Melbar

The Wound Awareness Week on 15-21 Aug 2022

Every day, nearly half a million Australians suffer from a chronic wound, with the cost of managing this close to $3 billion annually.

Despite this, wounds remain a silent epidemic, and wounds can affect people at any stage of life.

Therefore, Wound Awareness Week, the Wound Society of Australia's most important annual event, aims to raise awareness of chronic wounds among healthcare professionals and the public.

For more information on Wound Awareness Week, please visit：
https://reurl.cc/oQ0q5v

Arriving at the Emergency Room: What You Need to Know

When you need to use emergency services, please know in advance that when you arrive at the emergency room, the following situations will occur, please be patient and cooperate with the assistance of medical staff to get treatment as soon as possible.

Process 1: Triage process
Upon arrival at the emergency room, medical staff will triage patients who have been injured or in a more serious condition. A triage nurse will ask about your condition so that you can get the medical assistance you need.

Process two: Wait
During busy times, patients with less urgent conditions will need to wait for a long time, because the medical staff will give priority to treating patients with more serious conditions, so please be patient with less severe conditions.

Procedure 3: Treatment
An emergency nurse or doctor will ask you questions and do some tests and tests. If you need more care, you will be taken to the emergency room for treatment or hospitalized as appropriate.
Before you leave, your healthcare provider may give you some medication to take home with you or suggest that you consult your family doctor later.

Procedure 4: Go to the emergency room only in an emergency
Go to the emergency room only in an emergency, so that patients with urgent needs can be taken care of immediately.

If you need non-emergency medical care, there are many options below:
• Talk to your family doctor
• Call the toll-free to healthdirect
• Consult your pharmacist
• Contact a family doctor who provides off-site services

For more information, please visit:
https://reurl.cc/4p1MxV

Let's thank the aged care employees for their hard work!
Aged Care Employee Day is an initiative of the Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA). It is an annual celebration supporting and honouring Australia's residential, home and community aged care workers.

Aged care is not an easy task. This job requires more professional skills, patience, care and responsibility.

Therefore, we should pay more attention to such a festival. On this special day, let's pay tribute to those who are working hard on the frontlines of aged care.

It is your dedication that enables more elderly people to have a healthy and happy old age.
Aged & Community Care Providers Association

Shingles (herpes zoster)：

🔎What is shingles?
Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful, blistering rash. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is the same virus that causes chickenpox. You can only get shingles if you have had chickenpox in the past.

🩺What are the symptoms of shingles?
The initial symptoms of shingles include:
• pain
• a burning, tingling or itching sensation
• a stabbing sensation
• sensitivity to touch
• numbness in the affected area of the body
• sensitivity to light
• fever and/or headache
• fatigue

🩸What causes shingles?
Anyone who has had chickenpox in the past can develop shingles. Shingles occurs when the chickenpox virus becomes active again. Shingles can occur at any age, but it usually affects people over 40. Shingles often occurs with no known trigger. It is more likely to occur if you:
• are aged 60 or older
• are experiencing physical and emotional stress
• have HIV and AIDS
• have had an organ transplant
• have recently had a bone marrow transplant
• have a condition which requires treatment that affects the immune system, such as chemotherapy for cancer

There are currently 2 vaccines available in Australia to reduce the likelihood of getting shingles, Zostavax and Shingrix. You can discuss with your doctor whether you need it.

Learn more about Shingles (herpes zoster) immunisation service：

https://reurl.cc/jG5qOm

Physical activity and exercise for older Australians
Appropriate physical activity every day is important for good physical and mental health and well-being as you age. Exercise not only reduces the risk of many diseases, including some cancers, but also helps maintain a healthy weight.
Just a slight increase in physical activity each day can improve your health and well-being.
At the same time, moderate exercise can also help:
• reduce the risk of falls and injury
• give you more energy
• improve your sleep
• reduce stress and anxiety
• improve concentration
• improve your mental health.

Click on the link to learn more about Physical Activity Guidelines by age:
https://reurl.cc/KbyyR9

Nomination Now: Find the next Senior Australian of the year

Do you know an older Australian who has contributed to the community? If you have such an elderly person around you, nominate as soon as possible!

Nominations are now open for the 2023 Australian Seniors Awards.

This award was created to recognise senior Australians aged 65 and over who have achieved and contributed to their community.

Nominate an Australian senior who inspires you by July 31!

You can find out more about the 2022 Australian Seniors of the Year Val Dempsey, as well as state and territory Seniors of the Year, and their contributions to the community:
https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/recipients/listing/2022

【Sydney’s accessible attractions & activities】

In Sydney, the oldest city in Australia, there is not only a diverse culture, but also a lot of attractions in the city are accessible to people with reduced mobility.
And these attractions will also provide assistive devices, etc., to help people with mobility problems better visit the attractions.
In addition to providing free accessible parking spaces, there are also fully equipped Accessible toilets.

