Announcements, Community, Dietetics, Foot Care, Home Nursing, In Home Care, Occupational Therapy, Pain, Physiotherapy, Podiatry

Follow the gold standard in wound care

Posted on August 24, 2021August 24, 2021 by Nicole Cook

24
Aug

A Team Approach to Wound Care

On any given day, half a million Australians are living with a poorly healing or chronic wound. These wounds can be very difficult to live with and manage as they are often in hard-to-reach areas of the body and can impair mobility and independence. Examples of chronic wounds include leg ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers and pressure injuries.

Research has shown that a multidisciplinary approach is the gold standard in preventing and managing wounds and the pain, disability and loss of independence that they can cause. Each clinician brings skills and expertise, with the shared goal of maintaining and improving quality of life.

Nurses

Assess for risk factors that can lead to chronic wounds.

Assist in the management of underlying health conditions that can cause hard-to-heal wounds.

Assess wounds to determine the best treatment approach.

Treat- including cleaning, applying pharmaceuticals and dressing wounds.

Refer for additional care when required.

Podiatrists

Perform wound assessments on the foot, ankle and leg at every visit.

Are the cornerstone of diabetic foot care.

Ensure correct footwear to reduce pressure injury and falls related wounds.

Dietitians

Understand that good, balanced nutrition is the first step in preventing chronic wound formation.

Assess for the nutritional causes of chronic wounds, including poorly managed blood glucose and malnutrition.

Create meal plans that ensure adequate nutritional intake to prevent wounds and aid healing.

Physiotherapists

Assess for risk factors that can lead to chronic wounds.

Intervene with rehabilitation programs to reduce risks of falls, loss of mobility and poor circulation.

Assist with pressure care by implementing pressure relieving strategies.

Occupational Therapists

Perform assessments of clients and their environments for wound risk factors.

Reduce the risk of wounds by assisting with adapting homes to be safer and easier to move around in.

Recommend pressure preventing and relieving equipment and accessories.

Provide therapy that assists clients function safely and independently in their homes and communities.

By determining the unique needs of each client, an individualised treatment program can be developed that includes the health care team members best suited to providing the most effective treatment for the management of chronic wounds- promoting healing, health and vitality.

Here’s 4 reasons why you should place wound care at the heart of client care.

Click to Download Infographic

References

http://www.aushsi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Chronic-Wounds-Issues-Paper-20-Oct-2017.pdf

https://www.qut.edu.au/institute-of-health-and-biomedical-innovation/about/news/news?id=145230

About Empower Healthcare

We Change Lives

Changing lives is what we do.

Delivering high quality allied health services is how we do it.

Empower Healthcare was founded in 2016 by two people who were determined to improve the standards of allied health services in residential aged care and knew how to do it. With industry knowledge and an innovative approach, Adam and Matthew set about defining what allied health services can be when quality and person-centred care is placed before all else in healthcare.

The partnership, that merged clinical expertise with business acumen, soon established Empower Healthcare as a leading provider of quality physiotherapy services in residential aged care facilities in Victoria. This success fueled the expansion of our services within residential aged care, home care and NDIS to deliver occupational therapy, physiotherapy, nursing, podiatry, dietetics, osteopathy, massage and speech pathology.

Now offering comprehensive allied health services with more than 180 dedicated and passionate clinicians working in Victoria, Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland, Empower Healthcare is growing and taking our unique approach with us.

A lot has changed over the years but not our commitment to the highest quality care, delivered by expert clinicians, aimed at improving the independence and quality of life of our clients- helping our clients live their lives the way they want to.

How To Get Clients Started With Our Home Care & NDIS Services

Simply click on the image below for our referral form.

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Announcements, Dietetics, Falls Prevention, Home Nursing, In Home Care, Occupational Therapy, Osteopathy, Physiotherapy, Wellbeing

Managing Osteoporosis: How Allied Health Professionals can help keep bones healthy

Posted on August 17, 2021November 27, 2023 by Nicole Cook

17
Aug

Managing Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a common cause of fractures and loss of independence for older adults. While many people may experience this disease, osteoporosis is preventable and treatable and there is a lot that can be done to improve bone density at all stages of life.

