Meet the aged care residents who travel more than you!

The best present this holiday period is presence.

This Portland home is full of Christmas cheer.

Dr Dwayne Crombie, Managing Director of Bupa Health Insurance, said the lower rate was recognition of affordability and cost of living challenges facing Australian families.

“The increase in healthcare costs hasn’t gone away, but it’s not good enough to expect customers alone to keep absorbing these costs,” Dr Crombie said.

“This lower increase means we will share some of that cost with our members, but we also continue the push for broader reform of the health system as every component has a role to play in keeping healthcare affordable for Australians.

“The introduction of age-based discounting aims to encourage broad participation across all ages, not just older or less healthy people. Any measure that makes health insurance more affordable for all Australians is important.

“While we have the lowest operating costs of any of the big funds, the amount we paid in claims last year increased 4.7 per cent which equates to $139m. This means more of our members are getting benefit from their coverage. It also reflects the rising cost of continuing to provide world class healthcare.

“We remain committed to delivering value to our customers with initiatives such as our Members First Platinum dental network to provide no out of pocket costs on a range of common preventative dental services.

“We will also expand our no excess cover for children in hospital (effective 1 July 2019), further adding value for families to our gap free offers for dental, optical, podiatry, chiropractic and physiotherapy treatments for children,” Dr Crombie said.

The premium change will take effect from 1 April 2019. For more information please view our FAQs.

“Recent research has found that loneliness can be just as, if not more lethal than smoking 15 cigarettes a day.”

“Loneliness presents a big risk for premature death, particularly in older people and can be associated with depression and a faster rate of cognitive decline and dementia.”

“Older people are most susceptible to feeling loneliness especially when we’re all busy shopping for last minute Chrissy presents, which is why the best present you can give this year is presence,” he said.

From improving our health and happiness to promoting a sense of belonging, boosting mood and making friends, the case for volunteering is strong which is why Bupa's volunteer program is so powerful in combatting loneliness in some of our residents who may not get regular visitors. 

Loneliness isn't the same thing as being alone. Some isolation is good for your mental wellbeing. But Dr Ross says that being alone needs to be a choice in order for it to be healthy.

“Older people who want companionship yet lack visitors are more likely to experience the physical and emotional effects of being alone.”

“Technology can help or hurt, it's simply a tool but for too many people technology has led to substituting online connections for offline in-person encounters and for older people who are not tech savvy and grew up without social media, the reality is bleak.”

Financial woes, health scares, and everyday issues can take a bigger emotional toll on people who lack social and emotional support.

"As a society, we have grown our Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat friends, but our personal connections and interactions have deteriorated.”

“If you or a loved one are struggling to combat loneliness, seek professional help by either going to see your GP or head to www.beyondblue.org.au for tips on how to maintain a positive mind-set or feel free to call our aged care support line on 1800 957 237.”

“Depression and other mental health issues can cause you to feel disconnected which can create a self-perpetuating cycle that can be difficult to break, while not easy, with the right support, wellness is possible,” he said.

UP NEXT:

Meet the aged care residents who travel more than you!

Hisham El-Ansary to become Bupa Chief Executive Officer.

BeYouAtBupa: Valerie, Cleaner, Bupa Aged Care Morphettville in South Australia.

Mark Lewis is a resident whose ailments make real world traveling very difficult. But the virtual travel pioneered by the home’s chef, Margaret Mould have become a breath of fresh air for him and others within the home.

"I've been overseas quite a bit over the past few years and every time I return, I bring my experiences back with me,” Ms Mould said.

“I initially started taking a couple of residents on tours of their home towns through Google street view and it has been really well received so I started doing it in groups,” she said.

As a ten year old living in Malta, Mr Lewis vividly remembers black smoke looming across the horizon near his home. It wasn’t long before he and his neighbours fled the Siege of World War II. 

“I lived in Battery Street, our home overlooked Valletta and the Grand Harbour. I still have distinct memories of battle ships crowding the port. It was quite a dramatic spot to live in because you were literally looking down at the ships,” Mr Lewis said.

“We actually lived in rock shelters for days at a time during the war. My uncle dug a great big hole in his lounge room and built a tunnel with 5 chambers,” he said.

"I was ten when I left and although I am very grateful to be a citizen in Australia, I'm equally as grateful for my heritage. Interestingly enough, I still have 30 odd cousins and a 90 year old aunt over there.”

The technology means residents can overcome mobility and accessibility issues to go on computer generated journeys, fly around town, go on safari, sit under the Colosseum or even explore the Grand Canyon.

