Newsletter - December

December 2021 ISSUE 33

NEWSLETTER UMOONA TJUTAGKU WANGKA

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12

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Tele-

Clinic Calendar

AOD

Health

Program

UMOONA TJUTAGKU HEALTH SERVICE ABORIGINAL CORPORATION A: PO Box 166, Lot 08 Umoona Road Coober Pedy SA P: (08) 8672 5255 W: www.uths.com.au

F: (08) 8672 3349

Medical: reception@uths.com.au

Admin: umoona@uths.com.au

Content Tele-Health Sessions

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SEWB (Social Worker Program)

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Healthy For Life Building

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Clinic Calendar

12

Pit Stop Program (DAS Building)

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AOD (Social Worker Program)

16

Kidney Disease

18

Covid-19 Awareness

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Allied Health & Clinic Services Umoona Tjutagku Health Service Aboriginal Corporation (UTHSAC) has continued to provide a comprehensive primary health care service covering the lifespan of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents in Coober Pedy and surrounding areas. Our objective is to see the people we serve live as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

Our team comprises of Aboriginal Health Workers and nurses who work and live locally in our community. Together with visiting General Practitioners, Allied Health Providers and Specialists, we provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Checkups, Care Planning, immunizations, SA Dental appointments, Dietitian appointments, podiatry appointments, specialist appointments and link clients in with other service providers locally, regionally and in the city for specialized services that we cannot provide in Coober Pedy. We also provide transportation for the clients to and from home to facilitate their attendance at these appointments.

UTHSAC is also the only provider of rapid COVID testing through GeneXpert and the COVID vaccine provider in the community. We opted to be a vaccination provider to ensure that our community members are provided culturally appropriate education and vaccination opportunities in order to be safe.

Child and Family Health Our team in healthy for life building comprises of a Registered nurse and an Aboriginal health practitioner. Their main focus has been on child health checks and immunisations, Child health checks, Speech and language, Fine motors skill, Social skills, and Baby growth and development.

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Tele-Health Sessions Telehealth has potential to address many of the key challenges to providing health care in remote areas. With the escalating costs of health care issues, and retention of health practitioner in remote areas especially in time of Covid-19 restriction is a dilemma for health authorities. People living in remote areas have poorer health outcome and need assistance to manage their chronic disease condition.

Telehealth services can efficiently and effectively improve access to healthcare for people living in remote areas. Coober Pedy people have limited access to healthcare services due to range of barriers including geographic distance and restricted mobility, which telehealth can potentially address.

The outbreak of coronavirus disease-19 is a public health emergency of international concern. Telehealth is an effective option to fight with outbreak for COVID-19.

Umoona clinic is providing telehealth services to manage for the chronic disease condition, when patient have long term medical condition proper management of their condition is difficult Telehealth can help provide better access to specialist appointment and improve communication, not only between patient and their providers, but among all the members of patient health care team.

Umoona clinic is providing services to Aboriginal community including doctor appointment, specialist appointment and helping them to manage their diabetes, kidney disease, asthma and other condition. Clinic is providing telehealth services and its important tool giving essential services while keeping patient and health provider safe during covid-19 vaccination.

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Our services include but not limited the following area: Mental Health Service Drug and alcohol misuse, mental health illness combing with chronic diseases had become a continuous problem in Coober Pedy. Mental illness remains a significant contributor to disability, reduced productivity and suffering in our community as in everywhere.

Umoona Tjutagku Health Services (UTHS) has incorporated ‘Mental Health Support and After Hours Mental Health services’ through Drug and Alcohol Day Centre. We aimed to ensure the well-being of every individual who are directly or indirectly affected by mental health problems.

Psychiatrist visit We follow GP Mental health care plans and review them with timely manner, which helps people to move easily between programs as their support needs change. Based on GP Mental health care, we also provide monthly Psychiatrist visit to optimise mental health well-being for our clients. The advice and diagnosis given by the specialist helped us to formulate individual mental health care plans for our clients, which showed obvious effects in helping clients recover and controlling risks.

Call us today on 08 8672 5255 to book an appointment.

