One call to benefit older residents in Bega NSW
The Community Health Service in the Bega Valley in New South Wales (NSW) is now centralised as far as those who want to use the service are concerned, Claire Lupton has written in the Bega District News.
One phone call will link clients with the community health service they require or give advice of a service for their needs.
“Now when shire residents call 1300 131 562, they will be transferred or directed to the right service or, if they don’t know which service they need, they will be advised of the correct one.”
A new and welcome community health program for older residents is Transitional Restorative Aged Care (TRAC).
Co-ordinator of TRAC, Robin Grenenger, said that it was a Federal and NSW government funded scheme to help people over 65 years (or Aborigines over 45 years) to be re-integrated into the community after hospitalisation.
Depending on the reason for their operation, illness or injury, TRAC can provide physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, social worker, dietitian or counsellors to help the former patient settle back into their home life.
Ms Dever said that the Bega Valley Community Health Service’s aim was to provide the health care that people need.
For the elderly there are a lot of services including the aged care assessment team, Assist Elderly who present to Emergency (ASET), dementia day care, dementia behavioural assessment and management service and the seniors’ group.
In ASET, if requested, a community health worker will liaise with the emergency team and if needed, ensure the patient has access to a Webster pack which a pharmacist pre-packs with the medications set out in the order they are to be taken.
The elderly have a number of services available which include the continence service, diabetes education, audiologist and audiometry, Home and Community Care (HACC), occupational therapy, palliative care, physiotherapy, podiatry/footcare service, stomal therapy, TB chest clinic, women’s and men’s health services and wound care.
