October 18th, 2026Just sayin’…
By Donna Kelly I was reading a news item from the ABC and had to check the date – I thought maybe it was April Fool’s Day.
Nope.
It was about the federal government’s Higher Everyday Living Fees, introduced last year under “once in a generation” reforms. And it’s true. And awful.
Now I don’t know if any of the local nursing homes are doing any of this but in the capital cities things aren’t great.
For example, at one place in Sydney, according to the news report, the higher fees apply to fortnightly activities, talking to a carer once a month, attending a music concert or even having a TV in your room.
The first one, a fortnightly activity like art, music or pet therapy, costs $132 per session or $3432 a year.
Want to talk to a carer for an hour once a month about “whatever’s on your mind”? Be willing to fork out $66 per hour or $792 a year.
Feel like chilling out with a music concert in the nursing home? That’s just $220 per event or $880 if you attend all four for the year.
And talk about bringing new meaning to “free-to-air” television, that’s $8.80 per day or $3212. For “free” TV.
Over west, in Perth, residents were charged $12.50 a day, or $4562 per year, for a hot breakfast along with soft drinks or juice for another $7 a day, or $2555 per year and anyone wanting wine or beer with their meal paid $15 a day or $5475 per year. I just hope they are getting at least a bottle of wine or a couple of beers.
It seems a bit like highway robbery to me. Or at least like the joke where the older person says they are going to commit a crime when they turn 70 and spend the rest of their days in prison. “Retirement homes are too expensive. Prison is free. Three meals a day. A television in my cell, books, board games, free medical.” Boom boom.
It reminds me of when my mum fell and hurt her back. She had to stay for six weeks in a nursing home in the retirement village where she lived. They said she was lucky they had a room for her but when we arrived, it was a room with a bed and a bedside table. That was it. No television, no visitor’s chair. Nothing.
I asked what they thought she would do all day long – seeing she was meant to be lying pretty much most of the time. Look at the wall?
So Kyle did what Kyle does and headed straight over to her place and returned with a TV stand and then came back with the TV. And then he went back to her place and carried over a huge armchair so she or a visitor could sit.
It was all a bit odd when her time there was up. The nursing sister told me that Mum should stay an extra night once she had the all-clear from the specialist to go home. I asked the specialist what he thought and he said “get her home”. So I did. And the nursing sister was a bit pissed off. Felt like there was money involved somehow. Not with the person, but the nursing home perhaps. Not sure how much you get for a bed stay for a high-dependency patient. Probably a bit.
Anyway, if you are looking at a nursing home just check out the fees first. They can charge what they want, or not charge at all. Which seems nicer to me.
After all, these people have lived their lives, as well as they can, and are now pretty much reliant on others for their care for their final years. And I really don’t think the enjoyment of that should come down to dollars.
I, and I am sure many others, would be happy to chat to someone about “whatever’s on their mind” for free. Just sayin’…
