Natalia

Natalia’s in her 50s and lives with depression and chronic fatigue syndrome.

About five years ago Natalia moved into a group home for people with mild intellectual disability. She saw it as ‘a really good fit’, particularly with a ‘live-in housekeeper’ to prepare meals. She also liked the idea of sharing with nine other residents.

‘Sort of close enough and a community-based thing. I thought it would be fantastic.’

But the housekeeper was a bully and would humiliate the residents.

‘She would yell at you … It was insane. She had to have a go at a couple of residents at a time and I became one of those. She'd be running me down to other residents. She discussed private issues,’ Natalia told the Royal Commission.

And the food was ‘just so bad’.

‘The old vegetables from like the day before that didn't get eaten were put in a pot of water, boiled again … packet of cup-a-soup added and it was served … as their meal. It was just horrific. And I saw an old gentleman in tears trying to force down food.’

Natalia and her housemates would ‘get punished for weeks’ if they dared say a thing.

‘These are fragile, old and disabled people. She’d say, “Right, you don't get no more bickies,” as if they're five-year-olds who have been naughty … It was a schoolyard mentality. She divided the table into those she liked … and those she didn't like. She served the ones she liked and then walked out.’

The housekeeper didn’t clean the communal areas and was ‘taking residents’ groceries’. She treated the house as her own. Her family and friends would just ‘waltz into the residents’ area and help themselves to [the residents’] food’.

‘She would have parties with half a dozen girlfriends. You'd go down and make a cup of tea and you felt like you were walking in on someone else's loungeroom, you know, someone else's party.’

Natalia and others complained to a committee appointed by the provider to consult with residents.

‘Instead of them saying, “I can see we have a serious problem here,” it completely supported her.’  

At a meeting, committee members said, ‘This is not a hotel. Why aren't you bucking in and cleaning it yourselves? Leave if you don’t like it.’

The housekeeper ‘intensified her bullying’. She ‘kicked residents out of the communal loungeroom’ if they ‘cramped her style’.

‘Now if we, as adults, want to have a drink, we had to ask her,’ Natalia said.

At an ‘abusive horrible meeting’, residents again protested. Natalia was ‘yelled over, called stupid and told to shut up’.

Natalia engaged an advocate and, with their help, the housekeeper ‘finally left’.

But her replacement also took ‘ownership of the house’ and locked the kitchen on residents. Committee members all threatened ‘to quit’ and leave them without a housekeeper or money for food when asked to step in.

‘We’re supposed to be part of decision-making about things that go on in the house’, Natalia said. ‘You know, regular check-in with the residents, “Is the work being done? Is the food decent?” “What's to be spent on meals?” The model is just not followed. You get to treat people any way you want and no-one will do a damn thing. Nepotism is absolutely rife in the system here.’