Sitti was an incredibly accomplished research scientist, but after a major operation, she was afraid to return to an empty house. What can she do to have a carer come over every fortnight? Even after receiving her Home Care Package, she had no idea what to do.

“I still had a lot of questions. Like, what next? But Subash came to speak and interview me. I thought, Subash already know about the possibility of having this service. It’s just meant to be for Afea.” 

Keep reading to learn more about Sitti, or watch our interview below:

‘I had an accident, very bad accident’

Sitti was originally from Indonesia. “After I finished my degree at Indonesian university, I got a scholarship to come to Australia to further my study. I did my [degree in] medical microbiology and I worked as a scientist in medical infectious diseases for 21 years.”

She had to return to Indonesia to care for her mother who had fallen ill. (Sitti’s mother later passed away, at the age of 105.)

While in Indonesia, she figured in a car accident.

“I was driving during the rainy day and my car was plunged into the ditch, causing my backbone to be squashed.”

Sitti didn’t realise at the time how bad the injury was. She returned to Sydney and tried massages and other alternative treatments to deal with her back pain. Finally, her son encouraged her to see a specialist and undergo an MRI. The test revealed that her injury required surgery.

Following the operation, Sitti recovered well, managing to walk down the hospital corridors with minimal assistance. But she was afraid to return home on her own.

Level 1 Home Care Package

“At the end, the doctor came, the specialist came, ‘Now, you’re all right, you can go back home.’ I said, ‘What? I don’t want to go home by myself.’ I was scared.

“But because of that, they sent me a social worker. The social worker told me that they’re going to send a carer. What am I going to do if I want to keep it like this, at least every fortnight?”

A friend suggested that she apply for support from My Aged Care. Sitti received a Level 1 Home Care Package, but “at the time, I really do not have any idea what I should do then.”

Her Physiotherapist had a clinic on Macquarie Street in Liverpool, and she asked the receptionist, “Do you know a provider I can contact?” The receptionist pointed to Afea’s office across the road.

“That’s how it is, very simple,” Sitti recalls with a laugh.

“I still had a lot of questions. Like, what next? But Subash came to speak and interview me. I thought, Subash already know about the possibility of having this service. It’s just meant to be for Afea.”

Support from Afea

As Afea’s client, Sitti receives fortnightly domestic assistance from an Afea carer, package management and the support of Subash, her dedicated Care Manager.

Sitti is hoping her subsidy can be increased so she can receive more services. But in the meantime, she’s keeping herself busy serving her community.

“I did some training at Westmead Hospital, then I became a bilingual community educator, until now. My duty is delivering government programs for the community, especially Indonesian communities.”

Terima kasih, Sitti!

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Contact us now and we’ll develop a care plan designed just for you.