Seniors helping seniors become healthier

A free health services program available on the Central Coast shines a light on seniors helping seniors become healthier.

The program, Health Promotion Services for Old People (HPSOP) where peer educators help other seniors, has been operating since 1991 under the auspices of the Combined Pensioners & Superannuants Association NSW and is available in English and 10 different languages.

During 2023-24, a team of four Central Coast and Hunter peer educators gave health presentations to a total of 667 seniors on health topics such as falls injury prevention, diabetes awareness, healthy bones and osteoporosis, StrokeSafe, arthritis management, healthy bladder and bowel habits, medicine management, and oral health care.

As older people are eight times more likely to be hospitalised and 68 times as likely to die from falls, the topic falls injury prevention was certainly the most popular presentation.

In response to the ageing population on the Central Coast and the importance of falls prevention in the Healthy Ageing strategy, Central Coast Health Promotion Service partnered with local presenters by providing practical falls prevention resources for distribution to senior groups.

Peer educators recently met with long-serving volunteer Vivienne Scott to discuss the valuable impact of health presentations and the need to recruit more volunteers.

The team also discussed the benefits of being a volunteer, including receiving training, learning to improve their own health, making a valuable contribution to the community, giving more purpose in their retirement and the flexibility of HPSOP, which they can fit in with their other commitments.

For more information on either becoming a  volunteer or hosting a presentation for your senior’s  group, contact CPSA at health@cpsa.org.auor Habib on 0404 548 063, or visit https://cpsa.org.au/free-health-information-sessions-for-the-elderly.