Older Australians living in South Western Sydney and the North Coast of NSW can now access support that connects them with local care services through EACH’s Connect program.
EACH CEO Natalie Sullivan said that Connect is vital in supporting vulnerable Australians to bridge the gap in navigating a complex aged care system
“Our aim is to ensure that at-risk older adults can easily connect with services to receive the compassionate care they need to live well.”
The Connect program will be part of a national face-to-face network of care finder programs funded by the Commonwealth Government through Primary Health Networks (PHN) that support older people to engage with My Aged Care and access aged care services and other relevant supports in the community.
With Australia’s ageing population creating greater demand for care services, the Connect program aim is to support individuals maintain their quality of life.
“The increase of frailty and comorbidities in advanced age means it’s critical older adults are linked to care service to support them to remain as independent as possible. We want to keep them at home, active in the community and away from hospitals unless they really need them,” Natalie said.
Natalie explains that some Australians need extra support to navigate the aged care system and use My Aged Care channels due to a range of barriers:
“There are so many older Australians who don’t have family members to help them access the services they need; we are here to help. We also know that there are community members who have communication challenges or have difficulty processing information due to cognitive decline. Others may be reluctant to engage with services because of paperwork or complicated eligibility criteria. We will be tailoring support to meet the needs of local priority populations, including culturally and linguistically diverse communities, people with disabilities, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.”
In South Western Sydney, this program is funded by South Western Sydney PHN and is available across: Camden, Wollondilly and Wingecarribee.
In the North Coast of NSW, this program is funded by Healthy North Coast through the North Coast PHN program and is available across: Port Macquarie-Hastings, Kempsey, Nambucca, Coffs Harbour, Clarence Valley, Bellingen and Richmond Valley.
The Connect program can be accessed by calling 1300 003 224 or visiting the link below to learn more.
Connect: A Care Finder Service
