My father DVA Gold Card member in Aged Care

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping to connect with others who have supported a veteran parent in residential aged care and have had to navigate DVA systems during rapid health decline.

My dad is a DVA Gold Card holder and is currently in residential aged care in Queensland. He has Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), and his condition has deteriorated very quickly over the past couple of weeks. He was mobile very recently but is now bed-bound. He can move his arms and head and only just move his legs, but cannot sit, stand, or reposition himself. His speech is now very limited, though cognitively he’s still completely there.

I’m his only support and advocate. I’m doing everything I can through the aged care home, but I’m finding the system slow and difficult to navigate, especially when things feel urgent.

At the moment I’m trying to push for:

• A properly suitable bed and positioning supports (the home has ordered a longer bed, but it still only adjusts up/down and doesn’t properly support him for safe eating or comfort, especially given his back issues)
  
• Physiotherapy
• Appropriate equipment to help with safe eating, positioning, and communication as his speech and mobility decline
  
  

I’ve been told that because Dad is in residential aged care, requests for equipment need to go through the home first, and then via therapist assessments (OT, physio, speech) before anything can be requested through DVA’s RAP program if the home doesn’t already provide it. I understand the process in theory, but in practice it feels slow, and I’m worried Dad is missing out on supports he urgently needs now.

What I’m really hoping for advice on is:

• How others have successfully pushed or escalated RAP requests through aged care when time mattered
  
• What equipment or supports DVA actually did approve for your loved one once properly assessed
  
• How to make sure assessments are thorough when the veteran has limited ability to communicate
  
• Any tips for advocating effectively with the home and DVA at the same time
  

I’m also struggling emotionally with how fast this is progressing, and I feel very alone trying to hold all of this together for him.

If you’ve been through something similar with a veteran in aged care, I’d be very grateful for any advice or shared experience.

Thank you for reading