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Aged care consultant Mark Sewell joins Nicky on this episode of the podcast bringing his wealth of knowledge and insights into the crisis facing the Health Care system due to “bed block”. Bed block is where people are unable to leave the acute care hospital setting due to lack of availability of residential care or not having the supports at home to meet their needs.

Mark steps through the demographic trends, including the arrival of the Baby Boomer generation now reaching their 80’s, that have brought us here. He outlines the systemic issues that have meant we have not managed to keep up with the increased demands for residential care, home modification and home care support services.

Mark and Nicky explore what needs to be done including the need for an additional 1,000 beds in the Illawarra Shoalhaven in the next few years. Additionally Mark explains the importance of a continued focus on increasing accessibility across our community and in our homes, the range of supports currently available and what people who are aging and looking at entering the aged care system can do to plan and prepare for this important life transition we all must face.

Music Credit:

"Jarvic 8" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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Local Health District CEO, Margot Mains joins us to explore how hospitals are coping with the nearly 200 older people in hospital who need to move to, or return to, residential care. Margot explains how this impacts both older people who need and deserve specialised aged care, and health care opportunities for the whole community.

Together we explore what the health district team are doing to actively address the current situation, and how the health sector is working with other sectors on long-term solutions.

Music Credit:

"Jarvic 8" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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Residents of the Illawarra Shoalhaven are being called to action! The Strategic Regional Transport Plan is open for consultation, offering a chance to shape the future of transport in our region.

In this episode of Community Matters, Nicky speaks with George Takacs, Active Transport Taskforce Coordinator at Healthy Cities Illawarra, about the vital role of active and public transport in building healthier, more connected, and sustainable communities.

Join us as we explore how transport impacts public health, the environment, and community connection—and how your feedback can make a difference.

Links:

• Have your say: Follow this link to visit the Transport for NSW consultation platform to share your ideas and contribute to the future of our region.
• View the video version of the podcast here on Youtube.
• Healthy Cities: Find out more about Healthy Cities Illawarra ISATT (Illawarra Shoalhaven Active Transport Taskforce) here.

Together, let's shape a transport system for a better tomorrow!

Music Credit:

"Jarvic 8" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/