Residential Aged Care

Heathcote Health Aged Care Services is a public health service, accommodating up to 42 residents with a variety of care needs, including both respite care and permanent residential care.

Our facility is small which makes it easy to form friendships and connections with other residents and staff. Our goal is to provide care that is holistic and individualised so that you feel valued and important. We prioritise, and get to know you, your family and friends personally, so that we can tailor care that reflects your individual preference and enables a positive experience for all.

A common dining room, as well as indoor and outdoor sitting areas, encourages social interaction. The facility is located on a hill, overlooking serene bush lands and provides residents with scenic bush views; yet still possess the modern technology necessary to keep this small rural facility connected with resident families overseas and interstate.

The staff at Heathcote Health have an extensive knowledge and skill in providing care for those no longer able to be cared for at home and work hard to provide excellent care- during our last Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Accreditation we were assessed as having met all Aged Care Standards. Heathcote Health boasts a highly qualified nursing department which includes a Director of Clinical Care, a Residential Aged Care Nurse Unit Manager, Associate Nurse Unit Managers, Enrolled Nurses and Health Care Workers.

What is Residential Respite Care?

Respite Residential Care at Heathcote Health Aged Care is short-term care available for those that have been approved. Regular breaks are important for both yourself and the person caring for you. Everyone entering respite care must have respite approval granted by the Australian Government by obtaining an ACAS assessment. The government approves up to 63 days per financial year for respite care which can be used over the course of the year.

How long can I stay in Residential Respite Care?

Stays are generally booked in weekly or fortnightly blocks, from Monday through to the next Monday. Although, this can be negotiated.

How does Residential Respite Care work?

When you receive respite care you are entitled to the same care and support services as permanent residents of the Hostel, which include:

• Your own room
• Meals
• Laundry done for you
• Social activities
• Personal and care needs met

How to enter Heathcote Health Aged Care

To determine your eligibility, please contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to book an assessment with an Aged Care Assessment Service (ACAS).

For permanent care, visit the My Aged Care website to complete the appropriate Income and Means Assessment through Services Australia.

Make an appointment with the Nurse Unit Manger to discuss availability of a room and your care needs. Bring copies of the ACAS assessment and any other relevant documents. You will be provided with an Admission Pack to complete and return.

Make an appointment with the Finance Department to discuss the Service Agreement and Accommodation Deposit payment options- please bring the Income and Means Assessment with you, along with Powers of Attorney, Medical Treatment Decision Maker etc.

Community Services

Heathcote Health has a dedicated team of case managers, home care workers, nursers, allied health and other professionals offering a range of community based services to people of all ages.

Services

• District nursing
• Personal care
• Respite care
• General home care (Domestic Assistance)
• Home modifications
• Home maintenance
• Meals on wheels
• Social Support (either for individuals or in a group setting)
• Allied Health – Occupational Therapy, Social Work, Physiotherapy and Allied Health Assistance

Hours of operation

Monday to Friday 8am – 4pm
Limited service provided on weekends

Area of operation

We provide services within a 25km radius of the Heathcote town center

Case Management

Home Care Package Case Management is another service provide by Heathcote Health. Please contact us directly to discuss your Case Management needs.

Fees and Charges

Fees apply for all services which are determined by the Department of Health and the Commonwealth Government. The level of fees are based on each individual’s financial situation. We will discuss this with you at our first visit. If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please discuss this with our staff and an adjustment may be considered on an individual basis.

Referrals

Referrals can be made by the client, a doctor, carer, family, friends or other health care providers.

To make a referral, please phone Community Services on (03) 5431 0916 or (03) 5431 0917 or via email to haccadmin@heathcotehealth.org

My Aged Care

All referrals for people aged 65 years or older (50 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander), that will require care lasting longer than 3 months, need to be referred to My Aged Care for assessment. You can contact My Aged Care on Ph: 1800 200 422 or via (insert link to My Aged Care) and request an assessment.

Our Specialist Services

Nurse Practitioners

A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a Registered Nurse with the experience, expertise and authority to diagnose and treat people of all ages with a variety of acute or chronic health conditions. NPs have completed additional university study at Master’s degree level and are the most senior and independent clinical nurses in our health care system. The title “Nurse Practitioner” can only be used by a person who has been endorsed by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

Nurse Practitioners work as key members of the healthcare team and collaborate with other nurses and healthcare professionals including GPs, medical and surgical specialists, physiotherapists, dieticians, occupational therapists, social workers, and many others. They work in a variety of locations, both in hospital and community settings.

Here at Heathcote Health our NPs have the skills, experience and qualifications to provide holistic health care through:

• Diagnosis and treatment of a variety of health related conditions
• Construction and implementation of therapeutic regimens for patients, carers and families
• Initiating and receiving appropriate referrals from health professionals
• Ordering and interpreting the most appropriate tests to assist in diagnosis and management
• Prescribing appropriate and necessary medications

How to access this service

You can self-refer if you are a patient in the service or contact your treating team to make a referral.