Exercise

Exercise is the first step in preventing loss of bone density and some of the consequences that impact on vitality and quality of life. Physiotherapists design safe exercise programs that include weight bearing and muscle strengthening and are developed to be enjoyable and appropriate for the unique needs of their clients. Allied Health Assistants can supervise and assist with exercise programs to ensure that people get the best results, safely and effectively, inside their homes or communities.

Diet

Getting enough calcium and vitamin D at all ages is the key to protecting bone health and density. The best way to do that is through diet, not supplementation, where possible. Dietitians can help by using a Food First approach to create balanced meal plans that are rich in dairy products, fruits, and vegetables to support bone strength, while still including the food that people enjoy as well as suit their tastes and needs.

Fall prevention

People who live with osteoporosis are more at risk of fractures and loss of independence as a result, with only 30% of older women who suffer an osteoporotic hip fracture being able to return to independence. Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, Occupational Therapists, Nurses and Allied Health Assistants all play vital roles in maintaining safe mobility, preventing falls and reducing the consequences when they happen. Interventions that are most effective at preventing falls include:

• The use of correctly selected and fitted equipment such as walking frames.

• Occupational therapist assisted home modifications that support a safe and independent lifestyle.

• Assessment and management of specific health risk factors that increase the likelihood of falling.

• Individualised exercise programs that include strengthening, balance training and functional activities.

• Good medication management and monitoring.

It is never too early or too late to start improving bone health. Small choices, made regularly, can have the biggest effect on health and when those choices seem daunting, there is support available to help.

How To Get Started With Empower

To arrange a referral, click on the image below

About Empower Healthcare

We Change Lives

Changing lives is what we do.

Delivering high quality allied health services is how we do it.

The partnership, that merged clinical expertise with business acumen, soon established Empower Healthcare as a leading provider of quality physiotherapy services in residential aged care facilities in Victoria. This success fuelled the expansion of our services within residential aged care, home care and NDIS to deliver occupational therapy, physiotherapy, nursing, podiatry, dietetics, osteopathy, massage and speech pathology.

How To Get Clients Started With Our Home Care & NDIS Services

Simply click on the image below for our referral form.

…

Continue reading →

Announcements, Community, Equipment, In Home Care, Massage Therapy, Pain, Shoulder, Wellbeing

What your clients can expect from a home massage

Posted on August 17, 2021August 17, 2021 by Nicole Cook

17
Aug

Home massage offers the power of touch whilst assisting accelerated healing, induce relaxation, reduce pain, and provides general comfort for the receiver. During a time when human contact and interaction have been drastically reduced due to social distancing requirements a home massage can help. This ancient evidence-based therapy is more vital than ever in addressing the needs of people who have limited mobility and are isolated while managing chronic conditions at home.

Highly Trained Health Care Professionals

Empower massage clinicians are highly trained health care professionals who use a therapeutic approach to massage. They offer a broad range of individualised massage treatments chosen to accommodate the mobility status, preferences and needs of the people they see at home.

Our clinicians bring their own equipment with them and can massage the client on a massage table, on their bed, or in high supported sitting with a range of relaxing oils and creams, or the personal products preferred by the client.

Benefits of Home Massage

Decreased depression and agitation, resulting in feelings of wellbeing and comfort.

Many people are anxious about massage until they have one and experience the benefits that this therapy can bring, including;

Relaxation of muscles and soft tissue that have become tight and shortened due to postural changes and decreased activity.
Reduction in pain caused by common conditions such as osteoarthritis and lower back problems.
Improved circulation leading to decreased swelling and improved lymphatic function.
Decreased depression and agitation, resulting in feelings of wellbeing and comfort.

Living independently does not have to mean living in isolation and in pain. Massage therapy can be a powerful tool in improving the quality of life of people who struggle to access services and supports outside of their homes and who wish to continue living life the way they want to, where they want to.

