Where can we improve ?
staff shortages impacted our delivery of essential care and services . Consolidating our team and strengthening internal collaboration will help this
embedding the importance of the SIRS by sharing key learnings and improvements through the Aged & Primary Care Quality and Safety Committee meetings
What ’ s next ?
improving consumer experience from first point of contact by capturing feedback and continuing to build staff capacity to respond
continuing to implement the Aged Care Reforms for the transition to Support at Home
implementing a new client information management system which will bring all Aged Care Services together
increasing marketing to build awareness and client uptake of new HCP
Where can we improve ?
catering to consumers with different physical needs while maintaining group numbers and safety was a challenge which we addressed by increasing our staff-to-client ratio . We also now encourage carers to accompany clients to the group to maximise outcomes
What ’ s next ?
delivering 3-4 groups annually to support people with Parkinson ’ s disease
promoting the group to relevant stakeholders
expanding our service to include clients from other programs
Improving sleep health
Poor sleep can lead to an increased risk of falls , hospital admissions , and residential care placements for older adults . Tertiary sleep services have long wait lists and are not always accessible for our community members . To help overcome these outcomes and barriers to access in our communities , this year we piloted a Sleep Well Group Program .
Developed and run by occupational therapists to improve participants ’ sleep health and quality of life and to support clients to retain their independence , it is run over eight weekly sessions .
The program is aimed at clients aged 65 +, or 50 + for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients . Through education and scaffolding it supports them to improve and manage their sleep , empowers them to engage in daily activities , and to address issues of low mood and anxiety .
What did we achieve ?
2 Sleep Well Group Programs delivered , with 8 participants , referred by 3 different Merri Health services
100 % of participants reported they :
– would recommend the program
– were able to do more activities following the program
– experienced reduced anxiety levels
– experienced improved mood levels
80 % said it helped them manage their sleep challenges
100 % showed improvement in daytime sleepiness
100 % showed an improvement in daily functioning related to sleep
80 % of participants increased their sleep time by an average of 1 hour
80 % had a significant increase in sleep efficiency ( time asleep while in bed )
2 participants with clinical insomnia had no clinically significant insomnia after completing the program
Where can we improve ?
training more therapists in sleep interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia will enable us to deliver the program to more than six clients at a time
expanding the reach of the program will enable us to help more older adults in our communities
What ’ s next ?
delivering 3-4 Sleep Well Group Programs next year
continuing to expand our referral network internally and strengthening our relationships with tertiary partners such as the Royal Melbourne Hospital Sleep Clinic
“ I had the best 8 weeks with group and the staff . I learnt so much about bad sleep habits .”
– Client
Merri Health Annual Report 2023 57