“Once a month we travel through different countries - so far, we’ve digitally travelled to Malta, Italy, Holland, some Asian countries and South Africa.”

"When you get to your 80s’, you start to look back at your life and it’s nice to have happy memories.”

UP NEXT:

Did you love this pawesome write up? So did the St George & Sutherland Shire Leader.

BeYouAtBupa: Valerie, Cleaner, Bupa Aged Care Morphettville in South Australia.

Whatever floats your boat.

He led the company’s move into Dental and Medical Visa Services. He is known for his focus on the customer and his broad and deep understanding of the business. Over the past 30 years, he has held senior executive roles in a variety of industries including retail, energy, aviation and construction. Mr El-Ansary is a Fellow of CPA Australia and of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is also a director of children’s charity, Very Special Kids.

Mr Bowden joined Bupa in 2002 when the company acquired AXA Australia Health, where he was Managing Director. As MD of Bupa Australia, he oversaw the company’s significant expansion and growth, including the acquisition of MBF in 2008 and the launch of the Bupa brand in Australia in 2011. In 2012, he moved to the UK for four years as Chief Executive of Bupa’s UK businesses, returning to his native Australia in 2017.

Bupa Australia & New Zealand Chairman Nicola Roxon, recognised Mr Bowden for his long and distinguished career:

“Richard has made a wonderful contribution to Bupa and will leave a lasting legacy when he retires from Bupa next year

“We have known about Richard’s plans for some time and are delighted Hisham has been appointed as his successor.”

Noting the key role Mr El-Ansary has played in Bupa over the last decade, Ms Roxon commented:

“Hisham’s knowledge of Bupa and of the health and care sector make him ideally equipped to lead Bupa Australia and New Zealand over the next phase of its development. He is a passionate advocate for excellence and for putting customers front and centre, and we look forward to a smooth leadership transition over the coming months.”

“We knew that we needed to become more targeted and practical in how we enacted our Plan. That is why we have focused on funding innovation towards ending RHD in Australia and on providing career pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

“RHD is an entirely preventable disease, yet Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are 20 times more likely to die from RHD than their non-Indigenous peers.

“We’ve invested money to create two END RHD communities in the Northern Territory to test a new community-led model of care in partnership with Telethon Kids and the Menzies School of Health Research. This model is now being expanded to another community in the Kimberley with the support of the Federal Government.

“Additionally, we have signed a partnership with the CareerTrackers internship program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university students, committing to 10 internships a year for 10 years and launched a scholarship to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women at university,” Mr Bowden said.

Bupa has also announced its support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which calls for a First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution and speaks to the work that must be done to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

“Bupa’s support is underpinned by the voices of our employees who support constitutional recognition as an important step to improve the long-term health and emotional wellbeing of First Nations people,” Mr Bowden said.

“Before taking this position we spent time listening to our employees to understand why they felt it was important for Bupa to support the Statement and then worked with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to craft the wording of our support and highlight how it related to our purpose.

Karen Mundine, Chief Executive Officer of Reconciliation Australia welcomed the commitment from Bupa.

Bupa launched its first Reconciliation Action Plan in 2015 and has used learnings from its implementation to improve the latest Plan.

UP NEXT:

Inclusion, diversity and Bupa

Meet Bupa's CareerTrackers interns - CareerTrackers interns with Dwayne Crombie. Natasha Ward, Tatiana Estrada and Samual Fisher

The woman who inspires me

Interning for the United Nations

The club began five years ago and has kept its members busy with projects throughout the village. These have included trips to Trotts Garden in Ashburton, guest speakers, and the upkeep of a village beehive with the honey collected, shared, and enjoyed by all of the village residents.

Trevor Houston, Bupa Cashmere View resident says he’s made many friends through the gardening club.

“The vegetable garden is already providing produce and we’ve enjoyed beginning the new garden areas and planting fruit trees. We all have a great time,” Mr Houston said.

Rochelle Moore, Bupa Cashmere View Retirement Village Manager says discussion of common interests between residents is important in their health and wellbeing.

“Clubs have a way of bringing people together, forming new friendships, swapping stories, exchanging ideas, and planning new projects which gives them a sense of achievement,” Ms Moore says.

Annette Schmiede, Bupa Health Foundation Executive Leader said the Emerging Health Researcher Award was created to provide financial assistance to early career researchers as well as recognise the important contribution they make to the health of Australians. This comes at a critical time in their research careers.