Click here to learn more about our remedial massage service offerings.

How To Get Started With Empower

To arrange a referral, click on the image below

About Empower Healthcare

We Change Lives

Changing lives is what we do.

Delivering high quality allied health services is how we do it.

The partnership, that merged clinical expertise with business acumen, soon established Empower Healthcare as a leading provider of quality physiotherapy services in residential aged care facilities in Victoria. This success fuelled the expansion of our services within residential aged care, home care and NDIS to deliver occupational therapy, physiotherapy, nursing, podiatry, dietetics, osteopathy, massage and speech pathology.

Get Clients Started With Our Home Care & NDIS Services

Simply click on the image below for our referral form.

…

Continue reading →

Announcements, Community, In Home Care, NDIS, Occupational Therapy, Recruitment

New leadership Occupational Therapy appointments bring a wealth of expertise

Posted on August 11, 2021November 28, 2023 by Nicole Cook

11
Aug

Empower Announces Two Leadership Occupational Therapy Appointments

Empower Healthcare has responded to the exponential growth in demand for quality Home Care and NDIS OT services by appointing two exceptional Occupational Therapists to leadership roles.

Alison Enticott has been appointed OT Manager, while Monica Leo comes on board as OT Quality and Development Lead. Alison and Monica will head up the OT team, ensuring that Empower leads the way in delivering high quality, person-centred occupational therapy services that expand with the changing care needs of the clients and communities we work in.

CEO Adam Gilroy-Smith welcomes them both to the Empower team

We are excited to have two amazing talents of the quality of Alison and Monica join us in these incredibly important roles. Alison and Monica are the best in the business, with an abundance of experience leading occupational therapy transformation and engagements at scale and galvanising cross-functional teams to deliver exceptional results. That combination makes them the ideal fit to drive our client partnerships as we grow our business across Australia.

In leading the national OT team, Alison brings together skills in people leadership, stakeholder management, strategic planning and mentoring skills to support each individual to reach their full potential. Alison draws on her broad range of experience having worked in inpatient rehabilitation and then private and public hand therapy practice early in her career. She subsequently worked in the areas of occupational rehabilitation, corporate health, health insurance, and life insurance within a range of management and consulting roles. Most recently Alison has led teams in community settings supporting people with disabilities through the NDIS to achieve their goals.

Monica will lead the personal and professional development of the team, communicating Empower Healthcare’s vision for continued high quality healthcare, developing complex strategies to build relationships with key stakeholders and delivering a clinical excellence framework that continuously improves the skills and confidence in improving outcomes of care and consumer experiences. Monica joins with a strong pedigree working in some of Australia’s most recognisable brands, including Royal Children’s Hospital and Monash University. Her experience gained from transdisciplinary, family-centred practice with paediatric private practice modelling and NDIS Group programs, will see Monica add her expertise to shaping the future of allied health support in Aged Care and NDIS.

Alison and Monica’s healthcare ethos aligns well with Empower, as Monica reveals

The thing I love about Occupational Therapy is that we focus on what matters to a person, not what is the matter with them. When people can do the things that are meaningful to them, it has so many positive benefits to their health and wellbeing. Occupational Therapy is all about celebrating the individual. It’s about focusing on what people can do and helping them navigate any barriers to them doing what they want to do and enjoy doing.

The senior appointments continue Empower Healthcare’s strong business growth and momentum in 2021 to now provide allied health support across the East Coast of Australia and in the west.

The Empower Difference

Changing lives is what we do

Delivering high quality allied health services is how we do it.

The partnership, that merged clinical expertise with business acumen, soon established Empower Healthcare as a leading provider of quality physiotherapy services in residential aged care facilities in Victoria. This success fuelled the expansion of our services within residential aged care, home care and NDIS to deliver occupational therapy, physiotherapy, nursing, podiatry, dietetics, osteopathy, massage and speech pathology.

Click on your relevant health care industry sector below to learn more.

