Man decides to end his own life after waiting for at-home care
A terminally ill man has made the heartbreaking decision to end his life after waiting 10-month for end of life care.
Cyril Tooze, an 86-year-old from South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula, was approved for a Level 4 Home Care Package in January.
The package - which is the highest available care for individuals with high-level needs under the federal government’s MyAgedCare scheme - would give Mr Tooze up to $59,594 annually for daily assistance with physical, medical and social tasks.
But almost one year on from the approval, his funds and support have yet to be delivered.
It’s understood his family, who live interstate, contacted the government to enquire about receiving an urgent reassessment, and were told he could be waiting another three to six months.
Independent MP Rebekha Sharkie told reporters that his family were also told a reassessment “could delay it even longer”.
While waiting for his vital funds, Mr Tooze - who suffers from terminal heart and lung conditions and regularly requires morphine for pain relief - has worsened and has been hospitalised after suffering a fall at home.
Tired of waiting for help to arrive, Tooze has started the process of ending his life through South Australia’s voluntary assisted dying scheme.
“There is no hope ... I don’t want to live my life laying in a bed waiting for something to happen,” he told 7News.
“You can’t live like that, that’s unfair, we don’t deserve that in such a country as Australia.”
Following the media coverage of his case, Tooze was contacted by the Aged Care Department, who said the package could temporarily be made available.
Sharkie said Tooze’s situation was “shameful”, saying, “What devastates me is that Mr Tooze feels voluntary assisted dying is the only course available to him, and that is because we as a nation have failed him."
“I would say, if Mr Tooze had that package in a timely manner, as he should have, he would probably be sitting at home now, making himself a cup of tea.”
Anglicare Australia’s Life on the Wait List report revealed that as of May 2024, 68,109 Australians had been approved for a Home Care Package but were facing wait times of up to 15 months to access it.
Image credits: 7News