Q. Tell us about your role?
A. My role is supported by funding from Murray Primary Health Network (MPHN) through the Australian Government’s PHN Program aimed at providing support to improve outcomes for people in Aged Care Services.
As the Aged Care Coordinator at Wyndham House Clinic, I am the conduit between the aged care facility and GPs. I assist the GP by gaining information to efficiently manage the appropriate care of residents that also supports both carers and families. I connect with other aged care services such as the Aged Care Assessment Service (ACAS), Clinical and Statewide Services (CaSS), Aged Psychiatry Assessment and Treatment Team (APATT), Transition Care Program (TCP) and Residential In-Reach (RIR) Shepparton to assist in the access and utilisation of their programs.
I facilitate telehealth reviews via the Visionflex carts. These carts enable the GP to review the patient face-to-face and assess them physically. The cart has vital sign monitoring attachments that monitor temperature, pulse, blood pressure, perform electrocardiograms, as well as a stethoscope to listen to heart and lungs. The data is captured at the point of care and added into the resident’s notes.
The ability to make these observations at the aged care facility has helped reduce emergency admissions.
Q. How many residents do you look after?
A. Wyndham House Clinic provides care for over 200 residents across all facilities in the Shepparton, Kialla and Mooroopna areas, as well as Karinya Aged Care in Numurkah.
Q. Why do you think this role is so important?
A. After working in aged care for 17 years, I have seen and experienced the challenges of the aged care system up close. It is confronting for a person to go into care and for their families to navigate the complexity of aged care. I assist with documentation, that is often complicated and confronting, easing some of the angst caused by these requirements.
For both patients and families, I spend a lot of time explaining information that helps in the understanding of conditions, investigations, treatments and decision making.
New GPs joining our clinic are often new to the area and are unfamiliar with the Australian Health Care System as a whole. This role guides those new GPs, aiding their orientation, appreciation and joy of working in this sector. Alleviating the learning of new systems and removing some of the burden aged care can create makes this a far more attractive area of medicine to work in.
It is my mission to make aged care a positive experience for everyone. Ageing is a natural condition but for many reasons the loss of independence has become a fear for most. I want people to experience that ageing, and particularly going into care, can be a dignified and comfortable transition as long as there is choice and honest, respectful communication between everyone involved. This role is a great enabler in achieving this.
Q. Hopes for the future?
A. This role should be available to all GP clinics. Then people will experience that ageing and particularly going into care can be a well-supported, graceful, natural positive course.
Jacinta Kennedy, Wyndham House Clinic,
96 Maude St, Shepparton, Ph 5820 3400
