Real Stories

Verbal abuse is as bad as, or worse than, physical abuse. But I’m not going to put up with it any more.

I was still juggling the remains of a career when my elderly mother came to live with me from overseas

Daphne had experienced physical, sexual, emotional and verbal abuse from her husband for many years.

Andrew begins a deliberate campaign to convince his father, Peter, he is losing his ‘marbles’.

Elif sold her home and contributed most of the proceeds to her son to build an extension for her to live in as she aged. Ten years later she is living in an unfamiliar aged care facility.

After selling his home and loaning his son money to pay off his mortgage, Yen expected that he would grow old in the unit his son built him in the yard.

Angelo was moved into an aged care facility after his son used the house to secure a loan for his new business.

Nina and Joe helped invest in a property with their daughter. They were able to get that investment back after proving it was not a gift.

Conrad lost his confidence after suffering a heart attack home alone. His daughter offered for him to live in her granny flat. Although after six years his living arrangements changed again.

Randa wanted to live out her life with her son and family. She contributed a large sum to her son to live with him. When she passed the son split the contribution between his siblings.

Gerald has some tough choices he must make while preparing his will. He visits a lawyer to get some clarity.

Rita and Tony agreed to guarantee their daughters home loan with a large contribution.

Elizabetta was determined to stay living in her own home until she died. Her son encouraged her to sign over the title of the home.

Mr and Mrs Day were low-income pensioners. They almost lost everything after they signed a loan contract for their son's business ventures.

Ivan wants to move into a nursing home. He has limited English language skills and is hard-of-hearing making it difficult for him to arrange.

Bob has taken in his adult daughter Erika who unfortunately is a heavy drug user. Bob provides financial and emotional support, but the situation is starting to impact Bob's mental health.

Amos suffered a stroke which resulted in permanent disabilities. For the last twenty years, his wife Elizabeth has had control over his every move.

After her husband's death and being diagnosed with dementia, she moved in with her daughter, whom she appointed as her enduring power of attorney.

Mr LLN was 92 years of age and lived in his own home with his wife. He made an enduring power of attorney nameing five of his children as his attorneys.

In her counselling sessions, she reported patterns of emotional and social abuse and denigration perpetrated by her son. She was advised to think hard about who she appointed her power of attorney.

Dot, who had dementia, gave financial power of attorney to her son Ted who invested $200,000 of her savings. Susan, Dot's daughter took the matter to the Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Georgio had already made a will but decided that he needed to plan carefully in the event he was not able to make decisions about his finances after the surgery.

When Jean's memory started to worsen she appointed her daughter Carol as her decision-maker under her enduring power of attorney. Jean's other daughter Sandra was upset.

Ted was in his 60s, had never married and lived in a country town. After recovering from a heart attack, he realised he must choose the best enduring guardian for his future.

Luis appointed his son, Martin, as his appointed decision-maker for financial decisions. Although Martin breached his obligations by not keeping his property separate from Luis’.

Jan is considering appointing her friend, Frances, to make financial decisions as her enduring power of attorney. Jan discovers that Frances is very busy and, as a result, is unreliable.

Andrew made his son, Michael, his appointed decision-maker for financial decisions. After Andrew suffers a stroke, Michael breaches a few of his obligations as an appointed decisionmaker.

Andrew was in financial trouble and wanted to make sure he would receive an inheritance from his 90-year-old father, David.

George has chronic arthritis and has limited mobility. He agreed that his son Petro could live with him on the basis he would care for his father.

Ella notices that her mother is withdrawn and depressed. Beatrice talks about how controlling her husband is and that he frequently forces her to have sex with him.