Jillian O’Gorman has been so delighted by the care she received as part of a new program at Bass Coast Health (BCH).
The Cowes resident has been cared for at home by a team of health professionals from BCH as part of the Geriatric Evaluation and Management at Home program (GEM@Home).
GEM@Home provides specialist geriatrician, nursing and allied health services in the comfort of patients’ own homes, supporting their recovery and reducing the time they spend in hospital.
After undergoing a hip replacement and rehabilitation at Wonthaggi Hospital, Jillian was visited by nurses and physiotherapists at home and received phone calls from a geriatrician, enabling her to leave hospital sooner and fast-track her recovery.
“It was not just about measuring your blood pressure. The nurses actually sat and had a chat and made sure I was OK,” she said.
“It was great for my mental health as well. I’m quite sad that it’s coming to an end. They are an amazing lot of staff.”
Jillian’s time with GEM@Home is finishing as her rehabilitation has progressed. She has appreciated the sense of security she received from having healthcare staff visit her while she regained her mobility.
“I was petrified of coming home and having to cope with everything. The staff came every day and assured me that I was going to be OK,” she said.
Christine Mutton from Inverloch was part of the program after also undergoing a hip replacement. She was pleased to see staff who cared for her at Wonthaggi Hospital come to her home.
She received visits from a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, geriatrician and nurses, with someone visiting her daily, seven days a week.
“They made sure they looked after me properly and nothing was too hard. If I had to go to the hospital to receive treatment every day it would have been challenging but the GEM@home program made it possible to receive care at home,” Christine said.
“It certainly made it easier for my husband to have someone coming.”
During her stay in Sub-Acute Ward at Wonthaggi Hospital, Christine said she was “impressed by the care she received from all the staff, from doctors to nurses, to kitchen staff and cleaners”.
“I just felt safe and cared for, and to come home and know that someone was coming on a daily basis took away the fear that I felt after a lengthy stay in hospital,” she said.
BCH Acting Operations Director Clare Stinton said GEM@Home patients are still BCH patients and receive the same treatment as they would in the hospital.
“By getting patients home quicker, it’s better for their mental and physical health and overall recovery. The program also allows more hospital beds to be available for sicker patients requiring around-the-clock medical care,” she said.