NIHRACS Weekly Update At 22 June 2023

Welcome to Claudia Yelavich in the Allied Health Assistant role. Claudia has let us know about her new role:

Working as an Allied Health Assistant aims to support allied health professionals in the industry and is a multi-disciplinary role, which involves clear and concise communication among all stakeholders, taking initiative and being able to work and cooperate as a team. Many of my tasks are carried out under the direction of physiotherapy, though each week, I dedicate working hours toward other allied health professions, such as pharmacy, nutrition & dietetics and medical imaging. Allied health assistants play an important role in the rehabilitation of clients and patients and promoting optimal health outcomes where allied health interventions can reduce the need for medical interventions. Embedded in my role includes improving the health of clients, providing patient care, empathy and compassion, managing administrative tasks and encouraging patients to complete specific treatment plans related to injury, illness or disability-related physical issues. Soon, I will be learning about podiatry and possibly speech pathology. I see my role at NIHRACS as a rewarding job because I help people who are in need, and I enjoy working in a range of different settings.

Healthy Options program

Would you like to be part of the Healthy Options Program? We are inviting all restaurants & cafes to join the program. All you need to do is nominate one or more items from your menu to be designated as a “Healthy Option”. To participate you will need to send the recipe, including number of serves from the recipe to our Dietitian (email: karen.walker@health.nlk.gov.nf) who will do a nutritional analysis and either advise that the item meets the healthy options guidelines or provide suggestions on how the item can meet the guidelines. Once the recipe is a “Healthy Option”, we can supply a sticker (or electronic version) of the logo that you can place onto your menu. We will also supply brochures about the program for your customers.

For more information or to express interest in being part of the program please contact the Health and Wellbeing Office on 22687 or email Karen Innes-Walker, Dietitian and Health and Wellbeing Coordinator on karen.walker@health.nlk.gov.nf .

NI Active Kids program to continue

After a very successful year of registrations, we are pleased to advise that the Health & Wellbeing office have secured funding for NI Active Kids program to continue for the period

1 July 2023 through to 30 June 2024. If you would like to obtain a voucher for your child, please call the Health & Wellbeing office on 22687 to arrange a collection time.

The local sport/activity providers where you can use a voucher are:

• Touch Football

• Tennis

• Yoga sessions with Candida

• Archery

NIHRACS Weekly Update

At 22 June 2023

• Pony Club

• Kids Boxing

• Junior Outrigger Program

• NI Fitness & Health (Gym)

• Golf

• Girl Guides & Brownies

• Junior Rugby League

• Island Coaching & Training (Lou Donald)

• Netball

• Oztag

• Cadets

If you are a local sport/activity provider that is not involved in the program and would like to be, please call the Health & Wellbeing office on 22687 to find out more information.

Norfolk Island Community Health Empowerment Program (NICHE)

The NICHE program is run by NIHRACS through the Health and Wellbeing office located in the Smithy’s Building at the roundabout on Taylors Road. Sharon White, Registered Nurse, is our NICHE Coordinator.

NICHE is a free program for people living with one or more chronic (long term) health conditions and is in place to help people learn more about their condition(s) and medication therapy with an aim of improving general health. We support people on the program who may have a goal of increasing activity for fitness or weight management – by learning more about how the body works and responds to health conditions, diet and activity. People participating in the program develop skills to predict and manage events that affect their health.

NICHE supports participants in the program with referrals to allied health team members at the hospital or in the community as well as providing opportunities for walking and water exercising to increase motivation for increasing general fitness and all the benefits this provides.

Referral to the program can be done by the individual or through a GP or other staff at the hospital. We begin with an introduction to the program and follow up with a meeting to set goals and plan the best way to work towards achieving those goals. Sessions then continue at intervals to suit the individual, either weekly or fortnightly, as progress is made towards achieving the identified goals.

Phone us at the Health and Wellbeing office on 22687 to talk about what we may be able to offer you on the NICHE program. There is no obligation to join the program and participation in the program is completely voluntary