Healthy Ageing Program
This program has a focus on delivering care for those that really need it in a General Practice. The emphasis is on planning for wellness versus care planning as a transactional task. Our approach is about learning together with peers who not only share their expertise, but also their personal support.
Why join our Program?
With people aged 80+ as the fastest growing group in the Australian community with complex age-related conditions, the time is now to invest in the people who will care for this group.
The number of people with age-related conditions such as dementia, osteoporosis and physical frailty is rising.
50% of people aged 65 and over in Australia now have at least 2 long term health conditions
20% of people aged 65+ are living with Frailty, and are high risk for hospitalisation
50% of people aged 75+ currently take 5+ medications daily (Polypharmacy)
40% of people aged 75+ have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Delivering care for this group is complicated!
Currently health professionals report low levels of formal education and training in the issues of ageing and ‘geriatric syndromes’. If health professionals have an understanding of the proactive healthy ageing model and learn skills that will ensure the primary care team engage with their patients, this can lead to an increase in the value and satisfaction of their work ... .This is one support for your team to reduce the risk of their “burnout”.
The Bollen Health programs focus on delivering care for those that really need it in a General Practice. The emphasis is on planning for wellness versus care planning as a transactional task. Our approach is about learning together with peers who not only share their expertise, but also their personal support.
Why now?
Due to the recent recommendations by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, it is not just about what happens in Residential Aged Care, but also what happens for older people in every other healthcare setting, including primary care.
Prioritise dignity and respect in aged care. The phrase “you are getting old, what do you expect” is no longer valid. It is ageist. Support and empathetic care for older people and their specific needs should be a priority. It’s imperative that all health professionals interacting with older people undergo formal training and education to deliver better care.
In addition, the post COVID landscape involves flattening the curve of how older people with sub optimally managed chronic conditions are presenting late to crowded hospital emergency departments (EDs) with complications, and flare ups.
Improving health professional attitudes and their understanding of approaches will support proactive healthy ageing, making a difference to the communities they serve.
This is about the proactive care to differentiate it from many older people’s experiences of reactive care.
The Program
Why Bollen Health?
Jane and Chris Bollen are dedicated clinicians who are passionate about improving the care of older people. They have a deep understanding of the unique needs and challenges faced by older people and have been working tirelessly since 2015 to review, research and develop impactful education sessions to support clinicians work more effectively with this population.
Together, we will challenge your assumptions about ageing, support you to work more effectively, and assist in keeping older people living in their own homes for longer, healthily and happily.
Who should do the Program?
GPs, Nurses, Medical Practice Assistants, Practice Managers and Allied Health Professionals working in primary healthcare practices who wish to make a difference for older people living in the community.
Better care of older people is a team game, and for teams to succeed in delivering outstanding care, training and coaching is the key to success.
The more diverse the audience, the better for the group case study sessions!
“This is a great initiative – thanks for providing proactive and practical tools to bring change to the lives of our patients”
Meet the Coaches
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MBBS MBA FRACGP FACHSM
Chris is an experienced General Practitioner in South Australia, and director of Bollen Health.
Chris has previously served as CEO and Chair of several dynamic healthcare organisations and a member of various advisory groups. Including:
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare Clinical Communications Advisory Group
the Primary Care Education Advisory group to Kidney Health Australia
Arthritis SA’s Education Advisory Committee
Primary Care Advisor to University of Adelaide’s Frailty and Healthy Ageing Centre of Research Excellence
ReturntoWorkSA’s Medical Adviser
Chris’s a GP associate member of the Australia and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine.
Chris brings energy and enthusiasm to all that he does. He prioritises care for the people he works with, this is evident in the way he connects with his patients and mentees. His expertise in healthcare management and leadership makes Chris a valuable asset to those looking to improve the quality of care they provide.
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RN CertIV TAE Dip Acct GAICD
Jane has worked extensively as a general practice nurse and is now a primary healthcare nurse consultant for Bollen Health working with the general practice teams to help them deliver safe, effective care while finding joy in their work.
Jane set up a Healthy Ageing Clinic at a practice.The nurse clinic aimed to deliver more planned and structured care, use GP and nurse time more effectively and give enhanced access to those patients facing barriers to care. This clinic was featured in the APNA November 2021 magazine “Primary Times” to highlight the achievements of nurse-led clinics across Australia.
Jane is a previous Board Director of the Australian Primary Health Care Nurse Association (APNA) and currently represents APNA on the RACGP Standards Committee, the RACGP Standards for Residential Aged Care Facilities working group and Health Care Homes (HCH) resource development and train-the-trainer workshops. The ‘Healthy Ageing and Frailty’ program, led by Jane and Chris,, was awarded runner-up prize in the aged care category of the Adelaide PHN 2021 Primary Health Care awards.
Program Offerings
On-site practice visits with a 1 hour “Reviewing Performance” Continuing Professional Development (CPD) education session
Interactive virtual meetings
A face-to-face education day
Evening practical team workshops
Individual online or over the phone coaching and mentoring of participants.e
Access to useful resources and readings
Assist with content development for the PHN ‘Healthy Ageing’ web page
Participation in the RACGP Accredited 75+ Health Assessment audit program to earn “Measuring Outcomes” CPD hours.
Program Details
Topics include
“Getting to grips with Frailty and Polypharmacy”
This session introduces the issues of sarcopenia, physical frailty and polypharmacy
“Healthy Ageing and Frailty”
Understand the treatment options and referral pathways for frailty to reduce further decline
“Timely Diagnosis of Dementia”
Improve early assessment and management of people with dementia
Improve knowledge of what can be done whilst awaiting memory clinic assessment, including future planning