How To Get Clients Started With Our Services

Simply click on the image below for our referral form.

…

Continue reading →

Announcements, Community, Home Nursing, In Home Care, NDIS, Wellbeing

How A Nursing Assessment Can Support Health At Home

Posted on August 4, 2021November 22, 2023 by Nicole Cook

04
Aug

Inviting someone into a client’s home when they are unwell can be daunting. Our Empower Home Nursing team are skilled at making people feel at ease whilst prioritising their safety and quality of care during all assessments. A home nursing assessment gives the nurse an opportunity to assess the client in their own environment and tailor a specific care plan, to keep them home for longer.

Clients who benefit from home nursing assessments include:

New clients on home care packages
People with deteriorating health
Individuals managing chronic health conditions
Clients with complex care needs
Anyone who has recently returned home after a hospital admission and is struggling

Why is a nursing assessment important?

To assess all aspects of physical, mental and social wellbeing.
To identify areas in which individuals require additional support.
Establishing whether clients are safe and able to cope at home.
To assist in planning and implementing of appropriate care.
Nursing assessments allow clients to participate in their own care by engaging them in the assessment process.

The primary goal of a home nursing assessment is to manage the clients health at home for longer and avoid hospitalisation. Book an appointment now giving your client the freedom to live the life they choose to live.

About Empower Healthcare

We Change Lives

Changing lives is what we do.

Delivering high quality allied health services is how we do it.

The partnership, that merged clinical expertise with business acumen, soon established Empower Healthcare as a leading provider of quality physiotherapy services in residential aged care facilities in Victoria. This success fuelled the expansion of our services within residential aged care, home care and NDIS to deliver occupational therapy, physiotherapy, nursing, podiatry, dietetics, osteopathy, massage and speech pathology.

How To Get Clients Started With Our Home Care & NDIS Services

Simply click on the image below for our referral form.

…

Continue reading →

Announcements, In Home Care, Physiotherapy

Allied Health Assistants – The key to unlocking your client’s package potential

Posted on August 3, 2021May 23, 2024 by Nicole Cook

03
Aug

At Empower, we are always looking for new and innovative ways to meet our client’s needs. With that in mind, we are launching a new Allied Health Assistant service. This service will help support our clients while optimising their available funds. This will allow for increased treatment frequency, extended multidisciplinary support or the use of their funds for other purposes.

What is an Allied Health Assistant (AHA)?

Allied Health Assistants are trained health care workers who work under the supervision of Physiotherapists and other health care professionals to support people who need regular therapy.

What do Allied Health Assistants do?

Allied Health Assistants work under the supervision of health care professionals to develop and implement high quality and effective interventions for clients who need regular and ongoing services. Allied Health Assistants working with Physiotherapists can assist clients with exercise programs, mobility practice and functional task performance.

How does the Empower Healthcare Allied Health Assistant Service work?

Since July, selected Empower Physiotherapists have been working alongside a team of fully qualified and experienced Allied Health Assistants to identify clients who would benefit from goal-based therapy under the direction of an allied health assistant, freeing up funds for improved access to extended therapy, equipment and medical needs.

Our Physiotherapists conduct comprehensive assessments and create treatment plans that are best practice and evidence based to be implemented by Allied Health Assistants during regular treatment sessions. All clients are regularly reviewed, and treatment programs adjusted to meet their changing needs.

What is the benefit to clients of adding Allied Health Assistants to our services?

Including the services of Allied Health Assistants for clients who require regular and ongoing therapy, reduces the cost of Physiotherapy services and frees up funds for additional care and therapeutic needs. Clients may be able to receive more frequent treatment or additional services with increased available funds.

You can make the plan go further!

By switching across to an Allied Health Assistant, you can optimise each plan by up to $1,517.23 within a three-month period. Think of the additional health and wellbeing services that become a possibility at improving the independence and quality of life of your clients – helping them to live their lives the way they want to.

