Bill adapts to aged care with new lease on life
Not many people in Drouin, including new arrivals, would not have seen Bill Parker. He is a familiar sight riding his motorised scooter from Lyrebird Village for the Aged, where he has lived for several years, to the town’s shopping centre and...
Not many people in Drouin, including new arrivals, would not have seen Bill Parker.
He is a familiar sight riding his motorised scooter from Lyrebird Village for the Aged, where he has lived for several years, to the town’s shopping centre and, over several decades, helping out local charities that have recognised his work with several awards he proudly displays in his room.
But over the past couple of years Bill has been laid low by a bout of pneumonia and losing contact with the outside world due to COVID restrictions.
More recently Bill has returned to busking with his accordion outside a local supermarket as well as entertaining fellow residents at Lyrebird Village on his accordion and the piano.
However, after spotting a brochure about the Mental Health in Aged Care (MHiAC) program being delivered across the region by Gippsland Primary Health Network he has found a new lease on life.
A chat with staff at Lyrebird and further inquiries led to him self-referring for the program and his introduction to Wellways’ worker Japhet Lagat.
The Bill-Japhet partnership has helped Bill reconnect with things he loves and cherishes, such as his music, and built healthy respect and friendship between the pair that has greatly improved Bill’s mental health.
Gippsland PHN chief executive officer Amanda Proposch said the positive outcomes for Bill was an example of the difference the MHiAC program can make to the lives of many residents in care.
Mr Lagat said he and Bill work together to develop strategies and coping mechanisms and encourage cherishing the many achievements throughout his life.
Lyrebird chief executive officer Bill Baker said the program helped people adapt to living in a community setting in residential aged care after, what for many, was a confronting move from independence.
Bill Parker has now joined the MHiAC steering group using his experiences to help grow the program that has already been adopted across 21 aged care facilities in Gippsland.
Bill’s advice to others is simple; “moving into residential aged care is not the end of your life, just the start of a new chapter”.
GPHN encourages other to seek further information by contacting Wellways on 5622 4140 or at MHICGippsland@wellways.org
