Chee changes everything for Yvonne

October 1, 2024

“To have someone as good as Chee, that’s a miracle,” says 78 year old Yvonne who receives in-home support from CatholicCare Community Support Partner, Chee. “She calls me her CC pill,” says Chee. “I think she says so because she feels much better when she’s having a visit from me. I don’t know why I have been reduced to a pill!  But this, of course, is a great compliment!” 

When Yvonne began receiving support from us, she was quite disconnected from the community. “She often seemed withdrawn and depressed,” says Chee. “Since then, she has become increasingly upbeat and more proactive socially and is exercising too!” 

Chee says that in his experience as a support worker, it is not unusual to see seniors feeling lonely, which can easily lead to depression. “There is a lack of real social and interpersonal connections,” says Chee. “It’s the connection that makes the difference, be it a joke, shared laughter or a cup of tea while chatting about life. These are the things that help bring out the person from within, which is often hibernating. I think that might be why Yvonne appreciates the companionship so much.” 

Yvonne is convinced that Chee can take her pain away. “Some mornings I will wake up and think, ‘Oh gosh, I’m in too much pain to go out today.’ But by the time I have finished with Chee the pain has often gone.” 

When asked about what she most appreciates about Chee, Yvonne says it is the way he empowers her to make her own decisions. “He never takes over,” Yvonne says. “When he comes with me to the podiatrist he will never interfere, but he will ask questions if he knows there is something I’ve forgotten to ask. He will regularly glance at me to make sure I am OK with what he is saying.”

Yvonne also appreciates Chee’s sense of humour and their shared cultural background. “I am part Chinese, so our shared culture is something that has helped our bond,” Yvonne says. 

Yvonne says that her only complaint is that Chee went to Canada on holidays for five weeks. “That’s five weeks without my Chee medicine!” Yvonne says, jokingly. “It’s a miracle I survived!”

But the real miracle, Yvonne says, is to have a Support Worker as good as Chee, “He’s worth a million dollars.”

The Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) is a good starting point to begin using aged care services.

If you are at the start of your adventure into aged care, CHSP can enable you to access a range of services to assist you to live independently at home, while getting practical and social support you need. Services can be tailored to best suit your needs. We prides ourselves on the quality of its team. Our Support Workers are passionate about their roles and focus on building consistent trusting relationships. We provide services across the Central Coast and Northern Sydney region. CHSP is subsidised by the Australian Government to keep client fees reasonable and affordable. My Aged Care requires all clients to also contribute to the cost of their care, if they can afford to do so. Your CatholicCare representative will discuss with you the cost of the service provided to you as well as any contribution fee that you may be required to pay. CatholicCare has a fee support policy to support those who are unable to pay the contribution fee due to financial difficulty.

For more information:
P: (02) 9488 2488
E: seniors@catholiccaredbb.org.au