Allied Health Assistant Geographic Coverage

– Our team currently services these areas

– It is our intention to expand our Allied Health Assistant team across the greater Metropolitan region. We are seeking your expressions of interest for priority geographic coverage. Contact your relevant Relationship Manager by email to inform them of preferred suburb coverage. (Refer below for State Manager contact details).

How to get started – Process to determine if your client is eligible

Existing clients

Contact your relevant Relationship Manager with an expression of interest for your client to be eligible for ongoing Allied Health Assistant Physiotherapy support.

If Physiotherapy support already exists, then a second initial assessment is not required. All other plans looking to introduce physiotherapy support by an Allied Health Assistant, must first book in a Physiotherapy assessment to determine eligibility.

New clients

Complete our online referral form and select an initial Physiotherapy assessment. Go to section titled “reason for referral” and state that “you are seeking client eligibility confirmation for Allied Health Assistant support.”

Simply click on the image below for our referral form.

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Announcements, Residential Aged Care

Exercise and Pain Management: Movement is Medicine.

Posted on July 20, 2021 by Nicole Cook

20
Jul

Pain is a normal part of life, sometimes helpful and often unwelcome, but what should we do when pain starts getting in the way of the things that really matter to us?

When pain becomes a regular, unpleasant addition to daily life, we often feel that rest and medication are the best solutions. Thanks to a growing body of clinical research, we now know that the best way to cope with many painful conditions, is exercise.

Our joints, muscles and cardiovascular systems were made to move and when they are injured or unhealthy, often the best medicine is movement.

How does exercise help?

Reduces joint pain and swelling.
Assists rehabilitation after a procedure or a flare-up.
Slows the deterioration of arthritic joints.
Improves mood and sleep.
Decreases anxiety and helps fight depression.
Essential in managing other chronic conditions that are common for people with ongoing pain, such as diabetes and heart disease.

What is the best exercise?

The idea of starting an exercise program can be daunting and overwhelming. Many of us think that exercise needs to include expensive gym memberships or training for a marathon. The good news is that exercise can be simple, easy, and most importantly- enjoyable! In fact, the best exercise is the exercise you want to do and will do, movement is the medicine.

Where to start:

Small changes, made consistently, can produce the greatest results. Walking, swimming, stretching, indoor exercises and exercises specifically designed for you to do at home are all great ways to kick start a more active life.

People managing chronic, painful conditions may need more help in finding the best exercises for them. Physiotherapists, Osteopaths and Occupational Therapists are trained to assess, treat, and develop programs that are safe, effective, and enjoyable for people of all ages.

Breaking the cycle of inactivity and worsening pain starts with the first step. Why not take it today?

The Empower Difference

Changing Lives Through Exceptional Care

We pride ourselves in the delivery of innovative, high-quality, allied health solutions that constantly evolve to exceed the needs of your clients and their communities. Our service model integrates five service commitments that empower you to help your clients improve their sense of self-identity, quality of life, and ability to live safely in their environment.

Extensive service offerings
Care provided by highly skilled clinicians
A team approach to delivering continuity of care
User friendly referral process
Superior reports providing clarity on future care needs.

Click on your relevant health care industry sector below to learn more.

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Announcements, Dietetics, In Home Care

Dietetic Services Now Available in WA!

Posted on July 9, 2021 by Nicole Cook

09
Jul

We now offer Dietetic Services in WA!

Empower Healthcare Dietitians are experts in customising and optimising diets and nutrition to improve health and quality of life, while treating and preventing a range of chronic health conditions.

We provide services to clients with Home Care packages, NDIS funding or if they live in residential aged care facilities.

Our passionate team is dedicated to providing the highest standard of care to holistically improve social, physical and mental well being and we are now happy to extend these services to the Western Australian community.

We provide a broad range of services including:

Nutrition assessments
Condition specific nutrition therapy
Personalised nutrition plans
Diabetes dietary management
Weight loss management
Malnutrition and poor appetite management
Heart disease, high cholesterol and blood pressure dietary control and management
Gastrointestinal health issues
Endometriosis and PCOS
Liver disease, cirrhosis and diet
Kidney disease and renal diet
Enteral feed regime
Eating disorders

Empower take a motivational interviewing approach, to provide nutrition counselling and education for the management of chronic health conditions. We provide personalised advice that empowers your clients to meet their health goals.

