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Older Persons Health & Rehabilitation | Lakes
Public Service, Older People's Health
Description
Te Whatu Ora - Lakes Older Persons Health & Rehabilitation Service is provided through Inpatient Services, Outpatient Services and Allied Health support.
Inpatient Service
The Older Persons Health and Rehabilitation Service provides assessment, treatment and rehabilitation in an inpatient area of up to 21 beds at Rotorua Hospital.
We function as an interdisciplinary team, with service based physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social workers, speech language therapists, nurses and doctors.
Our aim is to work with patients in hospital to try to regain function that has been lost due to acute illness or accident, to get them to their best functional status and quality of life.
Older Person Outpatient Services
Patients are referred by their GP or other health professionals to either be seen in the Outpatient Department or in the community. Patients will be assessed by a doctor or nurse specialist.
We run clinics including:
- Memory assessment to diagnose cognitive problems and dementia
- Parkinson's multi-disciplinary team
- Pre-operative assessment to aid patients and surgeons to get the best outcome from surgery
- General medical assessments
Allied Health Services - Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Therapy
Once discharged from hospital, many patients will have ongoing rehabilitation as an outpatient. Patients can also be referred by their GP or health professional if they are needing input from the Allied Health Service. Outpatients may be booked to attend individual appointments or specific group classes.
Where to find us: See the Rotorua Hospital map here.
We also provide a visiting Older Persons Outpatient Service at Taupō Hospital.
Consultants
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Dr Steven Kinsey
Geriatrician
Referral Expectations
Inpatient Services
You will be referred to rehabilitation 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.
We are really enthusiastic about you:
- bringing in your own clothes and getting dressed every day
- sitting out of bed during the day and resting back in bed only when necessary
- cooperating in working with the rest of the team to get you back to doing what you want
- having your meals in the dining room or with other clients where possible
- you may be given an exercise programme by a physiotherapist that you may be required to undertake yourself with guidance from a physiotherapy team member.
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.
Older Persons Outpatient Services
Your GP will refer you to this service if they think you would benefit from seeing a doctor who specialises in the care of older people to assist with any difficulties related to illnesses affecting you or to offer advice regarding your medical condition. Sometimes this will involve a home visit or being seen in clinic.
We commonly see people who have multiple medical problems and medications who are at risk of losing their independence e.g. people with falls, memory problems, continence issues, stroke or mobility problems.
The waiting times to be seen in our 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, and if possible bring a support person. 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.
Allied Health Services
Following discharge from the inpatient service, patients may be referred to the Allied Health team for ongoing care.
Patients are also referred by their GP or health professional, if they are needing input from the Allied Health team.
Fees and Charges Description
New Zealand citizens or those who have obtained permanent residence are entitled to publicly funded health care.
Non-residents may be required to pay for their health care.
Click here to read more about eligibility for funded care at Te Whatu Ora Lakes
Common Conditions
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 examination will be done and you will be asked some questions to test your memory and concentration as well as mood. You are likely to have blood tests looking for some causes of memory loss and depending on your history you may be referred for a CT scan of your brain. This is a computerised X-ray, which involves you lying down for about 15 minutes while a machine passes over you.
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 examination will be done and you will be asked some questions to test your memory and concentration as well as mood. You are likely to have blood tests looking for some causes of memory loss and depending on your history you may be referred for a CT scan of your brain. This is a computerised X-ray, which involves you lying down for about 15 minutes while a machine passes over you.
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 examination will be done and you will be asked some questions to test your memory and concentration as well as mood. You are likely to have blood tests looking for some causes of memory loss and depending on your history you may be referred for a CT scan of your brain. This is a computerised X-ray, which involves you lying down for about 15 minutes while a machine passes over you.
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 and occupational therapist can reduce your chances of falling again. You will be asked about the circumstances surrounding your falls and it is helpful if family or friends who witnessed your falls come into the clinic with you. You will have an examination looking at your general health as well as strength, balance, vision and memory. An occupational therapist may come to your home to look into any changes that can be made to improve safety. For more information on falls prevention the ACC website has information on Staying safe from trips and 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 and occupational therapist can reduce your chances of falling again. You will be asked about the circumstances surrounding your falls and it is helpful if family or friends who witnessed your falls come into the clinic with you. You will have an examination looking at your general health as well as strength, balance, vision and memory. An occupational therapist may come to your home to look into any changes that can be made to improve safety. For more information on falls prevention the ACC website has information on Staying safe from trips and 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 and occupational therapist can reduce your chances of falling again. You will be asked about the circumstances surrounding your falls and it is helpful if family or friends who witnessed your falls come into the clinic with you. You will have an examination looking at your general health as well as strength, balance, vision and memory. An occupational therapist may come to your home to look into any changes that can be made to improve safety. For more information on falls prevention the ACC website has information on Staying safe from trips and falls
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 interruption to blood flow is. Most people who have had a stroke are admitted to hospital. Rehabilitation after a stroke is aimed at increasing your independence, preventing complications from stroke and preventing further strokes. For more information on stroke a very useful website is the Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand site www.stroke.org.nz
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 interruption to blood flow is. Most people who have had a stroke are admitted to hospital. Rehabilitation after a stroke is aimed at increasing your independence, preventing complications from stroke and preventing further strokes. For more information on stroke a very useful website is the Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand site www.stroke.org.nz
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 interruption to blood flow is. Most people who have had a stroke are admitted to hospital. Rehabilitation after a stroke is aimed at increasing your independence, preventing complications from stroke and preventing further strokes. For more information on stroke a very useful website is the Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand site www.stroke.org.nz
As you age your bladder muscles may get weaker, making it harder to empty your bladder and you may experience some loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence). Read more about Bladder Control problems on the Healthify website
As you age your bladder muscles may get weaker, making it harder to empty your bladder and you may experience some loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence). Read more about Bladder Control problems on the Healthify website
As you age your bladder muscles may get weaker, making it harder to empty your bladder and you may experience some loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence). Read more about Bladder Control problems on the Healthify website
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. Tests Osteoporosis can be diagnosed by measuring bone mineral density (BMD). This test involves taking x-rays or a computer tomography (CT) scan of the bones in your spine, wrist, arm or leg. You may be asked to have a blood test to look for reasons why you might have osteoporosis. Treatment There is no cure for osteoporosis, but there are treatments that can improve bone strength and reduce your chances of breaking a bone.
