Grampians Health’s Hospital Elder Life Program gains global attention

Grampians Health’s implementation of Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) – which helps in treating and preventing delirium among older hospitalised adults – continues to gain significant traction locally, nationally and internationally, as a team of clinicians from Singapore’s National University Hospital (NUH) commence a three-week observational placement at the Ballarat Base Hospital.

Their visit aligns with World Delirium Awareness Day; a global initiative held annually in second week of March to highlight the importance of recognising and managing delirium in hospitals and communities worldwide.

Some of the common causes of delirium include infection, pain, medication and even dehydration. Nearly 66% of delirium cases go undiagnosed across the world when the condition is actually preventable in a third of all cases, according to figures from American Geriatric Society Co Care Delirium facts and Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in healthcare.

HELP integrates clinical and non-clinical interventions designed to prevent delirium or reduce its severity and duration in older hospitalised patients – an approach originally developed at Yale University in 2000 by Professor Sharon Inouye.

The globally renowned HELP program was first implemented at Grampians Health in January 2021 and it is the first fully operational and officially recognised HELP program in Australia. Since then, the program has grown to include 24 volunteers who have provided more than 11,000 hours of engagement to over 6,000 patients at the Ballarat Base Hospital.

Over time, the program at Grampians Health has become a training hub for other health services, including Barwon Health and Eastern Health.

Robbin Moulds, Program Manager of HELP at Grampians Health, said the international collaboration reflects the growing recognition of the program’s success.

“We are incredibly proud of what HELP has achieved for older patients in our region. To now be in a position where international clinicians are coming to Ballarat to learn from our model is both humbling and exciting.

“As we mark World Delirium Awareness Day, the HELP program shows how human connection and evidence-based care can improve outcomes for older people in hospital.”

Data from the longest running HELP ward at Grampians Health demonstrated that patients enrolled in the program experienced a reduction of approximately 3.5 days in their hospital length of stay.

Research from Federation University further revealed that patients on wards supported by HELP were three times less likely to develop delirium than those on the wards without the program.  

Ms Moulds said that patient feedback also shows the program’s impact, with individuals consistently reporting that volunteers provided companionship, comforting conversations, and distraction from medical procedures - particularly appreciated by patients whose families live far away.

International interest in Grampians Health’s model has now brought Nurse Clinicians Ramya John Peters, Tan Pei Qi and Yeo Sock Wan from NUH, a major academic tertiary hospital in Singapore, to Ballarat. The clinicians were directed by the American Geriatric Society CoCare team in the US to learn from Australia’s only recognised HELP centre.

“HELP is an example of how dedicated staff, passionate volunteers and strong clinical leadership can transform patient care,” said Ben Kelly, Chief Operating Officer at Grampians Health.

“To see international interest in a program implemented here in Ballarat speaks to its effectiveness and to the expertise of our teams. We are proud to play a role in advancing delirium prevention not just locally, but globally.”

“Grampians Health is proud to contribute to this international momentum, sharing its expertise as Australia’s leading HELP site while continuing to strengthen delirium prevention practices for the region’s ageing community.”

For those interested in being a volunteer for HELP program, please contact Leah Ferguson, Manager Volunteer Services, on Leah.Ferguson@gh.org.au or visit our website: Volunteer with Us