Connecting the pieces is an Eastern Sector Development Team podcast focused on connecting, supporting and promoting good diversity, wellness and reablement approaches.

Building on the success of the connecting the pieces resource and film, this podcast will further advance the listeners understanding of the interconnected relationship between diversity and wellness. It will provide insights and good practice on diversity, wellness and reablement from policy through to practice and evaluation. We promote an intersectional approach to service delivery that recognises and responds to consumers diversity, their preferences, lived experiences and supports them to be empowered and active participants in their care. Hearing from people working across the aged care sector, our podcasts will explore person-centred care through a wellness and reablement model that is intrinsically aligned to progressive and inclusive diversity practice.

Listen to the podcasts below or download via Spotify or Apple Podcast. Make sure you hit the subscribe button on Apple or Spotify so all our episode will be saved to you phone/tablet.

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Episode 11| Knowing your community -
​Creating an inclusive and representative service

To be connected to their community, organisations need to learn about the diversity, experiences and aspirations of people living in their local area. They need to ensure there is representation of the local community within their clients, staff and volunteers. 

Understanding these demographic profiles, identifying areas of underrepresentation and responding to the experiences of local people is all part of “Knowing your Community”. In this podcast the ESDT discuss the idea of “Knowing your Community” in detail, with consideration given to data and demographic profiles, removing barriers and the need to develop evidenced-based plans for good diversity practice to have an impact.

To listen to the podcast click on the image below or subscribe and download the podcast onto your phone or tablet via the Apple Podcast or Spotify apps by search for "Connecting the Pieces"

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Episode 10| Applying a diversity lens -
Understanding and responding to consumers' diversity

Episode 9| Addressing ageism in the workplace

Applying a diversity lens across service planning, design and delivery involves thinking about diversity in a way that focuses on who a person is and what’s important to them, ensuring each consumer’s experience is individualised and responsive. It challenges us to find the systemic issues that create barriers and inequality, and it dispels the myth that some communities are “hard to reach”. In this podcast the ESDT chat about some of the common misconceptions about diversity – including what it is, why responding to consumers diversity is important and how providers can apply a diversity lens to remove access barriers and enable the delivery of good person-centred practice.​

To listen to the podcast click on the image or subscribe and download the podcast onto your phone or tablet via the Apple Podcast or Spotify apps by search for "Connecting the Pieces"

In the third of our series exploring ageism and elder abuse we speak with Sue McGrath senior policy advisor to the Older Australians Campaign at The Benevolent Society to discuss ageism in the workplace. Sue explains the ways in which ageism manifests in the workplace, shares her insights and experiences campaigning for improved workplace practices and highlights the benefits to employers and employees from having older people in the workforce. 

To listen to the podcast click on the image or subscribe and download the podcast onto your phone or tablet via the Apple Podcast or Spotify apps by search for "Connecting the Pieces"

For further information visit

​EveryAGE Counts - Twitter - Facebook - Instagram

Inner East Primary Care Partnership

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Episode 8| Ending elder abuse -
​A primary prevention approach 

 In this podcast Jill Exon, Elder Abuse Prevention Coordinator at the Eastern Community Legal Centre discusses the need to take a primary prevention approach to elder abuse in order to achieve sustained change and reflects on the importance of WEAAD to raise initial awareness. Jill shares her experiences of talking with older people as part of the OPERA project and gaining valuable insight into their experiences of being older and ageism.  

To listen to the podcast click on the image or subscribe and download the podcast onto your phone or tablet via the Apple Podcast or Spotify apps by search for "Connecting the Pieces"

For further information visit
Eastern Community Legal Centre
Older People Respect and Ageing  Project 
Inner East Primary Care Partnership

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Episode 7| Return to face-to-face social support groups

Following extended COVID lock downs in Victoria, the return to face-to-face service for social support programs funded through the CHSP is being welcomed by clients and service providers alike. 

In this podcast the ESDT speak with Susi Richter from Accent Home Care and Gillian Roebuck from Donwood Community Aged Care Services about their return to service strategies. Susi and Gillian reflect on their experiences and discuss how their clients’ involvement in risk assessment influenced and shaped their approach.

To listen to the podcast click on the image or subscribe and download the podcast onto your phone or tablet via the Apple Podcast or Spotify apps by search for "Connecting the Pieces"




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Episode 6| Tackling Ageism -
​The "EveryAGE Counts" campaign

In this podcast Joel Pringle from the Benevolent Society and Sharon Porteous from the Inner East Primary Care Partnership will discuss what ageism is, how to tackle it and the EveryAGE Counts campaign from national and local perspective.

The campaign raises awareness about ageism, challenges stereotypes and encourages people to speak up in order to end ageism.

Visit the websites below for resources, pledges and quizzes discussed in the podcast
EveryAge Counts 
Inner East Primary Care Partnership 

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Episode 4| A conversation on reablement - Part 2

​In part 2 of our Reablement podcast series, Dale and Lisa (the eastern sector development team) speak with Dee Chand, Coordinator with the Maroondah City Council Regional Assessment Service. Dee shares her insights and experience of identifying, motivating, and assessing people who are likely to benefit from a reablement service. In addition, Dee provides some interesting examples of reablement services; as well as some great advice about how RAS and service providers can work together to help people get back to doing the things that are important to them.

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Episode 2| Inclusive and responsive care plans -
​Supporting the independence of older people 

Episode 5| STAT -
​Managing demand and supporting improved service access

In late 2020 Katherine Harding, shared her knowledge and experience about the ‘Specific Timely Appointments for Triage’ (or STAT model) with Occupational Therapists across Victoria who support client independence in the CHSP program. In this podcasts, Katherine provides an introduction to the STAT model and discusses how it can help health services to manage wait lists and reduce waiting times. Katherine discusses the key features and benefits of the model and provides her expert advice on implementing the model within a range of health settings. 

​Listeners can access further information about the STAT model at https://stat.trekeducation.org/

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Episode 3| A conversation on reablement - Part 1 

The first in a 2-part series, this podcast focuses on supporting a consistent and shared understanding about Reablement - a priority for the CHSP programme.   In this podcast, Dale and Lisa (the eastern sector development team) explore the definition of reablement and its relationship with wellness and diversity and discuss some of the key elements that will contribute to good reablement practice.  Dale and Lisa also discuss some of the potential barriers or misconceptions around reablement as well as some of the strategies, processes and practices that service providers might apply to ensure positive outcomes for people accessing a reablement service.
 

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Episode 1| A community health response to COVID-19

​Deb Benger is the Senior Manager in the allied health team at Access Health and Community. Deb shares what her and the team put in place in response to COVID-19 and how they maintained safe and continuous health services. Deb discusses the barriers and challenges they faced, but also the processes and flexible approaches which have supported them.

With the onset of COVID-19 and the suspension of face-to-face service delivery, good care planning processes have enabled service providers to respond to to the identified needs of their clients during this difficult time. With the return of face-to-face service delivery eminent, care planning plays an equally important role in understanding what has changed for clients and what they want and need from services. Vicki Bayly, Social Support Manage from BASScare shares their approach to care planning and how they managed the process.