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. Tests Osteoporosis can be diagnosed by measuring bone mineral density (BMD). This test involves taking x-rays or a computer tomography (CT) scan of the bones in your spine, wrist, arm or leg. You may be asked to have a blood test to look for reasons why you might have osteoporosis. Treatment There is no cure for osteoporosis, but there are treatments that can improve bone strength and reduce your chances of breaking a bone.
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.
Tests
Osteoporosis can be diagnosed by measuring bone mineral density (BMD). This test involves taking x-rays or a computer tomography (CT) scan of the bones in your spine, wrist, arm or leg. You may be asked to have a blood test to look for reasons why you might have osteoporosis.
Treatment
There is no cure for osteoporosis, but there are treatments that can improve bone strength and reduce your chances of breaking a bone.
Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the brain characterised by shaking (tremor), slowing of movement and difficulty with walking and coordination. The disease is due to progressive deterioration of the cells in the part of the brain that controls muscle movement. The disorder may affect one or both sides of the body, with varying degrees of loss of function. Symptoms include: shaking (not always present), stiffness, loss of balance, shuffling walk, slow movements, difficulty initiating any voluntary movement, muscle aches and pains, reduced ability to show facial expressions, voice or speech changes, difficulty writing (may be small and hard to read), difficulty with any activity that requires small movements. Diagnosis is usually made on the history and with an examination, with no need for further testing unless there is some uncertainty. There are some diseases that can mimic Parkinson’s disease. There is no known cure for Parkinson's disease. Treatment is aimed at controlling the symptoms and maintaining quality of life for as long as possible and may include supportive therapies such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy, medication and deep brain stimulation. Monitoring and follow-up by doctors is important. For more information about Parkinson’s disease and related conditions as well as support groups in New Zealand visit www.parkinsons.org.nz
Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the brain characterised by shaking (tremor), slowing of movement and difficulty with walking and coordination. The disease is due to progressive deterioration of the cells in the part of the brain that controls muscle movement. The disorder may affect one or both sides of the body, with varying degrees of loss of function. Symptoms include: shaking (not always present), stiffness, loss of balance, shuffling walk, slow movements, difficulty initiating any voluntary movement, muscle aches and pains, reduced ability to show facial expressions, voice or speech changes, difficulty writing (may be small and hard to read), difficulty with any activity that requires small movements. Diagnosis is usually made on the history and with an examination, with no need for further testing unless there is some uncertainty. There are some diseases that can mimic Parkinson’s disease. There is no known cure for Parkinson's disease. Treatment is aimed at controlling the symptoms and maintaining quality of life for as long as possible and may include supportive therapies such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy, medication and deep brain stimulation. Monitoring and follow-up by doctors is important. For more information about Parkinson’s disease and related conditions as well as support groups in New Zealand visit www.parkinsons.org.nz
Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the brain characterised by shaking (tremor), slowing of movement and difficulty with walking and coordination. The disease is due to progressive deterioration of the cells in the part of the brain that controls muscle movement. The disorder may affect one or both sides of the body, with varying degrees of loss of function.
Symptoms include: shaking (not always present), stiffness, loss of balance, shuffling walk, slow movements, difficulty initiating any voluntary movement, muscle aches and pains, reduced ability to show facial expressions, voice or speech changes, difficulty writing (may be small and hard to read), difficulty with any activity that requires small movements.
Diagnosis is usually made on the history and with an examination, with no need for further testing unless there is some uncertainty. There are some diseases that can mimic Parkinson’s disease.
There is no known cure for Parkinson's disease. Treatment is aimed at controlling the symptoms and maintaining quality of life for as long as possible and may include supportive therapies such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy, medication and deep brain stimulation. Monitoring and follow-up by doctors is important.
For more information about Parkinson’s disease and related conditions as well as support groups in New Zealand visit www.parkinsons.org.nz
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Website
Contact Details
Taupō Hospital
Lakes
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Phone
(07) 376 1000
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Fax
(07) 376 1003
Website
Taupō Hospital
38 Kotare Street
Taupō
Street Address
Taupō Hospital
38 Kotare Street
Taupō
Postal Address
Taupō Hospital
PO Box 841
Taupō 3351
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This page was last updated at 2:10PM on May 8, 2024. This information is reviewed and edited by Older Persons Health & Rehabilitation | Lakes.