23. Centrelink

Well Mum has had nothing to do with Centrelink all the time she's been in Australia. I'm afraid I have. I helped one son fill out the forms when he was sick and totally unable to do it himself. Then when I was told I could get a carers allowance that wasn't means tested I made an application and duly got a Centrelink number and $110 a fortnight carers allowance so when I was told that nursing home fees were set by Centrelink I did not take much notice. I knew Mum would be paying the maximum daily rate, she was on a good pension. I had paid the ingoing into Braemar so when I got a letter from Centrelink I just ignored it as I had been advised,but eventually I got my first bill from the nursing home and nearly had a heart attack! So I decided I had better fill in the form, pages of it, 32 to be exact.When she sold her house, price, all her investments etc and of course that was over a month ago and still no acknowledgement. I have since found out there was an error on the bill, thank goodness and I have done some more research and the means tested amount that can be deducted can not be more than $50,000. Mum is the only non pensioner in the nursing home so I'm told, so the moral of this story is that you should make sure you are at least on a part pension before you have to go into a nursing home, spend your money,lots of travelling! And give it away! I am not sure that my husband will agree!