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.
Heathcote Health – Support at Home fee schedule

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.

General X-ray services are available at our Heathcote site, located at 39 Hospital Street, Heathcote VIC 3523. Services operate on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Please note that ultrasound and CT scan services are not available at this location.

Medical Imaging Service in Heathcote

(Bendigo Health Radiology)
📍 39 Hospital Street, Heathcote VIC 3523
🕒 Opening Hours: Monday and Thursdays, 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM
🩻 Services Available: General X-rays
ℹ️ Please note: Ultrasound and CT scan services are not available at this site

Referrals

A referral from a doctor, nurse practitioner, or other authorised healthcare provider is required for all X-ray examinations.
Please bring to front desk Reception on arrival

• Your referral form
• Medicare Card

Common Questions

Do I need an appointment?
General X-ray services are available during clinic hours. Please contact the service ahead of your visit to confirm availability.

What imaging services are available?
We provide general X-ray services only at the Heathcote site.

Are ultrasound services available?
No. Ultrasound services are not available at this location.

Are CT scans available?
No. CT scan services are not available at this location.

Where is the service located?
39 Hospital Street, Heathcote VIC 3523

What are the opening hours?
Monday and Thursdays
9:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Health Promotion

Health promotion is about helping individuals and communities take greater control over their own health and wellbeing. Rather than treating illness after it happens, our health promotion work focuses on prevention and reducing health risks before they become health problems, and creating everyday conditions that make it easier for our community to live well.

What we do

Heathcote Health provides primary prevention programs and activities designed to support our community’s health long before people need clinical care. We work closely in partnership with a range of local prevention and health-promoting organisations, including:

• Bendigo Community Health Services
• Healthy Loddon Campaspe
• Women’s Health Loddon Mallee
• Loddon Mallee Public Health Unit
• Sports Focus
• Heathcote Community House
• Bendigo Health
• City of Greater Bendigo Council

We take part regularly in relevant meetings, networking events and forums to make sure Heathcote’s needs are represented regionally.

Heathcote Health Directory

Finding Services in Your Community
The Heathcote Health Directory makes it easier for local residents to find and connect with non-clinical community services and supports. Whether you’re looking for something for yourself or helping a family member find the right support, the directory is designed to point you in the right direction quickly.
Heathcote Health Directory – Finding Services in Your Community

Our Current Health Promotion Priorities

The activities below align with the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan and the 2023–2033 VicHealth Strategy. Each priority area reflects a health issue that matters to our community, with clear objectives guiding the work we do and why we do it.

Priority 1: Increase Healthy Eating

We want healthy, affordable food to be an easy choice for everyone in Heathcote, at home, at school, at the footy club, and everywhere in between.

Objectives:

1. Create supportive environments for healthier eating habits within Heathcote Health and across a range of community settings
2. Foster sustainable food systems across Heathcote
3. Promote improvements in oral hygiene

What this looks like in practice:

Supporting Heathcote schools, out-of-school-hours care (OSHC), early learning centres and sports clubs to put the Achievement Program and Vic Kids Eat Well healthy eating guidelines into action

Helping local cafés and restaurants join the Healthy Eating Advisory Service's Catering for Good Directory, and promoting local businesses who take part

Sharing a healthy, accessible and affordable recipe in the local newspaper each month, keep an eye out in the McIvor Times for next month’s recipe!
Supporting the rollout of Greater Bendigo’s Food System Strategy here in Heathcote

Running practical, community-facing projects, including a food system audit across local schools and early learning services, and a new initiative helping parents build the skills and confidence to prepare healthy, low-cost lunchboxes and meals for their kids

Priority 2: Increase Active Living

We want it to be safe, easy and appealing for everyone in Heathcote to be physically active, whatever that looks like for them.

Objectives:

1. Create supportive environments for active living across Heathcote
2. Increase the proportion of the Heathcote population meeting the recommended amount of physical activity

What this looks like in practice:

Supporting Healthy Loddon Campaspe and Heathcote Community House to provide sustainable, low-cost physical activity options for the community

Promoting the Sports Equipment Library at the Goldfields Library, which removes the cost barrier to trying a new sport or activity by making equipment available to borrow

Supporting and promoting local options for staying active, including the McIvor Creek Trail, Heathcote parkrun. Learn more about the McIvor Creek Trail, Heathcote Parkrun here: McIvor Creek Trail parkrun, Heathcote: the local health case for parkrun | parkrun AU Blog:

Partnering with the City of Greater Bendigo on Lights On Heathcote; a free six-week outdoor fitness program at Barrack Reserve designed to make exercise more accessible during the darker months when people may not feel safe being active after work

Taking part in April Falls; annually bringing awareness to falls prevention and working with our allied health team to deliver falls prevention education to our staff and community members. Read more here: Students strengthen falls prevention in Heathcote, News, La Trobe University

Priority 3: Improve Mental Wellbeing

We want everyone in our community to have the information, connection and support they need to look after their mental health.

Objectives:

1. Create supportive environments that promote positive mental wellbeing
2. Increase resilience in children and adolescents experiencing poor mental wellbeing

What this looks like in practice:

Publishing regular Health Information Hub articles in the McIvor Times to improve community health literacy through content that’s local and easy to access

Creating and promoting the Heathcote Health Directory and Heathcote Community Directory, making it simpler for GPs and staff to refer people to non-clinical community supports and to help residents to find them directly themselves

Promoting and supporting our community to make the most of the health services already available locally

Advocate for an increase in mental health services providing local support in Heathcote

Priority 4: Reduce Harm from Tobacco and E-cigarettes

We want to reduce the impact of smoking and vaping on our community’s health.

Objectives:

1. Reduce tobacco and vaping use within the Heathcote community
2. Increase the health knowledge and capacity of adults and children in Heathcote

What this looks like in practice:

Delivering QUIT smoking cessation training to staff and stakeholders across Heathcote Health, Heathcote Primary Care, and other local settings

Promoting QUIT resources within Heathcote Health and throughout the community

Priority 5: Gender Equity

We want to make sure fairness and inclusion are built into everything we do – from the services we deliver to the way our community works together.

Objectives:

Apply a gender lens to all new and existing policies, programs and services, both within Heathcote Health and across the Heathcote community

Support community-wide action to advance gender equity and prevent gender-based discrimination

What this looks like in practice:

Conducting Gender Impact Assessments (GIAs) on new or reviewed policies, programs and services, and wherever gender discrimination has been identified

Taking part in the Greater Bendigo Gender Equity Coalition as a supporting organisation, helping us stay connected to regional gender equity efforts and represent Heathcote’s interests

Actively supporting initiatives run by the Loddon Mallee Collective Action for Respect and Equality (CARE) Partnership, led by Women’s Health Loddon Mallee – including campaigns such as Walk for Respect and 16 Days of Activism

Priority 6: Alcohol and Other Drugs

We want older Heathcote residents in particular to feel supported, connected and safe when it comes to alcohol use.

Objectives:

1. Address the risk factors for older adults in Heathcote associated with alcohol and other drug use, through social connectedness, education and capacity building

What this looks like in practice:

Leading the Heathcote Local Drug Action Team (LDAT), coordinating local, community-driven action on alcohol-related harm

Working with community members, health services and local organisations to understand local concerns and priorities around alcohol and other drug use.

Visiting Health Professionals