Dr Huynh has a keen interest in understanding how the immune system works and how cancer cells can evade detection by the immune response. She has discovered that a molecule produced in our bodies called IL-11 can drive the growth of tumours, by preventing the immune system from attacking and killing colorectal cancer cells.

Dr Huynh is currently actively working with clinicians, researchers and industry to develop and test drugs that can block IL-11 to deliver a new therapy for cancer patients.

With colorectal cancer being among the deadliest cancers, Dr Huynh’s work has the potential to have lasting impact on the survivorship of Australian’s suffering from colorectal cancer.

Dr Huynh was nominated by Professor Matthias Ernst, Scientific Director, ONJCRI who said Dr Huynh has got a bright research career ahead of her.

“It’s quite clear Jennifer is a fantastic scientist and I think she stands out as one of the people that will eventually go on to run her own independent research lab,” said Professor Ernst.

• In addition to Dr Huynh, three additional outstanding early career researcher were acknowledged as award finalists each receiving $5,000 to continue their research in the following areas: Reducing hospital readmission and death after heart failure

• Reducing obesity through nutrition guidelines and programs in childcare centres

• Using technology to improve the physical and mental health of Australian adolescents

Ms Schmiede said the finalists are all working in diverse areas focusing on improving better health outcomes for Australians.

“Our finalists are a diverse group- clinician researchers, biomedical researchers, public health researchers and health system researchers,” said Ms Schmiede.

“The diversity among the award finalists is a reminder of the depth and breadth of the research sector as well as the scope of the health challenges we must tackle.”

Previous Emerging Health Researcher Award winners:

2017 Dr Amanda McCullough, Bond University

2016 Associate Professor Gail Garvey, Menzies School of Health Research

2015 Dr Gabrielle McCallum, Menzies School of Health Research.

2014 Dr Greg Ebert, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

2013 Dr Andy Hsu, Peter McCallum Cancer Centre

2012 Dr Priya Sumithran, University of Melbourne

More information on the Bupa Health Foundation and Emerging Researcher Awards

The Bupa Health Foundation is one of Australia’s leading corporate foundations dedicated to health. We are committed to improving the health of the Australian community and ensuring the sustainability of affordable healthcare through collaborative partnerships.

The Bupa Health Foundation was established in 2005 and has invested more than $31million to support over 120 projects in real health and care improvements.

The Emerging Health Researcher Awards is celebrating its sixth anniversary after being established in 2012.

For more information please visit www.bupa.com.au/foundation.

UP NEXT:

Bupa Health Foundation announces finalists for 2018 Emerging Health Researcher Award

Researcher focused on reducing the threat of antibiotic resistance wins Bupa Health Foundation Award

Bupa Health Foundation recognises future leaders in health and medical research

Indigenous health researcher wins Bupa Health Foundation Award 2016

Advancing Australia's healthcare system

Every part of his boat, from the hull to the smallest pole, are made entirely by hand, from scratch, showing his attention to detail and love of history.

"Building a model boat can be a real challenge. How did I start? A friend of mine got a kit years ago and built a Viking ship. I thought ‘oh yeah’, I'd like to have a go at that and I did," Mr Kelly said.

"This boat (pictured) is a HMS Victory from the 1800s’," he said.

Fred hasn’t always been a modeller though, he turned his profession of cabinet making to boats after retiring. When health issues and a lack of tooling prevented him from machining cabinets professionally, he decided to scale down his operation.

"It is just one of those things, I never really was interested in boats but I’m using my skills, keeping busy and challenging myself."

The recreation room serves as a makeshift workshop, as well as a storage space for all the tools he needs to create model boats.

"I couldn't tell you how many pieces are in the boat but there are a lot."

"This boat has taken me about 12 months so far, although I have to admit that I'm not consistently working on it."

Fred says scale modelling is not only about size, but about representing the past.

"You need patience to tackle a project like this and it is also a good teacher in that regard."

“I enjoy researching the models that I make, you can learn a lot from history and I try to use old methods such as soaking the wood in water so it can be shaped to the curvature of the hull.”

He has no intention of selling the models. Instead, he keeps them as a reminder of his old profession and his new found hobby.

"Really all you need is a Stanley knife, super glue, a ruler, paint brushes and some paint. You need a tub to soak the wood in water so you can curve and shape the wood and that’s about it."

A pioneering initiative recently unveiled by the British Health Secretary has enabled doctors to prescribe therapeutic hobbies for ailments.

Bupa Modbury General Manager Rajiv Chand shares the opinion that there is a real benefit in filling your time with a hobby.

