Darwin Community Legal Service aged care advocate, Eduardo Sparrenberger
When aged care advocate Eduardo Sparrenberger was supporting an older person to have an electric bed supplied by their provider, he didn’t expect to also find thousands of dollars in fee discrepancies.
But the experience highlighted the importance of individual aged care advocacy.
‘It’s not simply about resolving one immediate problem. It’s about supporting older people to understand and exercise their rights, ensuring their concerns are heard, helping them navigate complex systems, and supporting them to have a meaningful say in the care and services they receive,’ he said.
Eduardo, who works for OPAN member Darwin Community Legal Service (DCLS) in the Northern Territory, said an older person had reached out for advocacy support as they’d been waiting several months for an electric bed that had been prescribed by an occupational therapist.
Despite making repeated requests to their provider, there was a lack of response regarding the purchase and delivery of the bed.
Following Eduardo’s advocacy support, the provider arranged for an electric bed to be delivered. However, when it arrived, it was not the bed that had been prescribed. The provider acknowledged this mistake and arranged for the correct one to be supplied.
While working on this case, Eduardo also identified concerns about the financial management of the older person’s transitioned Home Care Package. They had been charged for the new bed, but the charge of the incorrect bed hadn’t been refunded to their package. Other incorrect fees were also identified.
‘The issues were investigated and thousands of dollars were reimbursed to the older person’s package.’
Eduardo said this case highlights the important role advocacy can play when older people are experiencing difficulties navigating the aged care system.
‘Without support, the older person may have continued to experience delays with essential equipment and may not have been aware of the financial discrepancies affecting their package.’
The aged care system can be complex, and Eduardo encouraged older people, their families and support networks to seek advocacy support if something doesn’t seem right, they don’t understand a charge, or they simply feel uncomfortable about a situation.
‘It is okay to ask for help. You do not have to wait until a problem becomes serious before reaching out.’
Eduardo said advocacy isn’t about speaking over an older person or making decisions for them but ensuring they are the centre of the process.
‘Ultimately, good advocacy can help older people feel heard, respected and empowered, and can contribute to aged-care services that are more responsive to the individual needs, choices and preferences of the person receiving care.’
Individual advocacy can also have a longer-term impact, giving older people the confidence, knowledge and tools they need to speak up for themselves, he said.
‘By helping an older person understand their rights and how the aged-care system works, we can build their confidence to ask questions, identify when something doesn’t seem right, and have their rights respected.’