Healthy Ageing Program

As seen on WIN News

The HealthLinks Gippsland team have a very exciting announcement for Latrobe City, Baw Baw Shire & East Gippsland Shire residents aged 65 years* and over!

We are delighted to announce our Healthy Ageing Program!

We are very excited to have been awarded a Federal Government Tender to fund preventative aged care services for residents of Latrobe City, Baw Baw Shire & East Gippsland Shire.

What Is Being Funded?

Residents of Latrobe City, Baw Baw Shire & East Gippsland Shire who are aged 65 years* and over can access FREE group clinical exercise classes, osteopathy or physiotherapy consultations.

Who is funding the program?

The Federal Government is funding the program and Gippsland Primary Health Network will be overseeing its implementation.

Is there a set period for the funding?

Yes. The program is funded from February 2023 through June 2025.

Please be advised that funding is limited.

Therefore access to services may need to be triaged with eligible clients possibly needing to be placed on a waitlist to access funded services.

Am I eligible to access HealthLinks Gippsland's Healthy Ageing Program?

You must be a resident of Latrobe City, Baw Baw Shire or East Gippsland Shire and aged 65 years* or older to access the program.

*Individuals that identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are aged 55 years or older may also access the program.

You may be referred by your doctor or another healthcare provider. You may also self refer to the program.

As part of the funding requirements, a comprehensive screening process is required at the commencement and completion of your intervention program.

How do I find out more information?

If you still have some questions, you can discuss the program with your practitioner at your next appointment.

Alternatively, you may contact our friendly admin team via:

Phone: (03) 4135 2516
Email: info@healthlinksgippsland.com.au

Information packs and brochures are available at our Traralgon Clinic if you wish to pass on details of the program to a loved one.

What will the program include?

1. Pre-assessment
The first step is the pre-assessment. This appointment will take up to one hour and will include filling out a questionnaire and having one of our practitioners assess your current capacity. This assessment involves taking some measurements such as your blood pressure and observing you complete some basic tasks to assess your balance and mobility, e.g. picking items up off the floor. Following this our team will assess if the program is appropriate for you.

2. Intervention
If the program is appropriate, you may be offered a funded place in one of our clinical exercise classes. Alternatively, you may be offered a funded treatment plan for 30 minute osteopathy or physiotherapy sessions with one of our amazing practitioners. In some cases you may be offered a combination of both. In the pre-assessment, there may be other factors identified for which we may refer you on to other appropriate services to help with other areas of your health.

3. Home Exercise Program
Each intervention will then be followed-up with a tailored home exercise program to enhance your function and help you achieve your goals.

4. Post-assessment
Finally, at the end of the program you will undergo a post-assessment, very similar to the pre-assessment. This will be so that we can identify any areas of improvement and also any areas which may need more help. From here you may be discharged or referred on for further services, treatment or exercise classes. HealthLinks Gippsland has a range of services available within our clinics, and there are a variety of options available in the wider community. Our practitioners aim to provide all of our clients with a variety of suitable referral options. These may include self-funded services, but where possible we will also provide you with details of other appropriate funded programs and services. Access to further funded Healthy Ageing Program interventions will be subject to availability and is at the discretion of the Program Coordinator.

Will I automatically be accepted?

Unfortunately, places within our Healthy Ageing Program are limited. For this reason we have had to implement a triage and waitlist system. While we would love to be able to provide services for every eligible Latrobe City & Baw Baw Shire resident, the limited funding means that we will aim to identify those who are most in need of our Healthy Ageing Program interventions. While everyone who meets the eligibility criteria will have the option to book in for a pre-assessment, there may still be a waitlist for these as the limited places are filing up quickly. If we are unable to offer you an assessment in a timely manner, you may need to seek advice on alternative intervention options.

Why is this program running?

Thanks to funding from the federal government, this program was developed in order to give the ageing population of Latrobe City, Baw Baw Shire and East Gippsland Shire access to services that they may not have known about or been able to access previously. We hope to be able to help those struggling with their health by providing them the opportunity to work towards finding their optimal health, without the financial burden. The ultimate goal is to keep everyone moving and independently living at home.

Where will the program take place?

For Latrobe City, the program will be delivered at our Traralgon Clinic @ 90 Grey Street.

For Baw Baw Shire, the program will be delivered at the Trafalgar Park Bowls and Croquet Club @ 36 Ashby Street.

For East Gippsland Shire, the program will be delivered at our Bairnsdale Clinic @ 126 McKean Street.

Details about outreach services will be provided in the near future.