Here are the accessible attractions and activities in Sydney:
• ACCESSIBLE MUSEUMS & GALLERIES：
 Art Gallery of New South Wales
 Museum of Contemporary Art
 Museum of Sydney
 Powerhouse Museum
 Australian National Maritime Museum

• ACCESSIBLE HISTORY & HERITAGE LANDMARKS：
 Customs House
 Hyde Park Barracks
 Parliament House
 Justice & Police Museum
 Government House
 The Rocks Walking Tours

• ACCESSIBLE OUTDOORS & WILDLIFE ATTRACTIONS：
 Royal Botanic Garden
 Chinese Garden of Friendship
 Taronga Zoo
 SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
 WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo

• OTHER ATTRACTIONS：
 Bondi Beach
 Sydney Harbour Bridge
 Sydney Opera House
 Sydney Tower Eye
 Barangaroo
Check the link below to read more:
https://www.sydney.com/accessibility

“Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.”
—— Josh Billings

Common Clinical Conditions for the Elderly: Stroke

🔴What is a Stroke? 🔴
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures and bleeds, or when there’s a blockage in the blood supply to the brain. The rupture or blockage prevents blood and oxygen from reaching the brain’s tissues.

🟠Symptoms🟠
The following are list of symptoms that one may experience if they are having a stroke:
• numbness or weakness in the arm, face, and leg, especially on one side of the body
• trouble speaking or understanding others
• slurred speech
• confusion, disorientation, or lack of responsiveness
• sudden behavioural changes, especially increased agitation
• vision problems, such as trouble seeing in one or both eyes with vision blackened or blurred, or double vision
• trouble walking
• loss of balance or coordination
• dizziness
• severe, sudden headache with an unknown cause
• seizures
• nausea or vomiting

🟡Prevention🟡
Below is a list of ways in which you can prevent a stroke from occurring:
• Quitting smoking
• Limiting Alcohol intake
• Having a healthy diet
• Regular blood tests (at least annually)
• Regular exercise
• Managing stress levels
• Controlling your blood pressure

🟢Treatment🟢
The best way to treat a stroke is to prevent it! If you do have a stroke, then when you are in the hospital, they will guide you as to potential surgeries or medications you may be required to take. Just remember that prevention is the best form of a cure.

ustralia's second deadliest cancer：Bowel Cancer
June is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. Bowel cancer is the second deadliest cancer in Australia, killing 101 Australians every week. But it's one of the most treatable types of cancer if found early.

The disease most commonly occurs in elderly people over the age of 50.

So, what are the common symptoms of bowel cancer in elderly people?

The most common symptoms of bowel cancer include a change in bowel habits such as diarrhea and constipation.

Other warning signs to be on the lookout for are blood in the stool, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, a**l or re**al pain, fatigue, as well as bloating or cramping.

To learn more about bowel cancer, click the link below:
https://www.bowelcanceraustralia.org/what-is-bowel-cancer

Melbar updated their address.

🐲 Dragon Boat Festival coming soon! 🐲

Dragon Boat Festival is one of the four top traditional Chinese festivals, which is in late May or June on the Gregorian calendar. In 2022, Dragon Boat Festival falls on June 3 (Friday).
It commemorates the death of Qu Yuan, a Chinese poet and minister known for his patriotism and contributions to classical poetry and who eventually became a national hero.
The dragon boat festival is a fun, boisterous holiday. In most parts of China, the weather is quite good at this time of year, and people congregate outside on the banks of rivers and lakes to enjoy the fine weather while watching traditional dragon boat races.
Like all people knows that almost every Chinese holiday has a specific food or foods associated with it, and Dragon Boat Festival is no different. On this holiday, the food of choice is zongzi.
Zòngzi are a type of pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice and stuffed with various sweet (northerner) or savory(southerner) fillings.
If you want to try Zòngzi, you can easily find in any Asian Supermarket.

Labor‘s policies and commitment for aged care：
Labor has won the Federal Election 2022 and will form the next parliament of Australia after winning the election.
Labor also made some promises about aged care, and in their budget reply speech, those Labor’s aged care policy focuses on five main areas:
1. Registered nurses on site 24/7: every aged care facility will be required to have a registered, qualified nurse on site, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
2. More carers with more time to care: raise the average care time to 215 mins per day
3. A pay rise for aged care workers
4. Better food for residents: ensure that there is better food for residents of aged care homes.
5. Dollars going to care: give the Aged Care Safety Commissioner new powers to ensure there is accountability and integrity.
Check the link below to read more: https://reurl.cc/Ergkag

⭐️ What is Depression? ⭐️
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn't worth living.

