Recently appointed as a Consumer Advisor with Mercy Health’s Community Advisory Committee (CAC), Brett Anderson brings a wealth of experience to the position.
A former school principal for the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat, Brett now manages a team within the Victorian Government revenue sector. His area of special interest on the CAC is residential aged care. This is not surprising given the challenge he has recently faced in finding the right aged care accommodation for his mother, Helen.
“With mum’s rapid onset of dementia, a decision on the type of aged care she needed was very important,” says Brett. “However, finding the right environment for her and getting a grasp on all the costs was not a straightforward process.”
I want to provide tools to help others who are navigating and negotiating their way through the aged care system.
“Mum has now been at Mercy Place Ballarat for 15 months and she is responding well to smaller groups and special care. We made a good choice. “Now that I have gone through that experience, it should be useful for my role as Consumer Advisor on the CAC,” says Brett.
“I want to provide tools to help others who are navigating and negotiating their way through the aged care system.”
Brett’s mum, Helen, who is a Small Household Living resident at Mercy Place Ballarat.
Mercy Health Community Engagement Officer Mario Blandin de Chalain says Brett contributes valuable information and feedback to the CAC on the aged care sector from a consumer perspective.
“From his experience as a family member, and from his current employment, Brett’s feedback about our development of online information to support families calculate costs, has been invaluable,” Mario says.
If you would like to be part of the Mercy Health Community Advisory Committee (CAC), please contact our Consumer Participation and Experience team at getinvolved@mercy.com.au or call 03 8416 7872.
Mercy Health is a trusted aged care provider, offering a safer choice for you and your family. Use our cost calculator to learn more about your payment options when considering aged care.
residential-care.mercyhealth.com.au/understanding-the-costs/
Last reviewed July 29, 2020.