“These days, it’s rare to see people with a hobby. Everyone is so busy, right?" Mr Chand said.

"But whether you’re busy with your career, spending time enjoying your retirement or engaging in some other activities at an aged care home, Fred is living proof that making time for a hobby can have positive benefits,” he said.

One of those students included Alysha Waye who had just finished her studies, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts and Science at Monash University, Melbourne.

“Focusing on health and wellbeing is a very important part of my life.

“So, when I found out about the internship at Bupa through the Australian Network on Disability, it was very appealing being able to join a company that similarly focuses on health and care,” said Alysha.

Alysha was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2015, and as a result, lives with an acquired brain injury that affects movement on the left-hand side of her body as well as being fatigued, at times, due to ongoing treatment.

“When I was first diagnosed, I really didn’t know what I was going to do, but I was determined that I would still work one day to use the skills and knowledge gained during my studies,” explains Alysha.

“I’d heard that some people with a similar diagnosis never worked again, but I was determined that wouldn’t be me.”

For Alysha, not working was simply not an option she wanted to consider.

“While not having to work may sound like freedom to some, what would you do every day that had a sense of purpose and would fulfil you?” asks Alysha.

Alysha started her internship at Bupa in the Health Insurance People, Change and Engagement team in January 2018 and a few months later moved to Intern in the People team with Bupa.

It wasn’t long before her skills were put to use helping to develop the foundations for an Access & Inclusion Action Plan, supporting the PACE mentoring program and being an active voice for Inclusion at Bupa.

“Globally, Bupa has a major focus on diversity and inclusion, and locally, we are aiming to create respectful and consistent best practice and become disability confident,” explains Carol Corzo, Head of Inclusion at Bupa.

Alysha has made such a mark during her internship that she has recently been successful in obtaining an Inclusion and Wellbeing Consultant role at Bupa.

“I’m really loving what I’m doing at Bupa around diversity and inclusion. It’s not about the money or job security, but it’s about knowing that in a small way I might be making a difference. And being part of such a diverse, inclusive and caring workplace makes me love coming in to work each day,” explains Alysha.

Outside of work and study, Alysha is also a strong advocate for the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation and has raised close to $10,000 through a number of fundraising initiatives such as assembling a team of close to 200 people to compete in the annual Cure Brain Cancer Foundation walk.

Alysha’s advice for people if they come across someone they think might have a disability?

“The best thing to do is simply ask a question about their wellbeing,” explains Alysha.

“Most people, like me, will be comfortable with their disability and will be able to talk about it. Try not to be insensitive, but ultimately, it’s better to ask the question and be curious, then to shut that person out and not engage at all for fear of offending. At the end of the day, everyone deserves the same level of dignity at work and that’s all we’re aiming for.”

Early in 2017, Bupa joined the Australian Network on Disability to help on the journey of becoming ‘disability confident’. Not only to ensure that services such as Bupa Therapy were best supporting the needs of people living with a disability, but to also help create a workplace that is inclusive for people with a diverse range of physical, cognitive and emotional needs.

UP NEXT:

Focusing on the ability of disability

Little things can make a huge difference

Mr Doig and his therapy dogs have been coming to the home for about six months and are a welcomed distraction for all.

“The visits are just as emotionally beneficial for the residents, staff and families spending time with their loved ones as they are for the dogs and me” Mr Doig said.

Hugo being a Greyhound, must wear a muzzle by law but he passed the Greenhound test on his first go, which means he doesn’t need to wear a muzzle anymore.

“I was asked if we could visit more often because it’s smiles all round when Hugo, Ralf or Lucy arrive.”

“The residents don’t really have to bend down too far to pat him and like most greyhounds, Hugo is no lap dog so there are no worries about him jumping on people,” Mr Doig said.

Bupa Bexley Recreational Activities Officer, Sophia Zaharopoulos said the four legged friends have given the residents another reason to smile.

“The residents absolutely love when the dogs come into the home as they’re able to reminisce about pets that they used to have when they were younger and more independent, this is such a pleasant memory for them to relive,” Ms Zaharopoulos said.

“I think what makes these visits so special is the freedom that residents have in being able to generously give as many pats and hugs as they like. Some people rarely get visitors and the love given by the dogs is both pure, unconditional and organic,” she said.

“I think what makes these visits so special is the freedom that residents have in being able to generously give as many pats and hugs as they like. Some people rarely get visitors and the love given by the dogs is both pure, unconditional and organic,” she said.

