May 30, 2025
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Learn to love your heart
(Ivan Kemp) 480666_05
A Geelong woman is encouraging people to be aware of their heart health following new research. Close to two in five Victorians aged 50 and above live with atrial fibrillation (AF), which is a common and sustained heart rhythm disorder, according to data released by Boston Scientific on Tuesday, May 27. Geelong’s Justine Martin experienced tiredness, dizziness and chest flutters in 2012, which are common AF symptoms, but she mistakenly attributed them to her multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis 15 months earlier. She is pictured with a piece of artwork that details her journey through being diagnosed with MS, AF, and three cancers and surviving domestic violence. Turn to page 14 for more.
Win for aged care By Matt Hewson Geelong council has listened and responded to community anger and concern over its proposal to exit aged home care services. In a confidential session at the end of the council’s Tuesday night meeting, councillors voted to continue providing in-home community care services to more than 3000 residents. The proposed exit, announced at the beginning of April, was recommended to the council by City officers, causing approximately 300 aged care workers to fear for their jobs. The announcement caused an
immediate and passionate outcry from state and federal politicians, unions, aged care organisations and community members. Greater Geelong Mayor Stretch Kontelj said the decision was a win for clients of the service and the City’s aged care workers. “This Council was voted in to listen to and advocate on behalf of the community we serve, and that’s what we’ve done,” Mayor Kontelj said. “It’s important to note that there will be some changes to how the service operates. These will be determined by the requirements of the Commonwealth government, but our aspiration is for it to be consistent with the service they’ve
come to know and love.” Those changes will be as a result of federal government reform to the Aged Care Act, which will see the current Home Care Packages replaced by the new Support at Home program from July 1 this year. According to a City statement, the reforms “will require a major shift to the way the service is managed and delivered”, including IT upgrades, health services integration and more stringent quality standards. City of Greater Geelong chief executive Ali Wastie said the City would contact all clients individually. “We will be taking this one step at a time, speaking to clients individually, and
working with employees to explain exactly what’s changing for their service under these reforms,” Ms Wastie said. “Our teams are standing by to help anyone who is still unsure about what this means for them.” Mayor Kontelj said it had been “heartwarming” to hear stories from people about how much the City’s services had made a difference in their everyday lives. “Council will continue to work and negotiate with the Commonwealth government in good faith, and I thank the Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Member for Corangamite Libby Coker for their interest and support,” he said.
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