The Empower Difference

Changing Lives Through Exceptional Care

Extensive service offerings
Care provided by highly skilled clinicians
A team approach to delivering continuity of care
User friendly referral process
Superior reports providing clarity on future care needs.

Click on your relevant health care industry sector below to learn more.

How To Get Clients Started With Our Home Care & NDIS Services

Simply click on the image below for our referral form.

…

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Announcements, In Home Care, Osteopathy

How Osteopath Callan Reid Helps Clients Achieve Their Health Goals

Posted on July 7, 2021November 27, 2023 by Nicole Cook

07
Jul

Osteopath Callan has helped a diverse range of people across private practice, home care and recently residential aged care. He actively listens to and works collaboratively with consumers to develop targeted treatment plans to overcome pain and injury, supporting them to reach their healthcare goals.

I draw on the guiding principles of Osteopathy – that the body is a whole in which structure and function are interrelated, and under optimal conditions the body possesses inherent self-healing capacity.

Callan believes it is the job of the therapist to provide a path for that person so they might enjoy a state of health. As an Osteopath, Callan can help consumers achieve their health goals through use of:

Gentle or deep soft tissue techniques
Joint mobilisations
Strength and mobility exercise prescription
Falls prevention and balance training
Habitual and lifestyle changes
Pain management and complex care
Collaborative care with other allied health professionals.

He graduated with an Advanced Diploma in Remedial Massage (Myotherapy) in 2007 and practiced eight years in a variety of clinical settings. Callan decided to further develop both his diagnostic and manual skills, graduating from Victoria university with a Masters of Health Sciences (Osteopathy) and a Bachelor of Clinical Sciences (Osteopathy) in 2017.

In addition to working as an Osteopath, Callan is also a clinical educator helping to train the next generation of Myotherapists. In his free time, Callan is a student of functional/mindful movement who enjoys rock climbing, calisthenics, and handstand training. A nature lover, he enjoys camping, hiking and spending time with his dog, Spectre.

Empower has a team of incredibly talented Osteopaths ready to help your clients get moving, feel better and get back to what they love doing most!

Click Here to learn more about Osteopathy

The Empower Difference

Changing Lives Through Exceptional Care

Extensive service offerings
Care provided by highly skilled clinicians
A team approach to delivering continuity of care
User friendly referral process
Superior reports providing clarity on future care needs.

Click on your relevant health care industry sector below to learn more.

How To Get Clients Started With Our Home Care & NDIS Services

Simply click on the image below for our referral form.

…

Continue reading →

Announcements, Residential Aged Care

Participation in Pain Assessment Clinical Trial

Posted on June 22, 2021 by Nicole Cook

22
Jun

We have been participating in the Australian Government‘s 12 month national clinical trial of the PainChek® pain assessment tool for residential aged care providers. The Federal Government invested $5 million in April last year for the 12 month trial to promote innovation in the sector and support improved care and pain assessment for people living with dementia or other cognitive impairments.

The medical device is in the form of an App for smartphones and uses artificial intelligence to assess pain levels in residents who are unable to communicate, including those with dementia. The information is assessed and recorded within the app, providing the carer with essential information to facilitate the pain management process.

Empower’s team members have been reporting their findings on the practicality and accuracy of the device and assessment tool.

We collaborate with our healthcare clients to foster a research culture by investing in or participation of research opportunities focusing at improving performance on measures including elder mortality, quality of life, organisational efficiency as well as staff satisfaction and retention.

Click Here to learn more

The Empower Difference

Changing Lives Through Exceptional Care

Extensive service offerings
Care provided by highly skilled clinicians
A team approach to delivering continuity of care
User friendly referral process
Superior reports providing clarity on future care needs.

Click on your relevant health care industry sector below to learn more.

…

Continue reading →