Case:
You are providing care for an 83-year-old woman named Lucy. Lucy was born in Lithuania, but moved to Australia in her early twenties. She misses her home country a lot, and often talks about her experiences there as a young woman.
Lucy says that she enjoyed living in Australia with her husband, but that since he died a year ago, she has been feeling more and more lonely. Her children do not live close by, and she does not see them very often. She would like to participate in social and community activities but does not know where to begin. Lucy used to enjoy singing and was once in a choir. However, she gave that up when her husband got sick, and hasn’t sung in a few years. You raised the idea of joining a choir again, but she said that her voice is probably too weak, and she doesn’t feel confident singing in front of others. (PE 1)
Identify two or three services or opportunities that you could discuss with Lucy, that might empower her to feel more independent and happy.
Without imposing your own values or attitudes, how could you support Lucy to better express her identity and preferences when discussing possibilities for services?
Name one thing you could do that will show respect for Lucy’s social and cultural background when discussing potential opportunities and services with her.
Select one of the services or opportunities that you identified in Question 1, and explain how you could provide it to Lucy, in a manner that respects her preferences and upholds her rights.
What organisational policies and procedures, or duty of care requirements, might need to be adhered to when providing this service for Lucy? Explain how you would take these into account.
What other information and/or support could you provide Lucy to encourage her to engage as actively as possible in this service?
You are discussing service possibilities with Lucy, including the fees that some of them may incur. Lucy mentions to you that she does not have her credit card on her, because her son borrowed it from her around six months ago to pay off a debt. She tells you that she has asked him about the card once or twice, but he hasn’t brought it back and she hasn’t wanted to push it. She is not sure if he is still using it, and has not checked her account balance. Lucy assures you that she is fine using her debit card, and that she is sure her son has just forgotten to return the credit card to her.
Do you think Lucy may be experiencing financial abuse? Explain your answer, giving examples of signs that she may be being abused, or having her rights breached.
Explain how you would respond to this situation.
Outline how you would maintain Lucy’s privacy and confidentiality when reporting and managing this situation. In your answer, take into account the role of organisation policies and protocols.
