At Catholic Healthcare we are shining a ‘light’ on our people and the exceptional work they are all doing across our services. We share how team members are innovating, engaging and helping to make Catholic Healthcare a great place to work.
This week, meet Alexina Arnold, Aged Care Assessment Services Manager for Home & Community Services.
"Some of our clients don't have any family to help them during lockdown. They're really feeling the social isolation," says Alexina.
Alexina is one of many conducting thousands of Home Support Assessments for people who are over 65 years for eligibility to the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP). She is a member of Catholic Healthcare's Regional Assessment Service. It's this team who are currently on the frontline of our Home Care services providing assessments and support to clients in lockdown, particularly across hard-hit areas of Sydney.
On average, the team conducts 11,000 Home Support Assessments per year and completes the same amount of Support Plan Reviews (assisting clients who have previously been assessed to amend their CHSP services). Home Support Assessments are conducted across six Aged Care Planning Regions including the Inner West, South East Sydney, South West Sydney, Western Sydney, Nepean and the ACT.
For those clients who are alone at home during lockdown, Alexina and her team are seeing an increase in the demand for meals, help with grocery shopping and transport – being able to get to medical appointments. Also, there has been an increased demand for personal alarms, mainly triggered by family members who can't be there to check on their family member. They want peace of mind.
To help her clients Alexina is also talking to them about vaccination.
"We do it in a very gentle way. During our assessment we ask health-related questions, and questions about their functions and daily living," she says.
"We let clients know, for example, that if they have a heart condition it puts them more at risk of COVID and have they thought about vaccination? We also encourage clients to talk to their GP. If they are wanting to get vaccinated, we send them to the NSW Health website."
After clients have received their COVID-19 vaccination, Alexina and her team do a quick follow-up call to make sure their clients haven't had an adverse reaction. They ask their clients if they've had any side effects or if they need to follow-up with their GP.
Alexina recommends to her colleagues to use the flexibility under the Government's COVID crisis measures.
"We give out the Older Persons COVID Support line number if they're feeling lonely or distressed – then they have someone they can talk to."
If you know an older person who would like information and support you can also encourage them to contact the Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line on 1800 171 866, Monday to Friday between 8:30am to 6pm (except public holidays).
September 5, 2021
Home Care Services, CHL
This week, meet Alexina Arnold, Aged Care Assessment Services Manager for Home & Community Services. "Some of our clients don't have any family to help them during lockdown. They're really feeling the social isolation," says Alexina.
September 29, 2021
Healthcare, CHL
Meet Kath Readford OAM, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Lourdes Hospital & Community Health Service, Dubbo. For the past 28 years Kath has supported the Orana region, providing dementia counselling, advice, support and advocacy services. Kath has been pivotal in the work achieved in Dubbo, also setting up the Home Club 20 years ago specifically for people living with dementia.
