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By ANNIKA SMETHURST
BENDIGO bushfire survivors are still suffering physical and emotional effects from the Black Saturday fire that engulfed the region.
In response, Bendigo Community Health Service will hold a series of health and wellness assessments for fire-affected adults this month.
Feedback from local case managers and clients has revealed fire-affected adults had little opportunity to attend to themselves in the wake of the bushfires.
Other lifestyle factors have also led to health conditions with many fire victims revealing they faced difficulty preparing nutritious foods, exercising and seeking medical advice in the past year as they struggled to get back on their feet.
Healthy Communities acting general manager Kaye Graves said the past year had taught the community a lot about dealing with trauma.
“It has been a big learning curve for us all, but it is about responding to a community need, and that’s what we are trying to do,” she said.
“We know from other disasters there is a physiological impact at six, 12 and 18 months after an incident.
“It really is amazing how many people this has affected.”
In 2003, destructive fires burnt in and around Canberra, Ms Graves said some of those affected by the fires reported a lasting negative effect on their overall physical and mental health.
Physical and emotional reactions are natural following trauma and may include insomnia, headaches, increased heart rate, nightmares or anxiety.
“It sometimes doesn’t take much for people to get upset, they could be going along fine and then they could go and look for an object in their kitchen and remember they don’t have it anymore,” Ms Graves said.
“You don’t know when it will occur.
“Often people think they are doing OK but that’s not the case.”
In August, a pilot program was complemented with follow -up health coaching to support those affected by the Black Saturday bushfire.
This month will see another opportunity for adults affected by the bushfires to attend a health and wellness assessment with a qualified community health nurse. The sessions will run for 90 minutes and will be at no cost, the assessment will look at a number of areas including blood pressure, cholesterol, depression and sleep disturbance.
BCHS hope to set up another service for children in the coming months.
For a health and wellness assessment phone 5448 1600 to make an appointment.
