Abstracts & Presentation Summaries - Department of Health

Lauren O’Neill, Coordinator Cobaw Community Health Service
Taking the Mountain to Mohamed – PAGs in SRSs
Presenting a model of planned activity delivery that targets and has positive
outcomes for a diverse and a sometimes-difficult group of people, while combining
community participants with residents of an SRA using the SRA as the venue.
Program has been successfully run for 18 months.
Initial Aims and Objectives of program
Encourage participation of residents of an SRA in a country town who were
reluctant and often distressed about attending activities outside their own
home-usually due to past experience and/or disability.
Introduce potential residents from the community to the SRA to facilitate
easier transition if it occurred in the future.
Increase the number of people from the community visiting the SRA to extend
social connections.
Provide an activity program that had positive outcomes for and was
meaningful to an extremely diverse group.
Areas to be covered
History of this particular SRA and its place in the community.
Graphic representations of demographics of current resident population –
40 to 80 years, Psychiatric disability, Intellectual disability, Acquired Brain
Injury, Physical disability, Dementia, Alcoholic Brain Syndrome, NESB.
Behaviours of participants – would normally prevent them from attending
outside activities due to their insecurities and community attitudes.
The Actual Activities – formally run appropriate games and activities,
socialisation.
Staff qualities and training.
Where the aims and objectives achieved?
What is the cost to the service and the participants?
Positive outcomes for participants
o Increase in level of trust of people outside the SRA – community
members and services
o Introduces community into SRA
o Breaks down social barriers and historical perceptions.
o Some residents of SRA now confident enough to attend activities and
functions in the general community.
Contact details
Lauren O'Neill, Cobaw Community Health Service Activity Centre, 8 Mollison Place,
Kyneton 3444. –Ph: (03) 5422 2833 – Fax: (03) 5422 1049 – E-mail:
mollisonplace@impulse.net.au
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