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Community News – May ’16

Community News – May ’16

A new smart phone app can track your mood and support well-being

A team from Monash University has developed a new smartphone app, MoodPrism that will track the users’ mood over time and support their mental health and well-being.

The app is now available on both Android and Apple platforms and can be downloaded easily with a smartphone.

To read more CLICK HERE.

SNHN Coordinates the Annual Flu Vaccinations at Greenway Estate

Sydney North Health Network has continued the practical support given to the residents of The Greenway Social Housing Estate at Kirribilli, sited conveniently just 100m from Milsons Point Station.

Influenza is frequently and tragically the catalyst for serious complications and death in the elderly and frail aged. An estimated one-in-five of all influenza related hospitalisations in Australia result in death. The Greenway Estate has over 400 residents living in under 1 hectare of land. About 80% are over 70 years old and most live alone. Greenway is a vibrant and colourful community, yet with arguably more health and wellbeing challenges than any other group of residents in Sydney North.

Our annual vaccination days, held in the past week, have seen 51 residents receive their free flu shot. This initiative was hosted by the Greenway Wellbeing Centre, an initiative of the Greenway Tenants Group, supported by SNHN and other partner organisations. We and the Tenants’ Group see this initiative as vital for the health and wellbeing of this high density living group of mainly aged residents, many with more than one underlying chronic medical conditions. A flu epidemic within Greenway has the potential for devastating outcomes at both an individual and community level.

Dr Diana Merhi and staff at the Synergy Medical Practice at St Leonards delivered the service with care and efficiency, and we thank them.

Dr Merhi with one of the Greenway residents taking advantage of the vaccination service.

Calculating how lifestyle affects risk of cancer

Have you ever wondered how much your lifestyle choices can affect your health or risk of cancer? This clever little lifestyle risk calculator designed by Cancer Australia does just that. Take just 5 minutes to answer the questions and see how your everyday lifestyle choices can affect your risk of cancer.

https://lifestylerisk.canceraustralia.gov.au/

Caring for carers and communities

Do you know that organisations like Northside Community Forum and CCNB run a series of training and events for carers and other community health groups.

CLICK HERE to see the schedule of upcoming events.

CLICK HERE for CCNB – Community Care & Wellbeing’s events and resources.

Chinese Bowel Cancer Awareness & Resource Information Day

A Bowel Cancer Awareness and Resource Information Day was held for the Chinese Community on 30th April at the Doherty Centre, Chatswood. One hundred and forty people attended the day to learn more about:

  • Bowel Screening
  • Diagnosis, Management and surveillance of Bowel Cancer in the 21st century
  • Preventing Bowel cancer through diet
  • Healthy wellbeing through your diet
  • Healthy wellbeing with Chinese herbal soup

There were information stalls from:

  • CanRevive
  • Cancer Council
  • Willoughby Council
  • Royal North Shore Hospital
  • Sydney North Health Network
  • Bowel Council Australia
  • Multicultural Health NSLHD

With the event fully translated in Cantonese and Mandarin, all information and resources shared on the day were well received.

Living Well with Chronic Illness – National Palliative Care Week (22-28 May)

National Palliative Care Week (22-28 May) this year focusses on ‘Living Well with Chronic Illness’ and provides the perfect opportunity for friends and family to encourage people with life-limiting conditions to make their end-of-life wishes known.

Palliative Care Australia (PCA) will highlight how palliative care can help people with chronic illnesses to live well. Four out of five deaths in Australia are caused by chronic illness, but there is a misconception that only cancer patients can access palliative care.

People with chronic illnesses often have more than one chronic illness which affects their health in different ways. Early access to palliative care can help them have a better quality of life.

The call to action in 2016 is to get people to talk about their end-of-life care wishes before it is too late. Palliative Care Australia’s new website www.dyingtotalk.org.au provides a Discussion Starter that can be used by anyone to help talk to their loved ones and health professionals about their end-of-life care wishes.

CLICK HERE for the National Palliative Care Week 2016 Events Calendar.

CLICK HERE for the new ‘dying to talk’ website.

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