UP NEXT:

Did you love this pawesome write up? So did the St George & Sutherland Shire Leader.

A ‘neigh’bourly visit to cheer up the elderly.

BeYouAtBupa: Samjhana, Carer, Campbelltown, South Australia.

This is the seventh year of the award which aims to highlight the important contribution early career researchers make toward improving health and healthcare for Australians.

The finalists have been recognised for their research in the following areas:

• Reducing hospital readmission and death after heart failure

• Reducing obesity through nutrition guidelines and programs in childcare centres

• Using technology to improve the physical and mental health of Australian adolescents

• Identifying new therapies for colorectal cancer using the immune system

Annette Schmiede, Bupa Health Foundation Executive Leader, said the entrants for this year’s awards were quite diverse.

“The role of the Foundation is not only to support research through funding and partnerships, but also to develop the capabilities, skills and networks of researchers to improve the translation of their findings to have real impact on health and care,” said Ms Schmiede.

The Bupa Health Foundation Emerging Health Researcher Award recipient will be announced on 5 December 2018, at an evening event in Melbourne.

Bupa Health Foundation 2018 Emerging Health Researcher Award Finalists

Dr Katrina Champion, Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, NDARC, University of New South Wales

Nominator: Professor Maree Teesson, Director, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use.

Research Area: Using technology to improve the physical and mental health of Australian adolescents

Dr Katrina Champion is currently working to reduce the risk of chronic disease in high school students by helping them to modify key lifestyle risk behaviours.

She has been working with a range of professionals and young people across Australia to develop a digital intervention that uses computers, smart phones and interactive cartoons to educate young people about six key risk behaviours that are associated with chronic disease. The big six risk behaviours are identified as: alcohol use, smoking, inactivity, poor sleep, poor diet and excessive recreational screen time.

Dr Champion will lead a trial to evaluate the Health4Life program among 8,000 Year 7 students across Australia to show if the intervention can improve both physical and mental health during adolescence and reduce risky behaviours before they become entrenched.

Dr Jennifer Huynh, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI)

Nominator: Professor Matthias Ernst, Scientific Director, ONJCRI

Research Area: Identifying new therapies for colorectal cancer using the immune system.

Dr Huynh has a keen interest in understanding how the immune system works and how cancer cells can evade detection by the immune response. She has discovered that a molecule produced in our bodies called IL-11 can drive the growth of tumours, by preventing the immune system from attacking and killing colorectal cancer cells.

Dr Huynh is currently actively working with clinicians, researchers and industry to develop and test drugs that can block IL-11 to deliver a new therapy for cancer patients.

With colorectal cancer being among the deadliest cancers, Dr Huynh’s work has the potential to have lasting impact on the survivorship of Australian’s suffering from colorectal cancer.

Dr Quan Huynh, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute

Nominator: Professor Tom Marwick, Director, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute

Research Area: Reducing hospital readmission and death after heart failure

Dr Quan Huynh has developed a risk assessment tool to predict patients who are at greater risk of readmission and death following heart failure. With this information cardiologists can target the appropriate interventions to those at high risk. This will not only improve prognosis for patients but will also reduce health care costs.

Dr Huynh has validated the tool with an Australia-wide sample of heart failure patients and his findings on the interventions are already being adopted into clinical practice. The next step for his research is to improve efficiency by integrating mobile technology into the care of heart failure patients after hospital discharge. This model of care also has promising potential to help solve the barriers of those living in rural or remote areas.

Dr Serene Yoong, University of Newcastle

Nominator: Associate Professor Luke Wolfenden, MHMRC Career Development Fellow, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle

Research Area: Reducing obesity through nutrition guidelines and programs in childcare centres

Dr Yoong’s background as a behavioural scientist and experienced dietician has led to her research to help prevent obesity in children by implementing effective nutrition guidelines and programs in childcare centres.

Dietary habits are established in early childhood and can persist into adulthood, so by educating the childcare centres and giving them the right tools, knowledge, resources and support, Dr Yoong aims to reduce the burden of obesity. Dr Yoong is actively applying her research by engaging with end-users to deliver effective and scalable strategies targeting an important population group.

In addition to the four finalists, four outstanding nominees have been recognised with Commendation Awards and will receive a $1,000 prize.

