Uni helps Blue Care 'care for the carers'
Published on 03 September, 2009
Speakers at this week's launch of the Blue Care Staff Wellness Program envisaged a ripple effect of benefits to hundreds of carers and thousands of their clients through the Central Queensland and Fraser Coast regions.
CQUniversity postgraduate student Roxanne Machen is involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of the program which promotes a lifestyle wellness journey, much richer than standard diet and exercise regimes.
To emphasise this point of difference, today's launch participants took part in Tai Chi, belly dancing and gentle exercise.
CQUniversity Associate Professor Peter Reaburn said the program - developed in partnership between Blue Care and the University - could be the first of its type in the world to incorporate the diversity of wellness dimensions across so many participants and across such a large geographic area.
Dr Reaburn said the program's complexity warranted it becoming a full-scale PhD research topic.
Blue Care Central Queensland Care Manager Chris Smith said the program's success would rely on Blue Care ‘wellness ambassadors', as well as on-line support.
Ms Smith said the benefits to carers would flow on to the organisation's clients, who would appreciate interacting with happy and healthy staff members.
VIPs gather for the program launch
"We wanted to give something to our staff that was for them, to assist them by providing access to knowledge, support and the opportunity to take more control in their life and their work," she said.
"The Program looks at the 12 dimensions that contribute to a healthy state of well being - self responsibility and love, breathing, sensing, eating, moving, feeling, thinking, playing and working, communicating, intimacy, finding meaning and transcending.
"Staff are given the tools to achieve wellness and can monitor their progress at six month intervals to see how far they have come.
"Good diet and regular exercise makes you healthy, however to achieve wellness you need to delve into all aspects of your life - body, mind and spirit.
"The program is a pilot and will run for 12 months, the organisation will watch with interest to see how the program benefits the staff of Central Queensland and Fraser Coast," she said.
For more information on Blue Care services please phone 1800 001 953 or visit the website http://www.bluecare.org.au/
