A NORTH Albury woman says she has to crawl on the floor to move around because the home care she needs for her disability has stopped.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Donna Macklan, 47, an incomplete paraplegic with a brain injury, said she had not received any visits or assistance from carers for about two months despite having a funded care package.
Miss Macklan, who is transgender, said problems had arisen because some of her carers had lacked training in equipment like hoists and some also struggled to accept her.
“I’ve got an electric wheelchair, I can’t get into that unless someone puts me into that,” she said. “I’m trying to teach these people how to help me with my disability and I would get looked at as telling them off. And then they go back to their boss and say I’m crazy or whatever – who are they going to believe? I have no advocate. That’s how I’ve lost my care, by trying to stick up for myself. It’s my anxiousness trying to get my point across. Because of my gender, a lot of the carers couldn’t deal with dressing me (as a woman).”
A Department of Family and Community Services (FACS) spokesman said the department was unable to comment specifically on individual clients owing to privacy.
“However, a person’s gender, race, age or sex has no bearing on decisions FACS makes about client eligibility for support,” he said.
A Mercy Health spokeswoman said at Miss Macklan’s request Mercy Health ended all services to her on March 29.
“Staff work closely with clients to meet their care needs and personal preferences within the scope of their government funded support package,” the spokeswoman said. “We are proud to assist clients from different religions, nationalities, sexualities and age groups.”
Miss Macklan disagreed with Mercy Health’s explanation of the situation.
“I need help to get into bed, I need help to get out of bed, I need help to shower, I need help to get dressed,” she said. “I’m dressed today because I’m expecting (The Border Mail), but I’ve had to do this from 4.30 this morning I’ve been getting ready.”
Miss Macklan has been sleeping on the floor of her unit because she can’t get herself into bed.
“I just toss and turn, I feel like a worm that’s been trod on,” she said.
