Lisa moved into a nursing home when she was 37 years old. After acquiring a brain injury, Lisa spent 5 weeks in ICU and was then moved to aged care. Her family weren’t consulted and she didn’t have the opportunity to look at alternatives. 

In the nursing home, Lisa was isolated and lonely. She was left in her room and felt ignored. She told her family not to visit her because of the crying and screaming of other residents. She didn’t want her grandchildren exposed to that. Lisa felt she had no say or choice. She lost her imagination.

Lisa secured SDA funding in her NDIS plan and now enjoys living independently in her SDA apartment, which she says is wonderful. “I’m finally free!”

“There are people dying all around me. It feels like god’s waiting room. It’s very confronting.”

Read and watch more stories from young people who lived in aged care