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What services can my GP refer me to?

There are many services and programs in the Eastern Suburbs for older people, not all of which are run by Eastern Health. A GP visit is usually the best way to get advice on which service may best meet your needs.

Depending on what your specific needs are, your GP may refer you to one of the Eastern Health services, such as the Aged Care Assessment Service, the Complex Care Clinic, Community Rehabilitation Centre, or one of the many Specialist Clinics.

For more information on any of these services, please see Community Based Services.

What do I do in an emergency situation?

Obviously if the emergency situation is a health related one then a visit to the Hospital Emergency Department may be the safest option, however there are many emergency situations that do not require a trip to hospital.

The Rapid Outreach and Response team are designed to visit you at home within a short space of time to help sort out problems, often relating to care and accommodation, and can link you in with many community services depending on your needs.

If you arrive in the Emergency Department as a result of complex needs, the Emergency Department Care Coordination team will see you and ensure a safe discharge from the emergency department, or smooth transfer to the ward.

If I am admitted to hospital, how can I get the advice & rehabilitation I might need?

There are two main Acute Aged Care services in the Eastern Health Hospitals. Eastern Health also has a large Rehabilitation Program, and a program to assist in the situation where residential care is required.

The Acute Care of the Elderly unit is a team of staff (doctors, nurses and allied health) who specialise in looking after older people with complex needs. You may be admitted to the Acute Care of the Elderly unit rather than one of the other units if this team can better meet your needs.

The Aged Care Consultancy Service is a visiting service which provides advice on issues related to caring for older people in hospital and after discharge, any patient admitted to an Eastern Health Hospital can be seen by the Aged Care Consultancy Service.

Both the ACE Unit and the Aged Care Consultancy Service provide advice about preparing for discharge, and can refer you for Inpatient Rehabilitation if necessary. Rehabilitation is provided on 4 sites across Eastern Health.

If discharge from hospital to residential care is required, the Eastern Health Extended Care Program may be of assistance. Whether you are able to go straight from hospital to a residential care facility, or require the assistance of the Extended Care Program, the hospital staff will assist you in making these arrangements.

For more information on the Acute Care of the Elderly unit, the Aged Care Consultancy Service, Rehabilitation, or the Extended Care Program please see Inpatient Services.