Clem ‘Dingle’ Bell knows exactly how scary seeing a loved one become unwell can be.
But so does his wife Lyn.
The Eaglehawk couple were both diagnosed with heart failure on separate occasions earlier this year.
And while that experience can be overwhelming for one person, they were both able to be supported and receive care at home thanks to Bendigo Health’s Heart Helper pilot program.
This initiative, part of the Hospital Admission Risk Program (HARP), aims to provide one-on-one education, goal setting and self-management plans to help people to remain at home and have an improved quality of life.
“You get given a lot of information in hospital, but the team were able to explain what was happening to us in a way we could understand and helped us get the care we needed in the comfort of our own home,” Lyn said.
Clem said it was difficult to get his head around why he was feeling so unwell when he figured he was “doing everything right”.
“I’ve always been an active person and loved water, but one day I was mowing the lawns and found myself out of breath,” he said.
“I ended up having a spell on the floor inside, but knew something wasn’t right and was put in an ambulance and into hospital.
“While I was there, the ladies from HARP came and saw me and gave me some information on the program, it was a great start.”
Clem and Lyn were visited by Bendigo Health staff weekly, where they were shown how to take their blood pressure and record it, how they could make small lifestyle changes to improve their health and more.
What started as a two-year research program has been extended after data showed it had successfully helped reduce readmission rates.
“Essentially, the program allowed patients to be discharged from hospital sooner, knowing that a nurse would follow-up at two days and seven days to check on them,” project lead Carmel Bourne said.
“Over 350 patients took part on the program, with thousands of home visits conducted over the course of the two years.
“We wanted to ensure patients were comfortable with their diagnosis and know they are supported in their recovery, all from the comfort of their own home.”
Clem said while it was a scary experience for them both on both occasions, it has taught them to look out for each other and themselves.
“Now we know the signs and can let the other know when they’re not looking 100 per cent,” he said.
“We learnt so much from the girls and couldn’t be more thankful for their support.”
Carmel will be presenting the project and its findings at this year’s Research Week Showcase event on 18 October.
Find out more here: Bendigo Health Website - Research News and Events