutes ago dig. May 29, 2022 at 1:26 p.m.