Health of Older Persons
Why is the Health of Older Persons one of MidCentral DHB’s Health Priority Areas?
As people get older the likelihood of developing a major illness or acquiring a disability increases. Over 50% of people over the age of 65 have a disability, either caused by one or a combination of factors including disease or illness, the aging process or accident or injury.
More information about the planning around the health of older persons is availiable in the Aging in MidCentral Strategy.
Eldery women making cups of tea at home.
MidCentral District has a higher proportion of older people than New Zealand overall, and its population in general is aging. This means that more people in the district will require some care and support in future years.
Although the impact of an older person having an accident or illness is more severe and prolonged than for a younger person, improved health care and support is helping older people live longer and better with chronic illness and disability.
Older people who are generally well require support and information about services to keep them healthy at home and prevent falls, poor nutrition, low fitness and social isolation.
Planned initiatives and services for older persons in the MidCentral district.
Ageing in MidCentral - Health of Older People Strategy
The Board has published its strategy for the health of older people in MidCentral District.
The Board established a sector reference group and conducted a public consultation process to assist in developing this strategic approach to the delivery of disability support services to MidCentral's community of older people over the next six years.
The strategy aims to:
- improve and support independence and choices
- improve older people's ability to live at home, or in their place of choice, longer
- support older people, their carers/whanau and networks to live in their community ensuring their lives are healthier and meaningful to them
- be proactive and reduce the number of admissions to hospital, especially where this can be prevented with, for example, better information and earlier care.
- The strategy seeks to achieve integrated continuum of care: the collocation of health and other support services - to provide older people with seamless access to services.
MidCentral DHB’s strategies to improve the health of older people:
- Establish an intersectoral information and advocacy service for older people
- Facilitate the increased use of elder abuse family violence intervention guidelines.
- Link information systems so that appropriate and timely information is shared between agencies and providers
- Increase home-based rehabilitation options and access to home support
- Establish collocated services focused on the needs of older people
- Provide funded training for whanau and unpaid carers
- Improve access to, and choice for older person in care arrangements
Vision for the Health of Older Persons
MidCentral shares the same vision for the health care of its older people with that of the Government’s Health of Older People Strategy:
“Older people participate to their fullest ability in decisions about their health and wellbeing and in family, whanau and community life. They are supported in this by coordinated and responsive health and disability support programmes.”
Source: Health of Older People Strategy, April 2002
By 2010 MidCentral wishes to see this vision achieved – and an integrated continuum of care - with the help of health and disability support service providers, Maori, and the community.
This means older people will have access to coordinated and suitable services from a range of providers in a way that meets their diverse individual needs.
Planned Initiatives and Services for Older Persons in the MidCentral district.
Developing Services to Support MidCentral DHB’s Ageing Maori Population
MidCentral DHB commissioned a research project into the needs of the Maori population as its ages. It found that while a specific Maori residential care facility was not required, a number of enhancements could be made to make mainstream services more culturally appropriate. In particular, there is a need for respite, convalescent and palliative care arrangements to be targeted.
During 2007/08, MidCentral DHB will work in conjunction with the local Maori community to develop a Respite, Convalescent and Palliative Care Strategy. While this is being developed, enhancements to residential care services for the elderly will be made to improve the quality of care for Maori residents.
Increasing Community and Home Based Support Options for Older Persons
More older persons are choosing to live in a community setting. Those unable to continue living in their own home may choose to live in a residential care facility. Others might require support to live in their own home and the demand for this support service is increasing.
MidCentral Health’s hospital services have experienced a rise in the number of elderly patients admitted for medical reasons, with occupancy of medical beds often exceeding 100%. This has led to surgical beds being used. Once these patients no longer require hospital care they can be discharged. However, many are reluctant or unable to return home as their partner is elderly and does not feel able to provide the support they need, or they live alone. As such they stay in hospital for longer, blocking beds for other admissions.
Supportlinks is also experiencing difficulty in accessing community and home based support options to meet the needs of its clients.
MidCentral DHB is to establish a single point of entry for referrals for older people requiring assessment for support services. This will enable it better co-ordinate care and assess demand. Supportlinks, the needs assessment and service co-ordination service, will be reconfigured so it can respond to increased demand. The DHB also intends to enhance local support coordination services to meet projected demand.
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Last Updated 01/02/2010