As one of Western Australia’s leading agencies supporting people with disability and their families, Identitywa is committed to ensuring that all is being done to achieve the best health and wellbeing outcomes for the people it supports.
With more than 500 individuals being assisted in the community and Identitywa’s shared living homes, it is critical that Identitywa’s staff are trained at the highest level to be able to achieve the best outcomes
Listening closely and respecting each individual’s wishes are critical to building close and respectful relationships.
Supporting Identitywa’s Shared Living services is a dedicated team of staff comprising Identitywa’s Clinical Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Positive Behaviour Support Officer and Planning Officers, who work together with individuals and, in many cases, their family, to develop a health care plan that is comprehensive and aimed at catering for all aspects of their wellbeing.
A critical member of the team is Clinical Nurse, Kerry Deakin, who is tasked with overseeing the implementation of health care plans and their ongoing development and management.
Ms Deakin is well placed to be able to successfully carry out her role. She has a broad range of experience, which she brought to Identitywa almost three years ago. Trained in adult and paediatric nursing, she has specialised as an emergency nurse in both the public and private sectors and has extensive experience working with the management of chronic disease and cancer care.
“Our role is to understand, and to work with an individual’s family and the health professionals supporting them, to ensure we are managing their health care and mobility needs,” Ms Deakin explained.
“In our ongoing assessments of individuals, we identify the health supports that are required by referencing individual plans provided by each person’s health professional team and communicating with their general practitioner, medical specialist and therapist.
“It is the support workers who ultimately administer the appropriate assistance to individuals.
“We are always looking to improve the skills of the support worker so it is vital that we provide them with the most up-to-date training and support to assist them in their workplace.
“For example, we are planning to introduce an early intervention system, which enables support staff to better identify changes in a person’s medical condition and then manage it quickly and effectively.”
A growing area of focus for Identitywa staff is the increased prevalence of chronic diseases as people live longer lives. Diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory conditions and diabetes are increasing throughout the general population.
The impact of these chronic diseases on the people living in Identitywa’s shared living homes and in the community is an issue that support workers are required to manage daily.
“Ensuring staff are ‘on the front foot’ underpins our successful management of health issues,” Ms Deakin said.
“We are keenly aware, for example, of the importance of being proactive in the prevention of chronic disease in the people we support.
“We know that there are a number of contributing lifestyle factors that influence a person’s general health and perhaps reduce the incidence of complications of chronic diseases.
“Constant monitoring and reviewing of health care plans is paramount to improving processes around medication administration. Senior staff engage in conversations with individuals and families around lifestyle. This can include their ‘end-of-life’ concerns, as well as how to support them through grief and loss.”
To ensure she is knowledgeable about contemporary care and processes, Ms Deakin values the opportunity to network with nurses from other organisations.
“It is really valuable to share what others are doing within the disability sector and in general. It is so important that there is ongoing communication between health care providers and disability support agencies,” she said.
“It benefits all of us as we endeavour to achieve the best level of wellbeing of the people we support.”
For more information about the services offered by Identitywa, please call 08 9474 3303 or visit www.identitywa.com.au.
From pages 25 and 26 from Issue 4: ‘Health’ of The Record Magazine