Demand for in-home care growing | Warwick News | Local News in Warwick

Wayne Bennett, Blue Care services manager Sue Hoopmann, Cooinda team leader Suzi Brazier and Blue Care client Chris Hibberd.

GONE was the trademark grim face he presents to the general media, replaced instead by Wayne Bennett at his most real.

The rugby league coaching legend used his personal experience as both a father and a son to explain his position behind the podium as Warwick’s Blue Care service celebrated half a century of service.

A local by birth, he said his mother, who now lives in Toowoomba, had benefited from the nursing service offering in-home care.

As a father with first-hand knowledge of the trials and tribulation of parenting a disabled child, he was also keenly aware of the benefits of Blue Care’s respite centre.

“This isn’t about me, or my experiences, but I am very aware of the good work Blue Care does,” Mr Bennett said.

“It is a service which genuinely makes a difference to families.

“Both through the respite service they offer to carers, who need a break, and the support they offer those needing in-home care.”

Warwick’s Blue Care service last week officially celebrated 50 years of service, from humble beginnings with a single nursing sister visiting patients on foot to the 54-strong team of today.

Blue Care Warwick’s community care service manager, Sue Hoopmann, said the service was born out of a need to offer care to patients in their own home.

Established with the support of Uniting Care Queensland in May, 1959, the Warwick service was one of the first in the state.

“Hilda Bryant was the first sister and she actually worked for free for the first month so the service could get going,” Mrs Hoopmann said.

“She worked from home and walked to see her first patient – a Mrs Wickham in Wood Street.”

But by August, 1959 it was apparent the nurse needed a faster form of transport so a car was purchased and Sister Bryant had to learn to drive.

As demand for the service grew so did the staff.

“Later there were four nurses and Sister Bryant handled calls, and she would fly a flag from her front veranda as a signal to the sisters on duty that there was a new patient could they call in for details,” Mrs Hoopmann said.

Today’s service employs 54 people and offers respite care as well as in-home nursing and support.

“Demand for our services is still growing,” Mrs Hoopmann said.

“We call it Killara, meaning someone always here, which aptly describes what we try to do: be here for the needy in our community.”

1959

1 nurse on 60c/hr

40 calls on foot in the first month

After that they bought her a car

By end of first year 2041 visits to 160 clients

2008

54 staff

Travelled 140,000km for the year

In a year did 26,407 visits to 450 clients