Cuppa Q&A's
Moving a loved one into residential aged care is an emotional rollercoaster. While there’s no handbook with all the answers, sometimes hearing from others who have been through it can help.
Cuppa Q&A's is hosted by Opal HealthCare, one of Australia's leading residential aged care providers. In this series of short videos, we meet families of our residents who share their different experiences, and the emotions they went through, moving their loved ones into care.
Everyone’s experience is different, but the concerns and fears are often alike. We hope by sharing these conversations, you find some comfort and clarity as you explore residential aged care.
For more resources and information on moving a loved one into care, visit www.opalhealthcare.com.au.
Episodes
14 episodes
Living Well Again
Residential aged care is often perceived as a place to manage a loved one’s clinical health, but it offers so much more, aiming to enhance a resident’s overall wellbeing. When Peter began his search for an aged care community for hi...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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16:22
Mum’s Choice
We often hear of loved ones resisting change, so when Adelina decided she wanted to make the move into residential aged care, her daughter Jenny was stunned. Now, with three family members living in care, Jenny has no regrets. In this epi...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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16:33
Embracing New Beginnings
You’ve heard negative stories about aged care and you have no idea what to expect. Mike and Kris grappled with negative preconceptions when it was time to move Mike’s mum, Mary, into care. In this episode, they describe Mary’s profound transfor...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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25:08
Reclaiming Independence
Pat has always been an independent woman. But when a traumatic fall impacted her ability to care for herself, Pat and her daughter Chris had to face the reality that Pat needed residential care. In this episode, Chris recounts her mum’s resilie...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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16:11
The Proactive Family
Moving a loved one into care comes with its share of uncertainties and tasks. From taking care of finances to timing the sale of the house, the to-do-list can seem endless. In this episode, we sit down with Lynelle to hear why a proactive appro...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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19:07
The Love Story
Married at 18 and living through the trials of wartime, John and Daphne have shared a remarkable journey of love. In this episode, Vicki tells us about her parents’ transition into care together after living in their family home for 76 years - ...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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16:28
The Relationship Reset
Moving a partner into care can be unsettling, filled with a whirlwind of emotions as you adjust to this next stage of life. Margaret knows this all too well. After years of caring for her husband George, who lives with dementia, making the deci...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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29:03
Accepting Help - entrusting care to others
You don’t need to do this alone. Many families believe the responsibility of their loved one’s care is theirs and theirs alone. For Jason, the idea of moving his mum, Oma, into residential aged care meant he had failed her. But as O...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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19:35
The Curve Ball - when things change suddenly
What happens when your loved one’s health declines suddenly? When David’s mum lost her ability to walk overnight, he unexpectedly had to begin the process of looking for residential aged care. Like many other families, he had no idea where to s...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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19:50
The Role Reversal - when relationship dynamics change
Being a caregiver is a full time job. It can be particularly complex when you’re caring for an ageing parent. Now you’re making their decisions, you’re telling them what and when they need to do things, and suddenly the roles have reversed and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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20:37
The Partner's Perspective - adjusting to a new normal
We’ve spoken about moving parents into residential aged care, but what happens when it’s your partner? The thought of separation can be difficult and you’ll likely be concerned about how your partner will cope without you. Fortunately, support ...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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18:44
'Having the Talk' - broaching the subject of residential care
Having ‘the talk’ can be difficult. The move into residential aged care is a big transition, full of emotions and uncertainties. So how do you approach the subject of permanent care with your loved one? And as you have the conversation, how can...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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17:01
Letting Go of Guilt - changing perceptions of aged care
Carer’s guilt – it’s all too common. The decision to move your loved one into residential aged care is full of conflicting emotions. As a caregiver, you may have feelings of guilt and perhaps you’re thinking you haven’t done enough. To add insu...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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24:41
The Complex Parent - finding comfort and belonging
Are you supporting a loved one who is complex in nature? If so, you may be wondering how they would cope living with other people. In fact, you may be wondering whether residential care would work for them at all. Our first guest, Jan, grappled...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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24:12