Friends, Family & Carers Forum

[Forfamily]

I am completely new to this. However i am needing to try new avenues to receive some advice and help in regards to helping out a family member. My father is diagnosed schizophrenic and two years ago was admitted to hospital in canberea. Prior to the admission i had spent numerous amounts of time on the phone to n.s.w mental health (as that is where he lives) trying to receive some assistance. I was faced each time with them stating there was nothing wrong and he was fine.. on the occasion of him finally being hospitalised n.s.w mental health cat team was called out once again to his house with hearing the same response of nothing was wtong, the next day he was here with us in Canberra we called the cat team here out and he was taken to hospital straight away and was admitted for around 3 months.... with a court order in place he was discharged and went back home and things were back on track. Last year later the court order was over. Within that year my father lost his father and his mother is in care with the late stages of dementia, these are significant and traumatic experiences for his as they make up the majority of our family. His case workers from n.s.w have not followed up on any of this and im almost certain they unaware of these things even happening. My father is now extremely unwell once again and we are back at square one trying to get some help with no luck from the mental help system in n.s.w. i do not know what Avenue i can go down or where i can get help. Any information is greatly appreciated. Or just hearing from anyone else who is going through a similar battle.

[Kurra]

Hi @Forfamily
Ask ACT Mental Health to contact NSW Mental Health and if possible send a copy of his records to NSW Mental Health.
I found the care from NSW Mental Health to be exceptional. I think you will find the same once they officially have his full history.
Good Luck.

[Forfamily]

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately he was admitted several times in n.s.w prior to this but fell of their radar and they have not continued to follow up this time around. All of the information and diagnosis that were done here in a.c.t were passed onto nowra mental health.

[Squirrel]

Hi @Forfamily & welcome to the forums. I am @Squirrel and one of the moderators on the Forums. I hope you get some helpful suggestions from the community here as I can hear how very frustrating it has been already in dealing with systems that do not talk to each other. Your advocacy is so critical in navigating a complex system when a family member is so vulnerable. Take good care of yourself too.

[pip]

Dear @Forfamily. Have you tried talking to your father's own G.P. If he is regularly taking AD's for schizophrenia he needs prescriptions which can only be obtained by a G.P or his treating psych. It also sounds as though he is not being monitored for the schizo illness. I would suggest you talk directly to his G.P and tell him how concerned you are for your father's health. Mention too about his parents and the concern you are facing as a result of their health. I don't know whether dementia is inherited, but if you have concerns and your father is displaying dementia symptoms, this too needs to be brought to the attention of the G.P.

[Rosa]

Welcome to the MH Non-System. Ramp up your forcefield. MHU are not there to "care" for people they medicate them. A mens shed might be a good option if you have them there.
Lots of water, zero alcohol, and hope the past year has been kinder to you all

[Rosa]

Hi, Is the system "complex" or is it really in a state of MI also? Thank goodness he has someone.who does care.

[pip]

Hi@Rosa. Sorry to pour cold water on your men's shed theory. Not many of them cater for people with MI. If the man requires a carer, no facilities are available. Not many of them are wheelchair friendly. There are no nurses, Dr's available, no facilities for medical attention. My ex is vice president of our local men's shed and says they're basically 'working' sheds. If the man attending has AD's, as long as he is prepared to keep them with him or makes sure the container is not readily accessible, he can have them, but men's shed takes no responsibility. My ex joined men's shed before we separated, that's how I know about them. some of them do cater, but they are a working shed for retirees, men on Newstart (work for the dole), seldom cater for MI or the disabled.