Accessibility Tools

ESTEEM Poster

Description

Mercy Services Update

At the beginning of 2024 we farewelled Emily (Program Assistant) and Jess (ESTEEM Creative Arts Officer- Movement to Music). We wish them all the best for the future and hope to keep in touch. We were lucky to then welcome Ty (Program Assistant) and Jen (Creative Arts Officer- Movement to Music), both fabulous additions to the Mercy ESTEEM Team! In the period July 2023-April 1st 2024, we had:
-55 referrals
-23 completed program
-13 declined program
-1 dropout
-14 on the waiting list
From now on we are trialing rolling recruitment, with the next available spaces on the 3rd June.

Research update

Mercy ESTEEM Pilot data has been finalised with 25 participant data sets being analysed by statisticians. Fingers crossed for some significant, positive findings!
The Feasibility phase of the ESTEEM project is now well underway at the Mercy site:
- 29 have consented and commenced their research participation.
- 1 drop out.
- 5 have completed data collection for control group
- 13 have completed data collection for intervention group The Young Stroke Survivors sub-study is underway with the involvement of The University of Newcastle Honours students. This study involves interviewing past ESTEEM participants or people considering attending who are under 65 years of age to explore their experiences, likes, dislikes, areas to improve or ideas to make the program more accessible to younger stroke survivors. We welcome Matilda and Sarah to them team! Matilda is a speech pathologist who runs the Community Stroke Team Aphasia Group and supports clients in navigating health systems. Sarah is a Social Worker currently working with the Hunter New England Local Health District Palliative Care Team. Matilda will be reviewing ESTEEM program delivery and resources to ensure inclusivity for people with communication challenges and Sarah is developing information packages to help people access ESTEEM utilising their available sources of funding.

Maitland Update

We are excited to have Maitland Community Care
Services (MCCS) onboard to deliver the ESTEEM
program to stroke survivors in the Maitland area.
MCCS have staff ready to fill the roles of Program
Site Co-ordinator and Physiotherapist. Cheryl
(Program assistant) and Jen and Dee (Creative Arts
Officers) from Mercy will be transferring across to
also fulfil these roles at Maitland. Another Program
Assistant, as well as a Research Assistant for
research data collection and a Research SiteCoordinator will also be recruited.
The proposed venue is the Kurri Kurri Hospital Day
Centre. The waiting list is building with people
wanting to get started as soon as it opens.
Di is busily arranging the purchasing of necessary
equipment to get underway soon!

Promotion

An ESTEEM page is being developed on Health Pathways.
This is a website under the HNE Health banner which GPs
can access when looking for services/resources for
clients. It will include links to ESTEEM webpages and
brochures as well as referral and GP clearance forms.

We aim to promote the ESTEEM Program on the Synapse
website (https://synapse.org.au). Synapse is a respected
Australian Brain Injury Organisation.
We are currently working on connections with the
Primary Health Network, with the aim being to be a part
of their continuing professional development program
and to present about ESTEEM at their educational
events. Heidi will be providing education about ESTEEM
at one of their upcoming Lunchtime Learning online
sessions.
ESTEEM had representation at the 2024 Newcastle, Lake
Mac and Maitland Seniors Expos, and have planned
involvement at the 2024 Disability Expo (May) and the
Hunter Multicultural Communities Day (June).

A Minute in the Life of........ Michael Whanau

Michael first participated in ESTEEM in November 2023. He enjoyed the experience so much he investigated ways to return to the program as a paid participant. Michael was able to access excess funds in his My Aged Care Package to enable him to attend ESTEEM on an ongoing basis.
When did you have your stroke and how did it effect you?
I had my stroke in 2017 when I was at work painting. My stroke left me with paralysis down the right side. I can’t lift my right arm to scratch my head and
my right leg doesn’t do what I want it to. I can walk but I’m very slow. I don’t think I’ll ever get full movement back, but I’m glad I’m still around and that ESTEEM can help me with my recovery.
Tell us your thoughts about the ESTEEM Program?

Excellent! I like everything about it. The instructors are more
than capable and there is always someone there behind you
in case you fall. I know most of the music they play so I can
hum along to it. I’m learning things I never knew about
painting and I was a painter!

Where might we find you in your free time?
Cadence gymnasium being put through my paces. I also enjoy
getting out in the vegetable garden. At the moment I have
beetroot, spinach, chilli’s, capsicum and some herbs, as well
as some fruit trees.
Favourite book?
For God and Country by James Lee.
If we’re coming for dinner, what will be eating?
Meals on wheels. And I don’t have to wash up!
What is one new thing you’d like to try?
Skydiving. I’m a painter so I’m not afraidof heights.
Favourite quote or joke? A man on a boat is carrying
something, what is he carrying? Annette. (That’s for Annette
from Mercy).
If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you
choose? I’d like to have a look around the NT and Kakadu and
meet some of the locals.
Would you survive a zombie apocalypse and why?
Yeh, I’d survive. I’d blend in with them. We Maori’s can
survive on puha! (Puha is the Maori
word for thistle)