At all points of your life journey, it is important to manage your health and wellbeing. A range of initiatives and programs are available to help our older people stay healthy and assist them when they need extra support.
A healthy lifestyle
Preventative health care is a major contributor to having a positive and fulfilling life in your later years.
Immunisation
People aged 65 years and over are advised to ensure they are up to date with all vaccinations to avoid unnecessary health complications.
Catch-up vaccines are available to adults who may not have been covered as part of routine childhood immunisation schedules. Booster vaccines for conditions such as tetanus and whooping cough are also available along with specific additional vaccines for influenza, shingles and pneumococcal disease.
For more details, visit the Department of Health website
Keeping active
Staying active is essential for your physical and mental health. However, just as important is the need to ensure the level and type of activity is suited to your needs, especially for people over the age of 65.
Eating well
It is never too late to start good nutrition habits. Older people are more susceptible to many conditions and illnesses which can be prevented or alleviated through healthy eating behaviours.
Aged care services
Western Victorian health service providers offer a number of programs and services specifically for seniors.
- Ballarat Aged Care
- Barwon Health – Aged Care Services
- Barwon Health – Falls and Balance Clinic
- South West Health Care – Aged Persons Mental Health Service
- South West Health Care – Specialist Falls and Balance Clinic
- West Wimmera Health Service – Aged Care
- Wimmera Health Care Group – Aged Care Assessment
Residential Aged Care or home care services
Community support services
- Stroke Stroke Association of Victoria
- Diabetes Victoria
- Dementia Australia
- Diversitat Community support
- Seniors Online Victoria – includes information about services available in Victoria including how to access Personal Alert Victoria
care finder
In response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care is funding a new approach to navigating aged care support called care finder.
Western Victoria Primary Health Network (WVPHN) is working with and funding service providers to deliver face-to-face support that helps people better navigate, understand and access aged care and other relevant services and supports.
Advance care planning
Now is the time to start planning for your future health care and treatment needs.
Even seniors who have a clean bill of health should consider how they want to be cared for if or when they may be unable to make decisions for themselves.
Advance care planning describes the process by which people can ensure their wish and decisions about medical treatment are respected even if they no longer have capacity to make such decisions.
The first point of call for advance care planning is to speak with our GP about the process and available options.