Healthy Ageing in Wide Bay

What started as a simple plan to prevent falls at home and maintain seniors’ mobility, activity and safety has expanded into a much broader initiative, offering additional benefits for social, health and wellbeing.

A partnership between Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service (WBHHS), Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS), Country to Coast Queensland, and Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre (HBNC) has created the Healthy Ageing program.

Based in Hervey Bay, a seaside town that has been a popular spot to retire to for thousands of Queenslanders, the program is designed to prevent falls in the home through education, movement and confidence.

This is done through a referral to the service providers, who work with participants either in group sessions at HBNC’s Community Wellness Centre, or individually and through WBHHS’s support team.

“It’s basically designed to keep people mobile, and safe at home, to encourage their mobility and confidence,” said Pauline Alderding from WBHHS’s Integrated Care team.

“One of the side benefits of this is that we’re keeping people out of hospital by using fall prevention techniques and education.

“We may get a referral from a GP, QAS or from the emergency department, and once I get that I’ll make a call to the person and explain the service we offer, usually within 48 hours of receiving the original referral.

“We work alongside Bolton Clarke, a non-government funded home care provider who assist us in running strength and balancing classes which may include a nurse and a physiotherapist.

Pauline said the classes are designed to build muscle and strength and improve balance through physiotherapy.

“The exercises are tailored to the individuals, some of whom may have diabetes or a respiratory condition, so we make sure that all factors are taken into consideration,” Pauline said.

“For two hours every Wednesday the first half is exercise, then after a break there’s a chosen topic to discuss then we all have morning tea.

“We try to tailor our discussions to what matters to them – for example scamming; and medical issues such as diabetes.

Some people have said to me that it is the highlight of their week, and at the end of the 12-week program we get people saying they would love to keep going!

The Wide Bay region work closely with the local residents to prevent falls before they happen, with program benefits extending to reduced hospitalisations and improved mental health.

“We work with the clients and do an assessment at their home, we have a checklist that we run through,” Pauline said.

“There can be many factors that contribute to a fall – it’s not solely about someone’s strength.

“It’s also about other contributing factors and their health as a whole, and what safety features you may have at home to prevent trip hazards.

“We look at what additional support people need, and there are simply so many benefits to this program.

“It’s a program designed to keep people safe and mobile in their own homes and to give them confidence.

“Plus, there are side benefits like reducing hospital presentations due to falls and promoting mental health and wellbeing due to the social aspects of the meetings and activities.”

Find out more about the program on the Fraser Coast here.