Year: 2008

Staff: Ms Betty Haralambous, Dr Jean Tinney, Dr Jane Sims, Ms Janet Mackenzie, Dr Irene Blackberry, Ms Veelyn Tan

Summary: Well for Life is an initiative of the State Government of Victoria that aims to improve the health and wellbeing of older people by improving nutrition, emotional wellbeing and by increasing levels of physical activity.

In 2003/04, two resource kits were developed by the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) together with the Dietitians Association of Australia, and the Department of Human Services (DHS) Public Health and the Aged Care Branch, one for residential aged care (Click here) and one for community care (Click here). The two kits assisted agencies in planning and implementation of physical activity and nutrition strategies, using an action learning approach.

Over 100 agencies have participated in Well for Life projects using the kits. These projects have been subject to extensive evaluation by DHS.

In 2008, NARI updated the kits to include more recent literature and an emotional wellbeing section, that includes a guide to action, user friendly help sheets, and links to educational and other resources, services and programs. The new section promotes a person centred approach to care that is inclusive of the older person’s family and carers. All three sections are based on a thorough literature review and have been piloted and evaluated by kit users in residential and community care settings.

Funding source: Victorian Department of Health

Year: 2010

Staff: Colleen Doyle, Marcia Fearn

Summary: NARI, in partnership with Access Economics, are evaluating the Victorian Heatwave Framework for the Victorian Department of Health, Environment Section. The aim is to evaluate the success of the processes, tools and mechanisms implemented in the 2009-10 Heatwave Framework in increasing the community’s and health and community service providers’ awareness about the health impacts of heatwaves and strategies for preventing heat-related illness. A series of consultations is being undertaken with stakeholders and local councils, and NARI are conducting focus groups with older Victorians to gauge awareness and perceptions of heatwave messaging and how to keep safe in the heat. The result will be a report to the Department of Health with recommendations on how to improve the Heatwave Framework, and ultimately the long term objective is to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with heatwaves.

Funding source: Department of Health, Environmental Health Unit

Year: 2005

Staff: Keith Hill, Kirsten Moore, Betty Haralambous, Dr Dina LoGiudice (RMH), Marita Scott (Mecwa), Rowan Cockerell (Mecwa), Carmel Morgan (Mecwa), Janine Stevenson (Mecwa)

Summary: A dementia care strategy was developed for Mecwa. The strategy was developed to address the key elements of the Australian Government consultation paper, "National framework for action on dementia: 2005", in the context of Mecwa's current and planned activities. Activities which informed development of the strategy for Mecwa included:
• developing a template for best practice care in community, residential, and transitions between services,
• reviewing documentation and processes, undertaking site visits,
• conducting focus groups with staff and interviews with carers,
• reviewing learning needs of staff, and exploring models of care.

A template checklist developed as part of this project is available for organisations to use in rating their current activity against best practice dementia care principles. here ....

Funding source: Mecwa

Year: 2003-04

Staff: Briony Dow, Betty Haralambous, Freda Vrantsidis, Melita Taylor

Summary: The aims of this review were to identify:
. the gaps in the published/peer reviewed and "grey" literature;
. the current areas of concern for carers and carer advocates; and
. current good practice in working with and supporting carers.

This literature review focused on carers of older people, and older carers (some of whom were caring for their older relatives or friends and some of whom were caring for disabled children) rather than on any particular diagnostic group. It also included the provision of care by informal carers in acute, residential care and community settings.

This literature review was undertaken to inform the Victorian Department of Human Services' Carer Framework and aged care policy initiatives for carers.

The major findings of this review were that carers value the following:
. Information about respite and support;
. Respite services that are:
   - flexible and adaptable
   - responsive to the different needs of clients and carers
   - person-centred
   - available when they are most needed
   - known and reliable
   - accessible
   - affordable, and
   - staffed by caring and continuous staff who take a holistic approach to care;
. Carer friendly service provision that takes into account the needs and expertise of the carer;
. Innovative supports and opportunities to get together, such as:
   - physical activity groups
   - men's groups, and
   - flexible carer retreats;
. Rights, choices and opportunities that are not restricted due to their caring responsibilities.

Funding source: Victorian Department of Human Services

Reports: A full report entitle "What carers value" can be accessed at the Victorian Government Health Information / Aged Care in Victoria / Publications web site, link here ....

For information about this topic, go to the Research / Falls Prevention / Service Evaluation section of our web site, link here ....