Your Local Accredited Rural Medical Health Service

Your Local Accredited Rural Medical Health Service

(02) 6382 1544

News

NEW: care finder program – supporting vulnerable older people

How do I refer someone to the care finder program?

telephone 1300 418 223

email carefinder@marathonhealth.com.au

Care finders support vulnerable older people who would not be able to arrange services without intensive support, and don’t have a family member, friends or someone they trust who can help

How can the program help?

We connect clients with a dedicated care finder who can help with:

• Talking to My Aged Care on their behalf and arranging an assessment

• Attending and providing support at the assessment

• Finding and short-listing aged care providers in their area

• Completing forms and understanding aged care service agreements

• Checking-in once services are up and running to make sure everything is ok

• Solving other challenges and connecting to supports in the community, such as health, mental health, housing and homelessness, drug and alcohol services and community groups

Who is this program for?

The care finder program is for vulnerable older people who:

• Have no carer or support person who can help them

• Don’t have a carer or support person they feel comfortable or trust to support them

• Are eligible for government-funded aged care

Additionally, they should have one or more of the reasons below for needing intensive support:

• Have difficulty communicating because of language or literacy problems

• Find it difficult to understand information and make decisions

• Be reluctant to engage with aged care or government

• Be in a potentially unsafe situation if they do not receive services

COVID & General Practice Update 8/2/2023

as of Tuesday 28th February, the Young Respiratory Clinic will cease operations. At this stage, this practice is unsure what arrangements will be possible for this practice to assess people with Respiratory or other symptoms as the building. The building and business has issues to consider with capacity without shutting down other services, optimum airflow, providing equipped isolation rooms , personal protection for all staff & other patients being kept safe.

Laverty Pathology -COVID PCR testing, then it may be possible to be done on Business days by appointment at 12 Cloete Street – ring first 63821212

The practical role of self testing with Rapid Antigen testing ( RATS) is being hampered by lack of availability – please be aware they come from multiple sources and some are more senstive to detecting than others

Methods will vary from swabs throat, nose, saliva – similar concept to Home pregnancy testing

costs may well vary greatly like the great toilet paper shortage –

TGA approved kits – guide to quality

https://www.tga.gov.au/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-are-approved-australia?fbclid=IwAR03MWoZ8Pbu1fQObmgnihQHbvp4r-LJ9I3ve-fMnxFGv1v-weI6W0j_sQM

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/get-tested-for-covid-19.aspx

If you DO a self-test in NSW you are obliged to report – easiest is via the Service NSW app

Bone density testing Mobile Unit in Young March 2023

Venue to be confirmed – in previous visits to Young ? IGA carpark – a Doctor referral required ; there are a complex requirements for a Medicare rebate and if can be bulkbilled – generally OK if age 70 and not had a Bonedensity ( BMD) for 5 years or medical issues of concerns for bone health

Dr Douch retiring December 2022

It is with great sadness that we wish to advise that Dr Tom Douch he will retire from clinical practice at Young District Medical Centre. His last day of consultations will be 20 December 2022.

All patients will remain registered at Young District Medical Centre however everyone should review their medical practitioner arrangements. Dr Douch extends his best wishes to his patients.

YDMC wishes Dr Douch all the best for his retirement from clinical practice and thanks him for his service. He will be missed.