Volunteers needed for flagship STARS program to help older people bed-blocked in hospital

A flagship program is seeking volunteers in a bid to assist the already more than 100 older people bed-blocked in public hospitals across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven because the aged care industry is too confusing for them or loved ones to navigate themselves.

In its initial stages, the Community Industry Group’s Supported Transition Assistance Response Scheme (STARS) Volunteer program is calling for dedicated volunteers who can seamlessly transitions older people from hospital to more suitable living arrangements at home or in a residential aged care service.

The program comes following funding from the NSW Ministry of Health to address what has become a chronic and critical issue for older people stuck in hospital beyond their dispatch date.

Community Industry Group CEO Nicky Sloan said they were seeking volunteers with expertise in aged care and a genuine passion for supporting older people to provide trusted and experienced advice to older people and their families so they could access the aged care services they needed.

“There are currently over 100 older people trapped in local hospitals,” Nicky said.

“Their acute illness or injury – the reason they went to hospital in the first place – has been addressed, but a range of obstacles mean they are unable to leave to go safely home, or to find a place in residential aged care if that is more appropriate.”

STARS Volunteer program coordinator Tanya Southworth said it was concerning that many older people could get stuck in hospital often for more than 200 days while they searched for suitable aged care services.

Tanya said often the longer the older person was stuck in hospital, the more challenging decision-making became for them.

She said the role of the volunteer was to help identify suitable options, connect them with services and facilitate a seamless transition from the hospital, with more services available now for older people than ever before.

However, she said the key was knowing what those services were.

“STARS aren’t just advisors; they empower an older person with care and expertise so they can make informed decisions,” she said.

“Not only have they just gone through this hospital circumstance with getting their health better, then the next thing is suddenly they’ve got to make these other decisions.

“For many, it can be a fear of the unknown.

“With STARS by their side, an older person stuck in hospital will receive personalised assistance to navigate their hospital transition, exploring suitable aged care options, and giving independent, confidential support to inform decision-making.”

She said she had seen examples of what was possible when someone in the family already had that aged care services experience.

“One of the stories was a lady in her early 90s; she had always been fiercely independent,” she said.

“The family had to do some modifications to the home, they got some home care services and the whole family did a 24/7 roster.

“It meant she could go home, but she was fortunate one of the people in that mix was someone who had aged care experience. This is the key.”

Tanya said volunteers could provide as little as a few hours a month, to a few hours per week.

She said ideally they would have paid, volunteering or advocacy experience in aged care services, which could include residential, independent living or home care.

“They don’t even have to be someone who’s worked in aged care, because many people are getting very experienced in what happens with aged care, because they’re supporting their parents and helping them make decisions about what comes next,” she said.

She said training and support would also be provided for the volunteers to ensure they could tailor advice to the situation.

“Doing this rewarding work will make a world of difference by compassionately and expertly guiding these older people through aged care service options,” she said.

You can apply to become a STARS program volunteer via the Community Industry Group website.