Ageing is a natural, good thing

KATE NEWTON
Presbyterian Support East Coast has a new focus for its services for older people and already it's having benefits for the region's elderly.
Enliven, a restorative home-based support programme, is allowing elderly people to remain in their homes and stem pressure on rest homes to accommodate a burgeoning elderly population.
In Hawke's Bay the number of people over 85 years is increasing by four percent every year and by 2011 the number of people over 85 living in Hawke's Bay is expected to increase to 3132, from 2105 in 2001.
Lorna Cowan, Enliven's general manager of services for older people, said the programme was based on viewing aging as "a natural and good thing".
"It supports older people to have choices, achieve their aims and encourages the community to embrace the challenges of the aging population," Mrs Cowan said.
At the moment it's a pilot scheme funded for two years by the Hawke's Bay District Health Board for older people assessed as being in need of rest home care but choosing to remain at home. But there is no fixed menu of services with staff assessing when they first meet their clients what they need to stay active and independent in their own home.
Often it involves physiotherapy and supporting meet their goals for socialisation and improving their capability to participate in everyday activities. Enliven had worked with more than 65 clients since it was launched in April last year. The plan is to raise that number to 250 across the services over the next 12 months.
The quality of life for Enliven's 50 clients is already improving.
Some have improved so dramatically they have been assessed as no longer needing any home support and been discharged from the programme.
"Without this service these clients may have remained permanantly in rest home care," Mrs Cowan said. There are also plans to extend Enliven to help newly alone men who lack basic housekeeping skills.
"Not having had to cook for themselves they often struggle just to find their way around a pantry filled with ingredients which are foreign to them," Mrs Cowan said.
Cooking classes are to be established, with the added aim of providing a social scene. Spouses are also benefitting from Enliven. Sharing the care with a key support worker means they can stay involved with friends and activities that are important to them.
"We have a fantastic restorative day programme operating in Hastings and Taradale and a new Caring for Carers group is also about to commence in Napier," Mrs Cowan said.
Amongst other things spouses will be taught how to safely move their partner around the home as well as be given mutual support. A study conducted by the Auckland University has found older people enrolled in restorative home based support services like Enliven live 28 percent longer.