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(Social Emotional Wellbeing) Social Worker Hair dresser’s program- Social Emotional Wellbeing “Having a haircut and yarn lessens the stress” It is really important for people to have a respectful, culturally appropriate safe place where they can have fun and open up by sharing feelings of loneliness, grief and loss in yarning. It supports the work with Aboriginal people more effectively, and brings relief and at the same time can enhance the therapeutic engagement. Women and men who are grieving like to talk and find in this safe place an opportunity to engage, speak up and express their emotions (ventilate). The same time, someone needs to listen to them, support them and arrange care for them (validate). Often when grieving people get down on themselves the hairdressing and coloring lifts their spirits so they feel better about themselves and feel more hopeful. Therefore, the hair dresser’s program is a safe place for people to connect, feel safe and find support that they need from UTHS. Aboriginal people have a deep sense of identity from feeling valued, and wanted. They gain this from being part of wider group and community in which they live and a community with which they identify and are respected in. These aspects of wellbeing make up who they are, and their identity and each one of these aspects influences their self-esteem and feelings of self-worth. During 3rd and 4th November 2021, UTHS was able to arrange hair dresser’s program and women and men both were able to participate and get the service. According to the clients, it helped them to feel better and connected which are very important aspects in promoting the person’s wellbeing.

Benefits from the program:      

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Better looking hair gives you a great confidence boost.

The act of pampering can reduce stress and give you a mood boost.

Less stress means that you have more mental resources to tackle life.

Take care of yourself – start with something as simple as a hair cut.

Social Connection -connecting with others is a vital part of reducing stress and depression no matter what you talk about!

Yarning and sharing stories made each participant deal with past difficulties, grief and trauma by getting the pain out.

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Kids Movie Night Program Drug and Alcohol service started a new program for young kids to promote education around Alcohol and other Drugs.

This program Focus on kids developing resilience and good decision making skills. We provide 10 to 15 minutes educational session before the movie. The children are very willing to participate in this program and this is a very valuable program to educate children about drugs and its adverse effects. We have planned to deliver some simple healthy cooking lessons In future programs. This aims to increase confidence, knowledge and skills about healthy cooking and eating in a fun and social way.

Due to Covid-19 & SA border opening to other states. Currently, kids movie night, music and healthy cooking programs are stopped.

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High Cholesterol Remedies What is High Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood. Your body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, but high levels of cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease.

With high cholesterol, you can develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Eventually, these deposits grow, making it difficult for enough blood to flow through your arteries.

Sometimes, those deposits can break suddenly and form a clot that causes a heart attack or stroke.

How do you feel when you have high cholesterol?

What Are the Symptoms of Cholesterol Problems? A high level of cholesterol in the blood doesn't have obvious symptoms, but it can increase your risk for conditions that do have symptoms, including angina (chest pain caused by heart disease), high blood pressure, stroke, and other circulatory ailments.

Causes of high cholesterol 

Cholesterol: This is present in animal foods, meat, and cheese.



Saturated fat: This occurs in some meats, dairy products, chocolate, baked goods, deepfried, and processed foods. 

Trans fats: This occurs in some fried and processed foods.

Preventing high cholesterol:

People who wish to reduce their cholesterol levels or maintain a suitable level can make four major lifestyle decisions. 

eat a heart-healthy diet

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regularly exercise

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avoid smoking

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achieve and maintain a healthy weight

These actions will reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack.

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Healthy For Life Building Mother’s and Baby’s The Healthy for Life team would like to welcome all mothers and mothers to be to come down to the H4L building.

We are situated on Hutcherson street next door to the DAS building.

We are here to support you through your pregnancy and the development of your children.

Services we will provide are:      

Immunisation Child health checks Speech and language Fine motors skill Social skills Baby growth and development.

We are available from 9am to 4.30pm Call us on 08 86725255 to make an appointment for you child or yourself.

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Healthy For Life Team

Josie Warrior

Therasa Joseph

Precella Sumner

H4L Coordinator

Maternal Nurse

Receptionist

Phyllis Lindsay

Health Worker Child Support

EAT HEALTHY, LIVE HEALTHY

Book an appointment with dietician today by calling 08 8672 5255.

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Clinic Calendar December 2021 SUN

5

MON

WED

THU

FRI

1

2

3

(GP) &(Dietitians)

(GP) & (Audiologist)

(GP), Tele-Health.

