‘Senior citizens are the backbone of a town and important for social cohesion. They are not data but living, breathing people who have value. We need to make sure that they age in dignity,’ said Lesley Bryce, Founder of Bell Cares, joining our podcast in episode 29.

Bell Cares, on Queensland’s Western Downs, assists seniors to access Home Care Packages. They listened to the needs of their community and created an innovative model of care for their ageing population. Employment of local people is crucial for their in home care services. Bell Care partners with Trilogy Care to provide services and Mable to manage their workforce.

Bell Cares is a perfect example of how a small community has launched an innovative model that works for their rural area.

“When a farm man or woman comes into an ED with a chest pain, ‘how long have you had it ’, is an important question,” says Susan Brumby, Clinical Professor of the Faculty of Health, School of Medicine at Deakin University. “Often they have continued to work or do things before coming in,” she added. 

Professor Brumby joins us in Episode 28 of Build ‘Em Up to speak about the importance of health professionals’ cultural competence to deliver the best health outcomes for farm people. She speaks about the risks and challenges of farming, along with its great beauty, the autonomous nature of farm work and its impact on health and wellbeing. 

Professor Brumby is the Founding Director of the National Centre for Farmer Health and an Associate Editor of the Australian Journal of Rural Health. She has made significant contributions to research and service delivery methods for engaging farm men and women in discussion about their health, wellbeing and safety. 

Professor Brumby has received numerous awards recognising her contribution to rural health and has attracted over $3 million in grants and service delivery funding. In 2005, she received the Department of Human Services Award for outstanding contribution to rural health and in 2006, a Victorian Travelling Fellowship. In 2009, she was recognised with the Victorian Regional Achievement and Community Career and Trade Development Award.

In Episode 27 of Build ‘Em Up, we chat to Matt Linnegar, Chief Executive of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation. 

He talks about the need to redefine the word ‘resilience’ for rural communities; to go beyond the meaning of ‘bouncing back’ to ‘bouncing forward’ that gives room to imagine their own future.

Matt is a Fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Program and the first Fellow to lead the organisation. He was the Chief Executive Officer of the National Farmers’ Federation and has had roles with Murrumbidgee Irrigation, Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia and the then Australian Meat and Livestock Corporation (now MLA). He has also been on the board of the Telstra Foundation, Agribusiness Australia and The Leadership Network. 

Matt has worked for 30 years in primary industries, advocacy and leadership and calls rural and regional Australia home.