Health Professionals October 2019

Health Professionals Brought to you by The Adviser

INSIDE: A little louder for the youth page 22 The art of growing old gracefully page 24

A parkrun success...

The Victoria Park Lake has become a running, jogging and walking hotspot with Shepparton parkrun attracting on average +200 local and tourist parkrun enthusiasts every Saturday morning since the start of spring.

Photo: Chelsea Nicholson Photography.

The Adviser. Australia No. 1:1479 Wednesday, October 23, 2019 – Page 21

Health Professionals

IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE… An increase in regular headphone use means that more than one billion young people around the world are at risk of hearing loss. Photo: Ash Beks.

A little louder for the youth MORE than one billion young people around the world are in danger of hearing loss from portable audio devices, including smar t phones, according to the latest data from the World Health Organisation.

In the modern world, many of us wear headphones all day, every day: a podcast on the walk to work, ambient music to drown out noisy colleagues, a workout playlist at the gym in the evening.

But experts fear constant exposure to audio could cause a generation of prematurely deaf Australians .

It ’s currently estimated one in six Australians will suffer some degree

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of hearing loss in their lives, but that figure is expected to rise to one in four by 2050, due to our regular exposure to dangerously loud noises.

A study conduc ted in 2017 by National Acoustic Laboratories found that around one in ten Australians boost the volume in their headphones to more than 85 decibels, which is the equivalent to a hairdryer or standing next to a lawnmower. It is believed that prolonged exposure to sound this loud will cause irreversible damage.

Experts recommend keeping sound levels to around 60 to 80 decibels and restricting headphone usage to no more than 90 minutes a day.

Caring for Our Community

All smiles for Victorian school students

Break the silence

VULNERABILITY ENCOURAGED… Former AFL legend, Wayne Schwass delivered a powerful message around mental health and wellbeing to a local audience last Thursday. Photo: Supplied.

AFL legend, Wayne Schwass led a discussion on mental health and wellbeing in front of a captivated audience at a breakfast held by GV Safety Group for WorkSafe Health and Safety on Thursday.

The former North Melbourne and Sydney Swans footballer lived with mental health conditions throughout the majority of his successful playing career and hopes his story will encourage others to speak up.

“When we deny ourselves the ability to be emotional and express it, we are compounding the problems that we may be going through,” Mr Schwass said.

“I am committed to normalising mental health and removing any form of stigma associated with mental health. Employers have an important role to play in this space by creating an environment where employees feel safe

and supported to speak up about issues affecting them.”

During his discussion, Schwass promoted vulnerability amongst the blokes in the room, adding that men must no longer suffer emotional turmoil in silence. “ M e n a re n ot give n th e s a m e opportunity to be vulnerable and emotional because of their gender and I generally believe that needs to change,” he said.

Since leaving football, Schwass has founded mental health advocacy group, PUKA UP, a group dedicated to raising awareness about mental health, emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention.

The Shepparton event was held as part of WorkSafe Health and Safety Month, which sees seminars held around the state to promote and improve the health and wellbeing of employees.

THE State Government is shining a spotlight on the oral health of Australian children, with the recent announcement of a $312.9 million school dental program to be delivered across Victoria to p ri m a r y a n d se co n d a r y government school students.

The new initiative will save families around $400 a year per child in dental costs, as well as preventing them from the inconvenience of taking time off work for appointments.

Students receiving dental advice at school will also free up more than 100,000 places in the public dental care system annually.

According to the latest data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, one in four children between the ages of five and ten years old have untreated tooth decay and this initiative helps highlight the critical importance of oral health for school children.

Oral disease is one of the most common and expensive diseases to treat but it also the most preventable.

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Health Professionals The art of growing old gracefully

SHOWING U3A MEMBERS HOW TO AGE… Associate Professor, Dr Christina Bryant addresses the forum. Photo Sharelle Jarvis

WELLBEING means different things to different people, according to Associate Professor, Dr Christina Bryant, addressing a large group of Shepparton retirees at the University of the Third Age, (U3A) forum on Live Life, Live Well.

Her message included being physically healthy and able to do the things that you want to do as well as being able to think well and be content with life.

Dr Bryant went on to say that older people should make sure they look after their physical health by having regular check-ups and talk to your GP if you feel down or stressed. Try to get regular exercise and do things that are meaningful and enjoyable.

Former Victorian and Shepparton

p oliticia n , J e a n et te Powe ll a lso addressed the U3A group and said, “Always be yourself, but be your best self, believe in yourself and take care of your self and those you love.

Importantly, live your best life to the fullest.”

The takeaway message from the forum was to not sit back and do nothing but take an active interest in life around you, get some exercise and enjoy a healthy social life.

Know the signs to manage anxiety THE modern world often speeds by us at such a swift pace we often forget to look after ourselves. According to a new survey from Beyond Blue, people experiencing anxiety symptoms often don’t seek support early enough because they believe their symptoms don’t seem serious.

Anxiety conditions are the most common mental health issues in Australia, affecting approximately two million people. Some common anxiety signs include excessive worrying about things that could go wrong, racing mind that won’t calm down, feeling tense or on edge, a racing heart and sleeping problems. On average, it can take more than eight years for people with anxiety to seek support.

More than three-quarters of those surveyed for Beyond Blue said their anxiety condition stopped them from living the life they wanted to. Despite this , 3 1 percent of respondent s

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said they had not sought support because they thought what they were experiencing wasn’t serious enough, 29 percent thought they could solve the problem on their own, 20 percent didn’t think they had a problem and 20 percent said they didn’t seek help because of a dislike of discussing feelings, emotions and thoughts.

Beyond Blue CEO, Georgie Harman said support for anxiety came in many forms and even simple interventions can help.

“Some people might benefit from visiting their GP or psychologist but for others, non-clinic options can be helpful,” Ms Harman said.

“No matter how serious your anxiety issue, support is available and the right advice can support you to manage it.”

Mental health professionals are available at the Beyond Blue support service 24/7 via phone on 1300 224 636 or via www.beyondblue.org.au/ get-support

Caring for Our Community Thank you for supporting Community Interlink

LOCAL HELP APPRECIATED… GV Health chief executive, Matt Sharp would like to wholeheartedly thank the region for supporting Community Interlink. Photo: supplied.

By GV Health chief executive, Matt Sharp I WOULD like to thank our local communities for supporting the Home Care Program (HCP) and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) health service alliance, Community Interlink.

GV Health is the lead agency of Communit y I nte rlin k which is a

partnership between 18 health services from across central and northern Victoria.

The group formed in 2016 to improve access to home based aged care services for people across the Goulburn Valley, North-East Victoria and parts of Southern NSW. S i n c e 2 0 1 6 , l o c a l p e o p l e h ave wholeheartedly supported Community Interlink, meaning that these local health service care providers are able to continue their incredible work.

For this, we are most appreciative and in recent times this has enabled Community Interlink to also provide NDIS services.

The value of quality Home Care and NDIS supports delivered by local staff with local knowledge cannot be overstated.

I would also like to acknowledge Community Interlink staff for their ongoing ser vice excellence that establishes Community Interlink as one of the region’s service providers of choice.

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