7 (GP),

8 (GP),

9 (GP),

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(Psychiatrist), (Podiatrist), (Nephrologist)

(Psychiatrist), (Podiatrist), (Nephrologist)

(Psychiatrist), (Endocrinologist), (Nephrologist)

(Hepatologist), (Psychiatrist) (Endocrinologist)

(GP), (Hepatologist)

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14

15

16

17

(GP), &

(GP), &

(GP), &

(Registrar)

(Registrar)

(Registrar)

6

12

TUE

(GP),

19

20

21

22

23

24

26

27

28

29

30

31

SAT 4

11

18

25

January 2022 SAT 1

SUN 2

MON 3

TUE 4

WED 5

THU

FRI

6

7

UTHSAC Opening For 2022

8 15

9 16

10

11

12

13

14

(GP)

(GP)

(GP)

(GP)

(GP)

17

18

19

20

21

(GP)

(GP)

(GP), (Podiatrist)

(GP)

(GP)

25

26

27

28

22

23

24

29

30

31

12

(GP)

February 2022 SUN

6

13

20

27

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

1

2

3

4

(GP)

(GP)

(GP)

(GP)

7

8

9

10

11

(GP)

(GP)

(GP) &

(GP) &

(GP)

Audiologist.

Audiologist.

14

15

16

17

18

(GP)

(GP)

(GP) &

Physician,

Physician,

Psychologist.

Psychologist, Psychologist, & Respiratory & Respiratory Nurse.

Nurse.

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24

25

Diabetic Educator

Diabetic Educator

21

22

SAT 5

12

19

26

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Call 08 8672 5255 to book an appointment.

Between 8.30 am to 4.30pm (Monday to Friday) We are open this Christmas season.

24th December:

Office closes at 12.30 pm.

31st December:

Office closed – full day.

Public Holiday’s:

27th & 28th of December, 03rd January.

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Pit Stop Program Take a health pit stop and keep your motor running!

We, Umoona Tjutagku Health Service, held the Pit stop program on 7 th of August 2021 at Drug and Alcohol center from 06.30 pm to 08.30 pm with a

BBQ session. We had 13 male clients for the program getting their blood and urine checked and were able to see the doctor as well. The clients had a yarn with the doctor and Alcohol and Other Drugs social workers during the program. The clients were very happy about the program and its inclusions and suggested that they are happy if we can organize Men’s Pit stop programs every six months.

Pit stop program is developed by Gascoyne Public health unit in Western Australia and it is a creative way of health promotion especially aimed for Aboriginal males who valued their privacy, confidentiality and safe environment all the time. It increases men’s awareness of health issues, preventative strategies and encouraging better use of GP services. The program begins by offering participants to measure their ‘roadworthiness’ through attending nine stations staffed by health mechanics.

Stations include: Chassis check (hip to waist ratio), Torsion (flexibility), Exhaust (smoking), Fuel additives (alcohol consumption), Oil pressure (blood pressure), Spark plugs (testicles), Duco (skin cancer), Extractor (colorectal cancer), Shock absorbers

(coping skills).

The overall environment is non-medical and usually hosted at events like field days to provide a comfortable and fun learning environment.

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AOD Program Alcohol and other drug-related harms among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people AOD-related harms among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are correspondingly excessive and can influence physical, social and emotional wellbeing, and subsequently reduce the strength of connection to family and community.

AOD use accounts for a significant proportion of the total burden of disease and injury among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, and contributes significantly to the ongoing health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Do you know how AOD affects?

Tobacco smoking has been affect to the total burden of disease among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and for one-fifth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths. It is the largest contributing risk factor to deaths among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men.

Alcohol has been causing to burden of disease among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people higher than among the non-Indigenous population. According to the Australian National Council on Drugs statistics, the rate of deaths due to alcohol dependence and harmful use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people was estimated to be eight times higher for men, and 19 times higher for women, than among the non-Indigenous population.

Illicit drugs consumption has been causing to burden of disease and injury among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. High contributors to the burden arising from illicit drugs are heroin use, hepatitis, cannabis dependence and suicide. The rate at which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were hospitalised for cannabis-related mental and behavioural disorders was almost five times that for non-Indigenous people. For mental and behavioural conditions related to use of volatile solvents, the rate was more than non-Indigenous Australians.

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This is the time to think…..

This is my life….

This is my family….

This is my community….

This is my land….

We are here to help you to get out from AOD with relax mind and healthy life.

We offer counselling services to clients 16 years and above. Children will have to have signed consent from their parents. Appointments are made Mon-Fri 9.00am – 4.30pm.

Through the DAS program at UTHS, we offer many different counselling services, including:  Substance Misuse  Petrol sniffing  Alcohol Abuse  Co Morbidities including Mental Health  Grief counselling  Anger management Assertiveness skill Drug and alcohol staff continues to deliver diverse services across program areas, including: Self-referred Clients/Court or Other Services referred  AOD Counselling for clients with co-morbidities, (Substance Misuse/Drug and Alcohol problems plus Mental Health problems).  AOD program in related to awareness and education program, Advocacy and liaisons.  AOD clients follow ups, Home and Community visits.

