Care across the lifespan
Improving health of older Australians
101,600
people aged 65
years or older in our region
65 residential aged care facilities (RACFs) operating in our region
73 home care and
104 home support outlets
130,200
is the expected population of older persons (aged over 65) by 2030 in our region
3 in 4
older Australians rated
their health as good to excellent
Joint Older Person’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy
In late 2021 the PHN and West Moreton Health jointly developed an Older Person’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy (2021–2026), also referred to as 'Feel Well Live Well'. The West Moreton region is a fast-growing region with a diverse and ageing population.
Our community research of older people living in West Moreton revealed that:
- 80% of people needing support said they would like to continue living in their current home.
- Overall, a rating of 5.9 out of 10 was scored for health services in our region.
This strategy was developed through extensive consultation with a range of stakeholders, including consumers, their families, and carers. It recognises the crucial role of family and carers in supporting our older people to live well and feel well. This strategy will guide the way community, primary and secondary health care providers plan and deliver health services that support older persons to stay healthy, connected, and at home.
Ipswich and West Moreton Senior Services Network
The Ipswich and West Moreton Senior Services Network represents the voices of vulnerable older people living in the region and promotes the sharing of information and resources between members to improve health, safety, and wellbeing outcomes for older people and their families/carers. This includes healthy ageing strategies, early intervention, referrals, and accessing appropriate ongoing supports.
Throughout the year, members worked closely with the West Moreton Heath Networks via the distribution of items for consideration by individual services and agencies within the West Moreton Older Person’s Care Collaborative (see more below).
West Moreton Older Persons Care Collaborative
The West Moreton Older Persons Care Collaborative is run by our PHN and West Moreton Health in alignment with the joint West Moreton Older Persons Strategy. The collaborative is a solution-focused and action-orientated network of like-minded individuals with the shared focus of improving the lives of older people living in the West Moreton region. Members of the collaborative represent all aspects of health care and community services that care for older people.
Through the collaborative, the PHN has built networks across inpatient, community, and rural health interfaces, as well as within the specialty of dementia care. The overarching West Moreton Older Persons Care Collaborative is made up of the chairs/co-chairs of each of these networks, who provide a monthly report to the collaborative. The collaborative members include a legal advisor and oversight from The Office of the Public Guardian.
Project ECHO
Project ECHO launched in August 2021 as a collaborative project between the our PHN and West Moreton Hospital and Health Service. The Project ECHO ‘Older Persons’ series welcomed all health professionals in the West Moreton and Darling Downs regions who care for older people to join and share in this community of practice.
Throughout the year over 200 individuals attended the sessions, with an average of over 40 people attending per session.
17 August 2021: Diagnosing Dying
21 September 2021: Advance Care Planning
19 October 2021: Pain Management in Palliative Care
16 November 2022: Symptom Management in Palliative Care
8 March 2022: Capacity assessment
12 April 2022: Delirium
10 May 2022: Non-pharmacological management of BPSD
14 June 2022: Pharmacological Management of BPSD
Contact Us
P: 07 4615 0900
Darling Downs office
Level 1, 162 Hume Street (PO Box 81),
West Moreton office
Level 5, World Knowledge Centre, 37 Sinnathamby Boulevard, Springfield Central QLD 4300
Acknowledgement of Country
The Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN wishes to acknowledge Australia’s Aboriginal people as the Custodians of this land. We pay our respect and recognise their unique cultures and customs and honour their Elders past, present and emerging.
