Promoting Healthy Ageing
Thursday, May 30 2024
Adelaide PHN and AMPHEaT had the pleasure of hosting the ‘Promoting Healthy Ageing in General Practice’ event on Saturday 11 May, at the Kooyonga Golf Course.
Attended by General Practitioners, general practice staff, aged care providers, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and primary health care professionals, the event was a collaborative effort that explored best practice approaches to healthy ageing, the importance of early intervention and its impact on the trajectory of ageing.
This event also presented the learnings from a dedicated healthy ageing quality improvement project undertaken by 10 general practices in the Adelaide PHN Region. A twelve-week intensive sprint approach was applied across three focus areas; supporting practices to utilise practical tools to improve the management of chronic conditions, and the early identification of dementia and frailty.
Attendees were able to learn from the insights shared by expert speakers and panellists. Renowned Geriatrician Professor Sue Kurrle offered an insightful understanding of the ageing process and the importance of tailored early interventions in primary care settings. Mitch Fox, Director of Simple Healthcare Solutions, presented on the Chronic Disease Management and Dementia Quality Improvement Sprints. Founders of Bollen Health, Dr. Chris and Jane Bollen provided insight into the Frailty Quality Improvement Sprint and the prevention and management of frailty. The team from Flinders University presented on the project evaluation process, investigating health outcomes and the experience of both patients and health care providers, sharing some interesting preliminary research findings.
A diverse panel of healthcare professionals, practice managers and consumers involved in the project shared their collective wisdom and firsthand experiences to equip attendees with practical strategies to successfully implement best practice approaches to supporting patients to remain healthy as they navigate the complexities of ageing.
The event also served as a platform for the team to launch three self-directed Quality Improvement Toolkits tailored to the age group 40-70:
Increasing General Practice Frailty Screening Toolkit for age group 40-70
Chronic Disease Management Quality Improvement Toolkit for age group 40-70
Dementia/Brain Health Quality Improvement Toolkit for age group 40-70
To access the tool kits click here
These toolkits include step-by-step guides for reviewing data, planning improvement activities, applying best practice screening and clinical assessment tools for dementia and frailty, and embedding interventions such as case conferencing in everyday practice.
The event was a great success with 84 attendees representing nearly 40 general practices in the Adelaide PHN region. A huge thanks to all guest speakers, panellists, and exhibitors for taking the time to provide insights and advice on approaches to improve the quality of life of patients in primary care through healthy ageing initiatives.