‘A very real problem’
In recent days I have had to arrange nursing home accommodation here in the Southern Highlands for my ageing aunt.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A veteran herself, and a War Widow to boot, she has had to relocate from elsewhere in the state to be near me, and her sister, her only surviving relatives able to lend support.
It was one thing to find nursing home accommodation, but quite another to find a visiting GP prepared to take her on as a patient.
To date, this has proved impossible.
I have contacted every medical centre in the Highlands, and in every case the response has been: “Sorry our books are full and closed”.
What are we to do?
And what does this say about basic medical services in the Highlands?
A very real problem, and one that will only get worse as the local population increases and ages.
Kim James
Moss Vale
Prepare for emergency
For many of us it’s unthinkable. Until it happens, and then it’s too late.
We all face emergencies: as large as a bushfire or as personal as a medical crisis. They can all be devastating, as so many people found out last year in the flooding across much of northern NSW in the aftermath of severe Cyclone Debbie.
In Emergency Preparedness Week (September 17-24), Red Cross is asking you to take one easy action to make your next emergency less stressful.
These are simple and practical steps you can take to protect the people you love, your own wellbeing and the things you value most.
Easy things to help you prepare include:
- think about being in an emergency situation and how you might react. This will help you stay calmer and respond better when an emergency happens.
- find out where to get important disaster information, like your local radio emergency broadcaster. This means you’re better informed when an emergency happens.
- get to know your neighbours. They’re the people who might support you and look out for you when an emergency happens.
For more easy things to do, get your Red Cross RediPlan at redcross.org.au/prepare.