By Carole Levy
Sunbury Community Health, a not-for-profit community organisation, provides a range of services that respond to the needs of Sunbury and surrounding communities.
For more than 40 years, the organisation has offered health services to generations of residents.
These services include childcare, therapy and support for families concerned about child development, counselling, physiotherapy, dental and other health services and activities for older adults.
Sunbury Community Health is an Approved Home Care Package Provider.
Home Care Packages, part of an Australian government program, provide money to buy services for older people (generally 65 years of age or older) to live well and safely within their homes and communities.
Services can include things such as occupational therapy, podiatry, physiotherapy, home help and other community or family supports.
Kerryn Jorgensen, Care Coordination Team Leader, says the care co-ordination team explains what is available and provides information on the steps needed to get assistance.
Said one participant:
“Originally I couldn’t shower myself and I had a nurse coming up to help me daily. With Home Care Packages, we got a flexi hose put in for the shower, a rail and a seat, well now, I’ve got to the stage I can do that on my own.”
Community services have changed so much recently and can be hard to navigate, especially if people don’t know where to start.
“Earlier this year, we ran information sessions and they were so popular they’re on again,” she says.
Another participant said:
“Sunbury Community Health has been fantastic. We were given the opportunity to improve our lifestyle and improve what we needed to do in the situation we were in. We’d been using Sunbury Community Health prior to Home Care Packages and found the staff friendly, caring, informative and helpful. I thought I was fairly with-it with the medical side of things, but when it came to Home Care Packages, I could not understand. Without Sunbury Community Health’s help, I would have given up.”
Kerryn says: “Our care co-ordination team encourages people with a friend or family member who could use some support to stay at home to get in touch.”
Forthcoming session details:
Thursday, November 8, from 6pm: Introduction to My Aged Care and Home Care Packages.
Friday, November 16, from 9.30am:
I am waiting for my Home Care Package
Where: Sunbury Community Health. Bookings: sunburyhomecare.eventbrite.com.au
Sunbury Community Health, 12-28 Macedon Street, Sunbury. Inquiries: 9744 4455 or visit sunburychc.org.au
(Pictures: Supplied)