Transfers and Referrals to/from: Emergency or Elective Detox at Coober Pedy Hospital  Day Residential Rehabilitation  Local Councils, Department of Correctional Services Families S.A, Centrelink, Police, Ambulance Services, Uniting Care Wesley (DVT), CDEP (Bungala), FFFNDivGP.

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Kidney Disease Chronic kidney disease Chronic kidney disease, also called chronic kidney failure, involves a gradual loss of kidney function. Your kidneys filter wastes and excess fluids from your blood, which are then removed in your urine. Advanced chronic kidney disease can cause dangerous levels of fluid, electrolytes and wastes to build up in your body.

What is the main cause of kidney disease?

Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Your health care provider will look at your health history and may do tests to find out why you have kidney disease. The cause of your kidney disease may affect the type of treatment you receive.

Symptoms Signs and symptoms of kidney disease are often nonspecific. This means they can also be caused by other illnesses. Because your kidneys are able to make up for lost function, you might not develop signs and symptoms until irreversible damage has occurred.

Symptoms include: 

Nausea



Vomiting



Loss of appetite



Fatigue and weakness



Sleep problems

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Urinating more or less

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Decreased mental sharpness



Muscle cramps

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Swelling of feet and ankles



Dry, itchy skin

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High blood pressure (hypertension) that's difficult to control

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Shortness of breath, if fluid builds up in the lungs



Chest pain, if fluid builds up around the lining of the heart

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In-case of any symptoms, please contact us on 08 8672 5255 to book your appointment with doctor.

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Why Covid-19 Vaccination Is Important As we all are aware about the covid-19 pandemic it is very important to know why we need the vaccination. According to the scientists and health experts it is the most important way of eliminating the virus so far. It strengthens up the human immunity system to fight against Covid-19. The vaccine gives our immune system a warning and strength of defeating the virus, so it knows when the virus is trying to attack our body it will fight back but with an advantage of knowing that it has faced this situation before.

Vaccination in Umoona Clinic It was a successful vaccination program we got in our clinic for aboriginal community and also Umoona clinic opens vaccination for all Coober Pedy community. 100% of staff members had their vaccination and they really appreciated our commitment towards vaccination. During the vaccination, clinical staff explained and educated the clients regarding side effects and benefits of having the vaccines help to prevent Covid-19 symptoms and protect from severe disease conditions secondary to Covid-19 virus such as Pneumonia.

Some of them questioned about any issues related to pregnancy after getting the vaccination. We clearly educated them and showed the relevant information. Our staff wears covid-19 vaccine team T shirts to promote the vaccine in the community.

Also, we have made some posters to educate and promote the vaccines and display at pharmacy, IGA and handed over to the clients. Everyone was very positive on what we were doing and they are looking forward to have their vaccines done.

Currently, as per the directions of SA Health/Federal Government. Clients without vaccination are not allowed to enter Umoona premises. We are trying to make sure all of our regular clients are fully vaccinated.

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Instructions: If you feel any of these symptoms. Please stay at home and isolate.

Please give us a call on 08 8672 5255 and our staff will visit you.

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Due to Covid-19 & SA border opening to other states, program is currently stopped.

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DIVERSITY STATEMENT Umoona Tjutagku Health Service Aboriginal Corporation (UTHSAC) will strive to: Inform, educate, perform, model and lead to ensure diversity is reflected throughout UTHSAC. Create & sustain an environment that actively embraces diversity and inclusion by recognising value in the uniqueness of all individuals Hold all people associated to UTHSAC accountable for their actions and decisions impacting the achievements of UTHSAC Diversity mission statement.

Utilise the success in diversity to assist UTHSAC becoming a provider and the employer of choice as we lead our community to improve health We respect all our Community and all who walk through our doors and expect the same in return from Community Members and Clients

VISION STATEMENT Innovative, responsive and culturally appropriate health services are accessible to Aboriginal people living in the Coober Pedy and surrounding region.

MISSION STATEMENT To provide a holistic health care service that achieves positive health outcomes through primary health care intervention as well as safer communities through prevention and education.

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Christmas Break Hey All On behalf of Umoona Tjutagku CEO, staff and Board we would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

During this time if you have cold like symptoms please call the main office and let the health worker know of your symptoms and concerns. Please stay home and isolate until nurse and health worker visit you to do a COVID test. If you require anything else from the clinic please call the clinic first.

Please stay safe during the Christmas Break see you all next year.

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