I have been reading some posts lately about people stating they will be relying on inheritance to get their way through life, but today I have my story to tell you.
In the previous month my dad (70s) had a fall and is now bed bound. The hospital doctors are recommending he be moved to aged care.
Here is where the problem lies. I need to find a way to find $600,000 for the residential aged care deposit, or pay the daily fee which is the equivalent of $128 a day.
Guess what, my dad has instructed me not to sell the house at any cost. So here I am with the dilemma that I have to find a way to stump up $128 a day to pay for his care.
What have others done to prevent this scenario from happening? Or is the whole "waiting for inheritance" not a real reality?
Further information about me:
I don't have my own house sadly… So, I am regretting skimping on the stamp duty and waiting for the property to pass upon death at the $100 rate… I can tell you that probably in a majority of situations this transfer never even happens because a majority of people will go to aged care and be forced to sell their family home.
Looks bad right? I was pretty upset when he went to the hospital, but now I'm in an even worse position.
From personal observations, what the govt provides you for "free" is very different to what those who can pay get.
The "free" stuff, it's basic survival.
The ones who can pay, well they get an input into a lifestyle.
Just one example:
My parents have these 4 wheel ride on scooter type things that they can use for everything from transport to get somewhere - appointment etc, go on random excursions to get them out of the house, to taking themselves over to the local shopping centre where they can remain seated at all times and load up their goodies into their little basket thingy and saddlebags.
They can then ride the thing all the way home right inside their kitchen where they can then unpack their groceries.
They'll often take themselves on journeys, outings and over to the club for a meal and a punt on the pokies!
Then there are/were my in laws. No super scooter for them, they got this walking frame thing they had to grip and move with them as they struggled to remain standing. Damn hard things to use one handed, so even if they could have shuffled over to the shops, couldn't let go of the walker to do any shopping.
Pretty sure grandads at least had some wheels on his, but granny wasn't allowed one with wheels as it was too unstable for her.
From mt perspective, getting old really sucks and apparently, it is also very expensive. However, just by observing our two sets of parents and the lifestyles they're able to access, I know I'll be doing my level best to accumulate enough money to sustain myself (and hubby), to do everything possible to avoid having to access what the govt may provide at no expense.
Believe me, the "government funded" version makes me wonder if the poor buggers who must depend on it, wouldn't be better off dead.
Damn well hope that my parents never need one (all my grandparents died in their own homes, so could happen), but if they do need a nursing home, I feel so grateful that they have the resources to enter one that they like.
For the "free" ones, whilst there could be a small room for choice, the reality is, you pretty much get the first dingy one that becomes available, and there sure are some horribly dreadful, dreary looking ones out there.
I'm grateful that the gov does provide care for those who need it, but you're fooling yourself if it's anywhere you'd be happy to see anybody you remotely liked, far less loved.