Annual Report 2011 - Calvary Health Care Bethlehem

Dietitian Services
The nutrition service at our hospital is contracted from the
Alfred Hospital.
Over the last 12 months, the Dietitians provided expert
nutrition and dietary advice to patients and their families
in order to improve and manage a range of conditions
including progressive neurological diseases, cancers,
end stage heart disease and late stage gastrointestinal
diseases, food intolerances as well as overweight
and obesity. The Dietitians also developed a range of new
resources for patients requiring enteral nutrition. A series of
booklets have also been produced to support patient care.
The Human Spirit – Determination
and Independence
In 2008 a young family arrived in Australia.
Just as they were settling in to their new life Marty,
a 39 year old engineer was diagnosed with Motor
Neurone Disease. His wife was expecting their
first child.
A progressive disease like Motor Neurone Disease
brings new challenges and impacts on every
aspect of a person’s life, from physical changes to
emotional health, relationships and spiritual wellbeing.
The interdisciplinary team works with Marty
and his family to provide support and to manage the
changes and symptoms he faces.
For Marty it was important to try and regain some
control and independence of his life. He was
keen to keep working and be close to his family.
So assistance to access his computer at home
without using a normal mouse was set up by the
interdisciplinary team.
With the support of both his family and the hospital,
Marty was determined to remain engaged in life
and work. Marty used a specialised program called
Dasher, which is like an on screen keyboard. He
is able to send emails to work colleagues, work on
documents and surf the internet; all without using a
mouse. Marty comments ‘no-one even knew I was
not using a normal keyboard.’
The interdisciplinary team regularly assess Marty
and his family’s needs during admissions to the
Neurological Inpatient Unit. This also gives his wife
and two young children some respite. The team
have provided Marty with a range of specialised
equipment including supported seating, equipment
and training to support transfers and specialised
Considerable resources and expertise over the last
12 months has also been dedicated to the hospital’s
Food Service management area, resulting in significant
improvements. Hospital services, dietitians and speech
pathologists have all worked collaboratively to ensure safe,
nutritionally appropriate and appealing meals are provided
to all patients, families and staff.
technology that enables him to continue to use his
computer without his hands through a head mouse.
The specialised technology gives Marty
independence, comfort and the ability to
communicate with friends and family and he uses
Skype to communicate with his wife when he is an
inpatient at the hospital.
Marty’s speech is limited now and his disease
continues to progress. Marty uses the My Tobi
Eye Gaze Communication System. This consists
of a computer screen and an inbuilt camera and
specialised eye tracking software. It also has an
inbuilt environmental control unit which enables
Marty to control his environment with his eyes,
including operating the television, opening the
blinds and adjusting the air conditioner or heater.
Combined with his resilient determination, Marty
remains incredibly positive and well supported by
his entire family.
Marty commented that ‘the eye gaze system
enables me to communicate with some voice
output. It also allows me to continue writing letters
to my children who are only 4 and 18 months
old’. Marty hopes that these letters will provide his
children with some insight into who their dad was
and what his hopes and dreams for them were.
Leaving these letters to both his children is part of
his enduring legacy to them.
Calvary Health Care Bethlehem 2010 – 11 Annual Report
27