What if you had a team of highly qualified, experienced social workers to call upon for the 50-64 age group of patients in your practice?
The impact of chronic health issues combined with work and family responsibilities for this age group can mean that getting back into meaningful life activities from acute episodes or treatment regimens can be hard. The Living Well Ageing Well (LWAW) Social Workers aim to improve people’s wellbeing by identifying barriers and using motivational interviewing, appropriate referrals, goal setting and psychosocial support to help people get back on track.
There are also a number of non-medical factors which impact on people’s wellbeing.
These factors may include:
- Gambling issues
- Loneliness
- Carer burnout
- Unhealthy levels of stress
- Menopause
- Identifying as LGTBQI+ later in life
- Caring for elderly parents
- Caring for elderly parents and kids or grandkids at the same time (it happens)
- Financial or mortgage stress
- Discrimination
The LWAW Social Workers can refer to a range of appropriate services including government funded home help to assist your patients work through these issues. We can also work towards establishing meaningful connections with the community. LWAW may not however, be suitable for people with unmanaged or acute mental health conditions or people who are in crisis.
Who can be referred?
Anyone aged between 50-64 living with a chronic health condition or other issue affecting their activities of daily living who lives in the northern metropolitan region of Melbourne who is not receiving other Government support funding such as NDIS. LWAW is funded by DFFH using HACC PYP guidelines.
How to refer?
Further information about LWAW visit our website or view the flyer (.pdf).
For referrals, please email: LivingWellAgeingWell@merrihealth.org.au
Patients are welcome to self-refer via phone: (03) 8319 7408
