Evette
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
‘The government is allowing age discrimination towards people who were born with disability, born deaf or who acquired deafness in early childhood. This form of discrimination is not tolerated towards able people.’
Evette is a child of Deaf adults and her first language is Auslan.
‘My father … became profoundly deaf through a meningitis infection as an infant,’ Evette told the Royal Commission. ‘My mother was a rubella baby … They have difficulty understanding and accessing information and have very limited digital literacy. My father does not own or use a mobile telephone.’
Because both her parents were over 65 when the NDIS was rolled out, they’re not eligible for NDIS support. They’re also unable to access most aged care services because they’re either ineligible or they can’t get past the technological barriers.
‘My father, for example, cannot contact [government services] on his own. He cannot use a telephone and he does not have computer literacy so he relies on a third party to communicate … He still cannot call an ambulance today. He relies on running to the neighbours in the event of an emergency.’
When Evette arranged for her father to have an aged care assessment recently, the assessors didn’t book an interpreter. Evette said her father isn’t eligible for most aged care support anyway because he can still feed, shower and dress himself.
‘He is considered too old for NDIS, but he does not fit the criteria to get a home care package.’
The lack of support meant that during COVID-19 lockdowns, Evette’s parents were ‘completely isolated and overlooked’.
‘Everybody wore masks. They could not lip-read. When they did catch COVID in the middle of this year they were unable to follow instructions or understand how to take a RAT [rapid antigen test] … They could not call their GP or the COVID lines. They were unable to go to a testing station as they could not read lips through the mask.’
When Evette’s mother developed a secondary infection during her isolation with the virus, she fell and cut her head.
‘My father stood by unable to call an ambulance or call for medical support or even call me. When my mother did regain some consciousness she sent me a scrambled message.’
Evette took her to hospital, which refused to discharge her until she had an occupational therapist (OT) home assessment. The hospital refused to supply an OT because staff assumed Evette’s mother had some form of federal government support that would pay for one.
‘Eventually the state agreed to pay for the OT as they thought it would be cheaper than keeping her in hospital. I ended up visiting my mother every morning and every afternoon at the hospital because everybody was wearing masks and it was impossible for her to know what was going on with her care.’
Evette said a nationwide shortage of interpreters means she is constantly on call to interpret for her parents.
‘I am fortunate I have a very flexible employer, but I need to find an employer who is happy for me to constantly be on standby to go and interpret in the event there is a shortage.’
Evette said older Deaf people are ‘the missing middle’, ineligible for the NDIS and unable to access supports available to everyone else.
‘Nobody wants to take responsibility for people like my parents. It seems that the government hopes that their death will be accelerated and they are phased out.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.