Call on Heather to ease X’mas stress
Nursing homes can expect a flurry of ‘distress calls’ immediately after Christmas, as many families try to come to terms with the increasing frailty of older family members, an aged care professional warned last week.
Nursing homes can expect a flurry of ‘distress calls’ immediately after Christmas, as many families try to come to terms with the increasing frailty of older family members, an aged care professional warned last week.
Heather Hill Pathways managing director, Heather Hill, (pictured at an aged care facility this week), whose organisation provides independent aged care advice and support, said the ‘Christmas visit’ was often the time when families were confronted by the frailty of loved ones, and nursing homes typically received a surge in enquiries in the post Christmas period.
“When I talk to nursing home staff at the moment, they tell me it’s usually about three phone enquiries a week but after Christmas it’s probably closer to 15 to 20 phone calls a week for the first few weeks as families try to gather information,” she said.
“When families get together at Christmas, often it’s the first occasion in some time that younger family members have spent an extended period with mum or dad or an older family member.”
Ms Hill explained, “usually they’ll say mum and dad aren’t really coping and we’ll just call the nursing home around the corner for a chat, but while nursing homes are very sympathetic, they’re generally busy looking after their residents and aren’t really in a position to supply all the information a family needs to consider.”
Ms Hill co-founded Heather Hill Pathways earlier this year because she believed much of the distress families’ face could be prevented if they had the right information and support.
Heather Hill Pathways encourages nursing staff to refer post Christmas callers to its organisation where appropriate.
“Often these callers are months away from seriously considering a specific organisation’s care services,” she said.
“They just want a discussion with somebody who can help them talk through all of the issues.”
Heather Hill Pathways notified about 600 nursing homes and other aged care organisations, inviting them to refer callers to the organisation’s advice line which operates 24 hours, seven days a week.
Visit the Heather Hill Pathways website or the organisation’s 24/7 advice line on 1300 227 949.
