Health
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Jakob Neeland
Jakob Neeland Jul 31, 2019

The Australian Charity Covering The Cost Of Veterinary Bills For Pensioners
Almost anyone with a pet will tell you that it doesn't take very long for an animal to become a fully-fledged member of the family. Relationships between everyday-people and their pets can obviously mean a lot, but there is no overstating just how special that bond can be to an older person.  Elderly people are more prone to social isolation than any other age demographic in Australia, which is highlighted by the little known fact that men over the...
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Playing the trombone in an Ageless Grace class. Image: Sue Silcox.
Sue Silcox
Sue Silcox Jul 30, 2019

Why do we stop playing as we grow older?
We know that children benefit from play. They learn about the world, engage with each other, as well as getting moving and active in their environments. Play is no different for older people, who also can benefit from social connectedness, exercise, and using their minds in creative ways. Play is also simply a great opportunity to have some fun. “You don’t stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing,” said George Bernard Shaw. So...
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Caroline Egan
Caroline Egan Jul 25, 2019

First permit issued under Victoria’s voluntary assisted dying laws
  The first person to use Victoria’s euthanasia laws has been given permission to have a medically assisted death. The permit was granted some weeks ago, according to reports in the media. However, it remains unclear if the person has taken the step of gaining access to the medication that could end their life.  Details remain private The Department of Health and Human Services has not released any details about the permit. In a statement, a spokesperson said, “The Department respects...
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Meet Lauren, Our Founder

I’m so glad you made it to HelloCare our digital magazine. We bring you the very best information around the world from Aged Care industry experts and providing a voice for the elderly community. We publish topics that we believe our audience want to read such as tips to staying healthy, support for caregivers & professionals, dementia and overall wellbeing. If you want to see more of something then please email me, as I’m here to make HelloCare exactly what you want to read about. lauren_sign
Getting Older
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Caroline Egan
Caroline Egan Jul 31, 2019

“Unless somebody dies” you won’t get respite care, royal commission hears
The royal commission has been hearing this week about the struggles that carers face looking after their loved ones at home. Carers revealed they face social isolation, financial hardship, difficulty accessing respite care, and a lack of support in general. Yet some said it was still a role they were happy to perform. “What was important to me was providing care for someone else” On Tuesday, Nicole Dunn told the royal commission that moving in with her grandmother at the...
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Caroline Egan
Caroline Egan Jul 30, 2019

‘Death cafes’: coming together to discuss a taboo topic
MidCoast Council is hosting a series of ‘death cafes’ in the lead up to ‘Dying to know’ day on 8 August, giving the community the opportunity to ask questions and discuss a topic that is still often considered taboo. When three councils amalgamated in 2016 to form MidCoast Council, one of the biggest issues for them was uncertainty about where to go to find information. There were a particularly large number of questions about cemeteries, memorials, and burials. “People were...
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Caroline Egan
Caroline Egan Jul 26, 2019

Queensland ambos to grant dying wishes
  A dedicated ambulance has been made available to grant terminally ill people their dying wish. In a new program, Ambulance Wish Queensland will give people with a terminal illness the resources, specialist transport, and medical care they need to fulfill their final wishes. The first person to be granted a wish was 92-year-old Betty Dowsett, who this week was able to leave her palliative care room to spend a few hours in the sun at Brisbane’s City Botanic Gardens...
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Popular Stories

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Caroline Egan
Caroline Egan Jul 31, 2019

Two-hourly repositioning to prevent bedsores is “abuse”, study says

   New research from the University of New South Wales has raised questions about the correct way to care for those requiring pressure area care. The common practice of repositioning every two hours those at risk of developing bedsores may be interrupting their natural sleep rhythms, causing them to become more agitated and distressed, according to the new study. The practice of repositioning also fails to prevent bedsores from developing, the researchers say. The fact that the practice continues is a form...

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Alzheimer's & dementia
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Caroline Egan
Caroline Egan Jul 29, 2019

New standards don’t ensure quality care for people living with dementia
  The new aged care quality standards don’t ensure quality dementia care will be delivered to people living with dementia, says Dementia Australia. But the peak body for dementia in Australia has spoken to those with lived experience of dementia in forums all around the country to find out what is important to them.  Using the insights they gathered, Dementia Australia has formulated a series of recommendations to support the eight accreditation standards, which only came into effect on...
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Caroline Egan
Caroline Egan Jul 26, 2019

Lenny the dementia-friendly barber
  Lenny White’s dementia-friendly mobile barber service has been such a hit with clients he’s taking the concept global, and will even be in Australia next year to talk about the unique service he offers people living with dementia. When Lenny first engaged with people living with dementia, he was 17 years old and washing dishes at his local care home. Serving meals to the residents, he always enjoyed their company and found it easy to speak to them. He...
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Caroline Egan
Caroline Egan Jul 18, 2019

Apathy “the forgotten symptom of dementia” 
Apathy can be one of the most distressing symptoms of dementia. Seeing a loved one withdraw from the world and impossible to reach can be extremely worrying and upsetting for family. Apathy makes it difficult for someone to enjoy life, and it can even accelerate cognitive decline and increase mortality rates.  Yet there is little research on the topic of apathy. And in care it is often overlooked, with the focus falling to more disruptive symptoms, such as aggression...
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Health care professionals
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Caroline Egan
Caroline Egan Jul 29, 2019

Coroner to investigate death at Queensland’s newest nursing home
The death of a resident at a Queensland nursing home is being investigated by the coroner, the sad news coming only weeks after the facility was deemed a “severe risk” by regulators and only months after the facility opened. HelloCare has been able to confirm the Queensland coroner will investigate the death of a resident at PresCare Protea. “The Coroners Court Queensland can confirm that the death has been reported to the Northern Coroner, Ms Nerida Wilson, for investigation,"...
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Jakob Neeland
Jakob Neeland Jul 25, 2019

Nursing Home Night Staff Wear Pyjamas To Encourage Residents To Sleep
The quest for continual improvement in the aged care sector has encouraged a number of aged care providers to step outside of their comfort zone to try and improve the lives of their residents.  New models of care, innovative dementia-friendly design, pet-therapy, and cutting edge technology are just some of the amazing examples of just how far the aged care industry has come in recent times, but there is one family-owned nursing home in the U.K that is...
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Caroline Egan
Caroline Egan Jul 24, 2019

Do new aged care staff receive enough training and support?
Making the transition to a career in aged care is not always easy.  At HelloCare we regularly hear from readers about training that leaves them inadequately prepared, and about a workplace culture that is less than supportive to newcomers. With the Aged Care Workforce Taskforce estimating Australia will need one million aged care workers by 2050, what are some of the ways we can help to smooth the way for people who are keen to work in aged care...
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Dr Frances Batchelor
Dr Frances Batchelor
Dieticians Association of Australia
Dieticians Association of Australia
Kerry Mann
Kerry Mann
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The Hon Richard Colbeck
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Nestle Health Science
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Kiki Paul
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Sue Silcox
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NurseWatch
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Leah Bisiani
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Jeff Gilling - Care 360
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Carinity
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Sarina Russo