Symptoms
The following are symptoms of depression:
• Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
• Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
• Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities
• Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
• Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
• Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain
• Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
• Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
• Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
• Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, su***de attempts or su***de
• Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

Prevention
The following are some ways to prevent depression from occurring:
• Avoid Stress
• Exercising
• Having a healthy diet
• Good Sleeping Patterns
• Reducing Alcohol and Drug Use
• Having therapy (such as a psychologist)

Treatment
There are two main ways in which you can treat depression
• Therapy
This involves seeing a therapist such as a psychologist to conduct an in depth consultation and review. The psychologist can offer individualised strategies to support you with the management of your depression.

• Medication
You may be required to take antidepressant medication to support you with your depression. You can have a detailed discussion with your GP in regards to different types of antidepressant medication and how they will support the management of your depression. Make sure you do check the potential side effects, as they can have some.

⭐️ What is High Cholesterol?⭐️
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood. Your body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, but high levels of cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease.
With high cholesterol, you can develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Eventually, these deposits grow, making it difficult for enough blood to flow through your arteries. Sometimes, those deposits can break suddenly and form a clot that causes a heart attack or stroke.
High cholesterol can be inherited, but it's often the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices, which make it preventable and treatable.

⭐️ Symptoms ⭐️
Unfortunately, high cholesterol has no symptoms and the only way to check is you to conduct a blood test

⭐️ Prevention ⭐️
It is important to note that high cholesterol may be genetic. If a family member has high cholesterol it is important to inform your doctor and they can advise how often you should have your blood test done. The following are ways in which you can prevent high cholesterol levels:
A low salt/sodium diet and one that focuses on eating fruits and vegetables
Limit the amount of animal fats you eat.
Focus on eating good fats such as olive oil/salmon and avocado
Maintaining a healthy weight
Quit or reduce your smoking
Exercising at least 30 minutes per day
Reducing alcohol consumption and limiting intake
Managing stress levels

⭐️ Treatment ⭐️
Beside the prevention factors that are listed above there are a range of medications that can help with reducing cholesterol. It is important to speak to your doctor and ask them what would be your best option.

If you spend that journey always trying to impress others, to outdo others, you're wasting your journey. 😁😁😁

2 ways to protect Australians this winter！

⭐️ The Australian Government is investing more than $100 million for seasonal influenza vaccines to protect Australians most at risk this winter.

⭐️ ATAGI recommends an additional booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine to increase vaccine protection before winter for selected population groups who are at greatest risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and who have received their primary vaccination and first booster dose. These groups are:
Adults aged 65 years and older
Residents of aged care or disability care facilities
People aged 16 years and older with severe immunocompromise
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and older.

Hope everyone is healthy and happy!

Making medicines more affordable for more Australians
Australians will have cheaper access to treatments for high cholesterol, heart failure and high blood pressure from today, ensuring they can continue to access the medicines they need, when they them. Click the link below to read more: https://reurl.cc/DdROrm

Ischaemic Heart Disease

⭐️What is Ischaemic Heart Disease

Ischaemia or ischemic heart disease is a condition in which the heart is starved of oxygen due to a reduced blood supply.
Most commonly, this is due to a build-up of plaque (fatty material plus cells) in the wall of one of the arteries supplying blood to the heart, known as the coronary arteries. As the plaque enlarges, it gradually obstructs the flow of blood, which deprives the heart of oxygen and nutrients.
The plaque can also rupture suddenly, that is it can tear away from the artery wall, which causes a clot to form very rapidly that completely obstruct the flow of blood. When that happens, the heart cells not getting any blood, stop functioning and die. This is a myocardial infarction also known as a heart attack, which causes severe chest pain; an irregular heartbeat, which can be fatal.

⭐️Symptoms

The following are the symptoms of IHD
• Chest pain
• Shortness of Breath
• Fatigue
• Sweating
• Palpitations

⭐️Prevention

• Quitting Smoking
• Diet – aim to eat healthy food groups such as your green vegetables and fruit. Do not each food items which are high if bad fats such as fried food and also foods high in sugar or salt
• Exercise – It is important to remain as active as possible to ensure you are helping with the blood flow between your body. Do as much activity each day that you can within your ability. This may simply mean going for a walk for 30 minutes per day
• Alcohol – Limiting your alcohol intake can help with your blood pressure and your heart health. Only drink in moderation and never too much.
• Stress – Managing your stress levels will also help with your blood pressure and ultimately your heart health. If you are experiencing high levels of stress, find out why and what you can do about it? You may wish to talk to your GP for further information
• Weight – It is important to keep your weight within your normal body mass index. You can workout your normal body mass index by going to the following site: https://reurl.cc/xOVO3z

is open disclosure? #
Everyone in aged care has the right to be safe and treated with dignity and respect.

