At the conclusion of its first financial year, the Older Persons Care Hub (OPCH) is fully operational, delivering on its commitment to provide responsive, home-based care for older adults within the community. While the service grows, the OPCH is currently staffed Monday – Friday, with active plans to expand to weekend service in the coming months.
As one of five pilot sites across Victoria, the Northern OPCH offers specialist geriatric care to older patients within the Northern Health community. The service primarily supports referrals from the Emergency Department and the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED), targeting medically stable patients aged 65 years and over (or 50 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians), residing within 15 kilometres of Northern Hospital Epping.
Through comprehensive assessment and targeted interventions, the OPCH addresses a broad spectrum of age-related conditions, including frailty, post-fall recovery and the management of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). The service is delivered by a skilled multidisciplinary team comprising of nurses, a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, social worker and Geriatricians, to ensure a holistic, patient-centred approach to care.
Referrals are triaged via an initial telephone assessment, allowing the team to prioritise clinical need and assess the patient’s level of risk within the community. This is followed by a comprehensive, in-home assessment.
OPCH Care Coordinator, Diane Pajarillo feels that the “OPCH team have a unique opportunity to fully understand the patients care needs, bridging the gap between hospital and home, empowering patients to remain independent in the community.”
To further support patients’ medical needs, the OPCH is complemented by twice-weekly geriatrician clinics based at Broadmeadows Hospital, ensuring timely access to specialist medical review. These clinics offer a pathway to expedite medical care and is an alternative to lengthy waitlists, providing support to patients, families and carers living in the community.
By enabling older adults to receive timely care in their own homes, the OPCH supports patients to maintain independence, reduces the risk of hospital-associated complications and alleviates pressure on acute services.
OPCH OT, Jess Viergever says that “assessing patients in their home environment means we can provide on the spot recommendations and set patients up with tailored interventions, helping prevent deterioration and avoid hospital admissions.”
The OPCH also provides reassurance to families and carers, strengthening support within the community while improving overall patient outcomes.
With another two years left of the project, the OPCH staff are looking forward to expanding the project and contributing to improve outcomes for older persons in the NH community!