Occupational Therapist

Occupational Therapist’s (or OTs) promote health and wellbeing by facilitating participation in occupations that provide meaning and purpose in life. Occupations refer to everyday activities such as looking after your own needs, performing household duties, being involved in community activities, work or study, and pursuing leisure activities. During periods of illness, following injury, or due to disability, our capacity to do the things we want to do, need to do, and are expected to do can be impacted. Your OT will assist you to return to the occupations which are important to you.

At Heathcote Health our OT works with:

• Hospital inpatients
• Residents in our Residential Aged Care Home
• Consumers participating in the Transition Care Program
• Consumers of the Support at Home Program

Some things your OT might work with you on include:

• Training and practice in a specific occupational task
• Pressure injury prevention and management
• Upper limb rehabilitation
• Training in compensatory strategies
• Home modification and assistive technology recommendations
• Strategies to manage your mental health

Physiotherapist

Physiotherapists are health care professionals that focus on the prevention, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of a range of conditions that may impact a person’s function. They work with people effected by injury, illness or disability to help them recover and/ or improve their movement and functioning of their body.

Physiotherapists assist in assessment and diagnosis of a person’s condition to identify the underlying cause of their impairment or pain. They develop treatment plans tailored to a person’s goals and guide people through their rehabilitation programs to achieve the desired outcome. Physiotherapy involves a broad range of interventions including exercise, manual therapy and education to improve function, reduce pain and prevent further injury or illness.

Conditions treated by a Physiotherapist include musculoskeletal issues (e.g. back pain, Osteoarthritis), sports injuries (e.g. sprains, strains), neurological conditions (e.g. Stroke, Parkinson’s disease) and cardiorespiratory conditions (e.g. COPD, post cardiac surgery).

At Heathcote Health our Physiotherapist works with:

• Hospital inpatients
• Consumers participating in the Transitional Care Program
• Consumers of the Support at Home Program

Social Worker

Social workers are university-qualified professionals who are dedicated to assisting people to improve their lives, with a focus on their personal and social wellbeing.

Social workers partner with the medical, nursing and allied health staff as part of the multi-disciplinary treating team, and can support patients, partners, carers and families with varying issues through the provision of crisis intervention, counselling, psychosocial assessment, information and referral, case coordination, and advocacy – to help address your needs.

The social work service at Heathcote Health is available for those patients admitted to the acute ward or attending the urgent care centre, a residential aged care resident, or those receiving a home care package or accessing the transition to care program.

The social work service provides assistance for a range of issues, which may include:

• Counselling: adjustment to illness or disability, changes in lifestyle, maintaining relationships with family, reaction to loss and grief, managing feelings of anxiety, depression and loneliness.
• Crisis Interventions
• Complex discharge planning
• Violence, abuse and neglect
• Family and carer support
• Accessing community resources and services
• Housing and financial concerns
• Transition to residential aged care

How to access this service

You can self-refer if you are a patient in the service or contact your treating team to make a referral.

Health Promotion

Health promotion is a process focused on enabling individuals and communities to increase control over their health and improve their well-being. Health promotion activities aim to prevent disease, reduce health risks, and enhance quality of life.

What we do

Heathcote Health participates in a number of meetings, networking events and forums relating to prevention and health promotion. Working in close partnership with the Loddon Mallee Public Health Unit (LMPHU), Healthy Loddon Campaspe and local prevention and health promoting organisations.

Current Health Promotion Activities

There are a number of key health promotion activities undertaken at Heathcote Health which align with the 2023-2033 VicHealth Strategy including but not limited to the following:

Priority 1 – Increase Healthy Eating

We aim to create supportive environments for healthier eating habits within Heathcote Health and a range of settings within the community. This includes fostering sustainable food systems and supporting opportunities to promote healthier food habits.

Priority 2 – Increase Active Living

We aim to create supportive environments for active living across Heathcote, and support the community to meet the recommended daily physical activity guidelines.

• Heathcote Health supports Healthy Loddon Campaspe and Heathcote Community House in providing sustainable physical activity options, supporting the Sports Equipment Library within the Goldfields Library, and promoting the Physical Activity Mapping Initiative.
• Heathcote Health aims to explore opportunities to link Active Living with Social Prescribing through our collaboration with Heathcote Primary Health

Priority 3 – Improve Mental Wellbeing

‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’ reflects five simple and effective ways to improve your wellbeing. Heathcote Health actively supports and promotes this initiative within the workplace and wider community. The 5 simple steps include:

• Connect – Connect with people around you including your friends, family, neighbours, and the people you work with
• Be Active – Keep your mind and body active. Exercising makes you feel good and helps to clear your mind
• Keep Learning – Try something new or rediscover a past interest. It can give you a sense of achievement and helps to clear your mind
• Be Aware – Be aware of the world around you. Being aware of the ‘here and now’ can help you to feel calm and reduce stress
• Help others – Do something kind for a stranger or friend. This can foster a sense of belonging and purpose

Health promotion activities under development

Priority 4 – Reduce harm from tobacco and e-cigarettes

Priority 5 – Gender Equity

Priority 6 – Alcohol and other drugs

For enquiries regarding our Health Promotion work please contact Heathcote Health’s Health Promotions Officer through the hospitals main 03 5431 0900

Visiting Health Professionals