Open disclosure is a conversation your aged care provider must have with you if something goes wrong that has or could have caused you harm.

Open disclosure can help you to speak up about issues and how they have affected you.
You can also make suggestions to your aged care provider so together you can resolve any issues. Click the link below to read more:
https://reurl.cc/qOAN5n

⭐️The Morrison Government is investing $2.1 billion to protect Australians against COVID-19 and influenza this winter.

⭐️The approach to managing COVID-19 and influenza over the winter months will focus on minimising the health impacts – with a particular focus on protecting those most at risk of severe illness – while supporting the economy.

⭐️This year’s winter season will likely see the co-circulation of COVID-19 and influenza viruses, which we have not seen significant transmission of since 2019.

⭐️Although it is difficult to predict the scale of these transmission events, the national approach supported by the Morrison Government prepares for the contingency of possible large outbreaks.

⭐️The Government will invest $2.1 billion to support health responses and further build up the resilience of Australia’s healthcare systems – including by extending the COVID-19 National Partnership Agreement to 30 September 2022.
Click the link below to read more: https://reurl.cc/447QmK

cares about the health of seniors #

「What is Arthritis?」
Arthritis is swelling or pain in the joints. Arthritis is not one disease however can be categorized into many different such as osteoarthritis (of the bones) and rheumatoid arthritis (an autoimmune disease where the immune systems attacks its own body).

「There are four main types of Arthritis 」
⭐️ Degenerative Arthritis – this is when the cartilage (the cushion between the bones) rubs away and results in the bones rubbing against each other
⭐️ Inflammatory Arthritis – This is when the immune system attacks itself results in inflammation in the joints
⭐️ Infectious Arthritis – this is when an infection affects the joints
⭐️ Metabolic Arthritis – this is when there is build up of uric acid in the joints. Uric acid is a waste product and should be expelled from the body or can cause harm.

「Symptoms」
The symptoms of arthritis depend on the type of arthritis that you may have, however the common types of symptoms include:
⭐️ Pain in the joints
⭐️ Swelling in the joints
⭐️ Stiffness in the joints
⭐️ Redness around the joints
⭐️ Reduced range of motion in the joints

「Prevention」
The following strategies can help with the prevention of arthritis
⭐️ Staying a health weight – Extra weight can place pressure on the knees
⭐️ Controlling Blood Sugar Level – High blood sugar levels can stiffen the tissue that supports your joints
⭐️ Exercise – This helps your strengthen your limbs and the muscles that support your knees and hips
⭐️ Quit Smoking – Smoking can put stress on your tissues that protect your joints
⭐️ Omega 3 Diet – Food such as fish is high in omega three which is helpful for your joints

Today is International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate the social, political, cultural, economic and home care achievements of women around the world. Melbar sees you as heroes of this world！

Melbar persists in the concept of Person-centred care:

1. what is Person-centred care?

2. What kind of services can Person-centred care provide for you?

Click the picture below to read more:

Flash flood warning for parts of Sydney and nearby NSW districts as wild weather moves south!
The government publishes The Stormsafe guide (outlines storm risks, impacts and the safest responses to take when severe weather occurs), Click the link below to read more:https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/media/1505/stormsafe-guide.pdf

"None of our health outcomes, though, would be possible without the hard work, the long hours, and dedicated care offered by our front-line health and aged care workforce - the true heroes of this pandemic, their resilience over the past two years has been nothing short of inspiring"

Click the link below to read more:

https://reurl.cc/qOoyjN

「What is hypertension?」
Hypertension is essentially high blood pressure. High blood pressure occurs due to narrowing of the arteries as the force for the blood to be pumped around the body increases. Blood pressure is measured by two numbers:
Systolic – pressure in the artery as the heart contracts
Diastolic – pressure in the artery when the heart is relaxing

Heart health guidelines indicate that any blood pressure of 140/90 indicates hypertension

「Symptoms」
Unfortunately, most of the time when a person is experiencing hypertension they would be asymptomatic (showing no symptoms). There are however some symptoms which would indicate a person is experiencing hypertension:
⭐️ Severe Headache
⭐️ Nosebleed
⭐️ Fatigue/Confusion
⭐️ Vision Impairment
⭐️ Irregular Heartbeat
⭐️ Shortness of Breath

「Prevention 」
Hypertension is usually managed through lifestyle choices which include:
⭐️ Being a healthy weight
⭐️ Exercising
⭐️ Eating a healthy diet
⭐️ Reducing salt intake
⭐️ Not smoking of alcohol consumption
⭐️Not smoking
⭐️ Sleeping well
⭐️ Managing your stress levels