• Dr Jing Jing Wang, Flinders University of South Australia

• Dr Natalie Bradford, Queensland University of Technology

• Dr Annmarie Hosie, University of Technology Sydney

• Dr Bridget Kelly, School of Health and Society and Early Start, University of Wollongong

Previous Emerging Health Researcher Award winners:

2017 Dr Amanda McCullough, Bond University

2016 Associate Professor Gail Garvey, Menzies School of Health Research

2015 Dr Gabrielle McCallum, Menzies School of Health Research.

2014 Dr Greg Ebert, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

2013 Dr Andy Hsu, Peter McCallum Cancer Centre

2012 Dr Priya Sumithran, University of Melbourne

More information on the Bupa Health Foundation and Emerging Researcher Awards

The Bupa Health Foundation is one of Australia’s leading corporate foundations dedicated to health. We are committed to improving the health of the Australian community and ensuring the sustainability of affordable healthcare through collaborative partnerships.

The Bupa Health Foundation was established in 2005 and has invested more than $30million to support over 120 projects in real health and care improvements.

The Emerging Health Researcher Awards is celebrating its sixth anniversary after being established in 2012.

For more information please visit www.bupa.com.au/foundation.

UP NEXT:

Researcher focused on reducing the threat of antibiotic resistance wins Bupa Health Foundation Award

Bupa Health Foundation recognises future leaders in health and medical research

Indigenous health researcher wins Bupa Health Foundation Award 2016

Advancing Australia's healthcare system

#BeYouAtBupa is a treasure trove of beautiful stories and insightful inspiration from within Bupa Health Insurance, Bupa Aged Care, Bupa Dental, Bupa Optical and Bupa Therapy, but today we're sharing Lynne's story. 

In addition to Bupa Media, you can also catch up with #BeYouAtBupa on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Read more:

Samjhana, Carer, Campbelltown, South Australia

Wadad, Health coach, Telehealth team

The 8 millionth call came through via phone late on Monday afternoon last week.

Bupa proudly supports the invaluable work of Kids Helpline and its counsellors, who provide care and understanding to young Australians when they need it most.

“Since the launch of the service in 1991 a young person has attempted to contact Kids Helpline every 56 seconds and on average we manage to deal with around 800 calls or online requests for help every day,” said yourtown/Kids Helpline CEO Tracy Adams.

“We want to take a moment to recognise our dedicated counsellors and the teams behind the call centre, as well as the community, who fund more than three-quarters of our service by buying tickets in the yourtown Art Union prize draws,” said Ms Adams.

“While the 8 million figure is an important milestone for us, we know our work isn’t done. While we do our very best with the resources we have, more than 186,000 calls and requests for help have already gone unanswered this year alone.”

For 21-year-old Molly, the Kids Helpline service has been vital for her very survival, having called the counsellors numerous times when suffering serious mental health issues.

"There are times I know I wouldn’t have made it through to the next morning if I hadn’t been able to call Kids Helpline. The counsellors have helped me calm down and are able to get me thinking reasonably again. There’s no way I would be here today if it wasn’t for the service,” explains Molly.

Molly’s mother Sue agrees: “I will always be eternally grateful to Kids Helpline. Without them I doubt we would still have our beautiful daughter.”

The top five reasons young people contacted Kids Helpline in 2017 were: mental health issues, family relationships, emotional wellbeing, suicidal thoughts and dating/partner relationships.

Bupa partners with Kids Helpline to provide the Kids Helpline @ School (KAS) Wellbeing program. The free program is delivered in primary schools around Australia by professional Kids Helpline counsellors, connecting the counsellor to the classroom using video technology, and covers a range of topics including bullying, anxiety, building resilience and promoting help seeking behaviours.

Jane Power, Chief Marketing and Customer Officer at Bupa A&NZ is pleased that Bupa are supporting the @ School Wellbeing program.

“Most importantly, it connects children to the Kids helpline service, so that they know no matter the problem or where they are based, there is someone there to listen and guide them,” says Ms Power.

The partnership is well on its way to achieving its target of rolling its in-school education program to 10,000 children this year. Register for the free school program.

Read the Kids Helpline press release in full.

UP NEXT:

Kids Helpline and Bupa to take on mental health and bullying in schools program

Bupa Australia and Kids Helpline inspire resilience through schools program

Mental health. Wellbeing. Connection.

#BeYouAtBupa is a treasure trove of beautiful stories and insightful inspiration from within Bupa Health Insurance, Bupa Aged Care, Bupa Dental, Bupa Optical and Bupa Therapy, but today we're sharing Samjhana's story. 

In addition to Bupa Media, you can also catch up with #BeYouAtBupa on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Read more:

Lynne, Village Manager, Wattle Downs, NZ

Wadad, Health coach, Telehealth team