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This page was last updated at 11:44AM on December 21, 2011

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Public Service

Northland DHB Health of Older People (HOP)

Description

What Health Services Are Provided For Older People?

  • Needs Assessment Service (NASC)
  • Psychiatry of Older People (POP) 
  • Community Health Monitoring
  • Geriatrician assessments

We are very happy to receive referrals directly from an older person or, with consent from the older person, a family member.

Referrals can be via phone: (09) 430 4131 or a faxed copy of the referral form to (09) 430 4128.

Click here to access the referral form

Service

Description

Criteria

Contact for queries

Referral

Needs Assessment and Service Co-ordination Team (NASC)
NASC Criteria

Cleaning Services

 Assistance with inside household tasks, e.g. vacuuming, cleaning bathroom. MORE

Over 65 and has a Community Services Card. Also requires Needs Assessment.
MORE

Ph: 4304131
Fax: 4304128

Referral required either, verbal or written - from any source with older person's consent.

Personal Care

 Assistance or supervision for showering/ bathing, dressing etc. MORE Over 65 and Needs Assessment. MORE

Ph: 4304131
Fax: 4304128

As above

Carer Support

 To give the carers of the older person a break. A financial contribution to breaks, carer needs to arrange themselves. MORE Over 65 and Needs Assessment. MORE

Ph: 4304131
Fax: 4304128

As above

Respite

 To give the carers of the older person a break. Scheduled and fully funded DHB programme in residential care. MORE Over 65 and Needs Assessment. MORE

Ph: 4304131
Fax: 4304128

As above

Day Care

 Day care services for the frail elderly and for people with moderate to high end dementia. Over 65 and Needs Assessment.

Ph: 4304131
Fax: 4304128

As above

Residential placement

 Older person no longer able to be supported safely in their own community and require 24 hour supervision/ care. Over 65 and Needs Assessment.

Ph: 4304131
Fax: 4304128

As above

Meals on Wheels

 A short term hot meal service, up to 5 days a week delivered to own home. MORE

Needs Assessment(No age restriction). MORE

Ph: 4304131
Fax: 4304128

As above

Acute Home Support Services

 A short-term cleaning service, due to an acute episode of illness or surgery. MORE Needs Assessment(No age restriction). MORE Ph: 4304131

As above
 

Psychiatry for Older People (POP)

 To provide community assessment, continuing care and treatment services to those Older People affected by mental illness. Over 65 with a mental illness or behavioural difficulties associated with a progressive illness, e.g. dementia. Ph: 4304131 extn: 8408
or Fax:4304128

Written referral required from GP.
 

Health Monitoring

 To support frail older adults to remain as well and independent as possible in their own homes.MORE Older person with complex medical and health needs that require monitoring MORE Ph: 4304131

Referral required either verbal or written- from any source with older person's consent.
 

 

Referral Expectations

Outpatient Services

 
Your GP will refer you to this service if they think you would benefit from seeing a team of people to assist with any difficulties related to illnesses affecting you in old age or if they feel you would benefit from a specialist doctor’s advice regarding your medical condition.

Clinics

The waiting times for clinic range from 1 week to 3 months depending on the urgency of the condition described in your GP’s referral letter. 
You will see either a Geriatrician or a Registrar (a doctor training to become a specialist) with supervision.  Before seeing the doctor, you will be seen by a nurse who will ask you some questions and take some recordings such as blood pressure and weight.  The average length of a clinic appointment is 1 hour with tests occurring afterwards often taking another 30 mins.  During the clinic appointment you will be asked about any symptoms you have as well as your past medical history.  Please bring all your medications with you.  It is very common in this clinic to be asked a series of questions to test your memory.  You will have a physical examination and are likely to have blood tests, an ECG (tracing of your heart) and a Chest X-Ray, depending on what problems you have.

Home Visits

Your GP may request a home visit by one of our doctors.  This occurs if you are unable to come into hospital or would be best assessed in your own home.  You will be phoned the day before and asked if it is OK for us to visit.  The waiting times for home visits are usually 1-2 weeks.
 
 
Inpatient Services
 
You will be referred to hospital if your doctor thinks you would benefit from time in hospital to undergo assessment of your condition or for rehabilitation.  You may be referred from home by your GP or from another ward in the hospital if you need more time and therapy to regain strength to get home.
What To Expect
Although there are doctors involved with your care they may only see you once or twice a week if you are medically stable but can visit more often if needed.  They are always happy to talk with you or your family.  Your nurse can set up a time to suit.
The time you spend on the ward depends on the progress you make and whether or not you benefit from daily rehabilitation with the therapists.   The purpose of rehabilitation is to regain independence so you will be encouraged to do as much for yourself as possible as you recover.  Depending on your problems and abilities, you are encouraged to be as independent as possible during your time on the ward. 
Before going home you may have a home visit where the occupational therapist takes you home for about an hour to see how you manage with day to day things in your own home to assess what help or equipment might be needed. Before discharge you and your family may wish to have a meeting with staff if you want to discuss what has happened to you and what help you might need at home.
 
 

Procedures / Treatments

  • Moving into Rest Home Care: General Information

    Click here for a booklet produced by Seniorline for people over 65 years of age requiring long-term care in a rest home or hospital... More PDF

  • Home Care in Northland: General Information

    Click here to view a document that provides some general information and guidance on how to access help in the home for an older person in Northland. More PDF

  • Memory Problems

    There are several types of memory problems people can have.   If you are referred because of memory concerns it is very helpful to bring along a family member.  It is also very important to bring all of your medications with you as these can often affect memory.  A full medical... More

  • Dementia

    This is a condition of gradual loss of memory and other functions of awareness or thinking such as concentration over time.  There are several types of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, which is due to the same sort of illnesses that cause stroke.  More

  • Falls

    These are not a natural part of aging.  There are many reasons why people fall over and a review of your medical problems and medications may well reveal some reasons for falling that can be fixed.  If you have lots of falls, seeing a specialist as well as the physiotherapist... More

  • Strokes

    A stroke is where the blood supply to an area of the brain is interrupted causing damage to brain cells.  This happens either with a clot in the blood vessel or the blood vessel bursting.  The effects of a stroke depend on where in the brain, and how big, the... More

  • Urinary Incontinence

    Urinary incontinence or a loss of bladder control is the involuntary passage of urine... More

  • Osteoporosis

    Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens your bones. Osteoporosis is not painful but it makes your bones more prone to breaking (fracture).  Women are more likely than men to suffer from osteoporosis and as you get older you are more likely to have it... More

Document Downloads

Note: PDF downloads require the free Adobe Reader application to view.

Consultants

Dr Tus Fernando
Physician
Dr Bernd Kraus
Physician

Website

www.northlanddhb.org.nz

Locations Information

Choose one of the locations above for address and contact information.

Patient Groups