The trauma and constant disappointment of dealing with their mother's aged care mental health services has left one family exhausted, an inquiry has been told.
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A witness told the aged care royal commission on Wednesday her mother was very fit and active before her first episode of depression, aged 70.
But after she moved into an aged care facility it became difficult to convince staff her behaviour wasn't normal, Ms UX said.
"The staff assume just because mum is in her 80s and frail that she has dementia, even though mum was fitter than me and had a better social life before she entered the facility."
About half of all residents in aged care suffer from depression with a further 50 per cent also suffering from dementia.
Ms UX said dealing with her mother's mental health and well-being has been traumatic.
"It has been a constant disappointment," she said in a statement.
"Even though my sister and I are not physically caring for mum, it is exhausting having to be her constant advocate."
There was little communication between her mother's high-level aged care facility, GP and the older person's mental health unit.
The person responsible for overseeing her mother's care within the mental health unit was reassigned every six months, Ms UX said.
"Mum feels as if she's being passed around and we feel like we're always playing catch-up," she said.
Meanwhile, staff at the aged care home often fail to do what GP's tell them to, including caring for her mother's ulcers, despite complex wound care being a part of the contract family sign with the facility.
"They appear reluctant to change their practices or to be open to new practices," Ms UX said.
Her family have also been unable to access their mother's records through the MyGov and MyAgedCare online portal.
They sent a letter to the Department of Human Services but have yet to receive a reply.
The royal commission released on Monday two reports on community attitudes and perceptions of aged care.
It found loneliness and boredom were key concerns of life in a residential facility.
Ms UX said she wished her mother's carers would provide the 83-year-old activities which gave her a sense of purpose, not just entertainment to pass the time.
"Mum is of a generation where there is still a lot of social stigma surrounding mental illness," she said.
She called for a campaign to change the perception of mental illness among older generations, including the type of resources available for patients and their families.
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Australian Associated Press
