A HOME is a luxury many can be accused of taking for granted, however, for the 2000 people in Mackay, who, have been identified as homeless it would be a dream come true.
Data collected in the last census shows the Mackay region’s homeless population was almost five times the national average and with new data to be recorded this month, many believe the situation won’t have changed and may, in fact, have worsened.
Homelessness Australia policy and research officer Travis Gilbert said this equated to 235 people per 10,000 without a permanent address, while the Queensland average was 69 per 10,000 and the national average 53 per 10,000.
Salvation Army Mackay call officer Lt Jeff Goodwin isn’t surprised by these figures.
“I know it’s a big problem... there isn’t a lot of accommodation for homeless people in Mackay at all,” Lt Goodwin said.
In Australia, homelessness covers a range of living conditions, including rough sleeping, living in cars or tents, homeless shelters, couch surfing, temporary accommodation with friends or relatives and boarding houses.
“Anyone who doesn’t have a home to call their own,” Mr Gilbert said.
In Mackay, 33% of people who were homeless were rough sleeping. The national average is about 16%.
Mr Gilbert said from the 2001 to 2006 census the rate of homelessness doubled in Mackay. Regional Social Development Centre manager Deborah Rae believes it has increased since then .
“There has been a huge increase in population since 2006 ,” Ms Rae said.
“We’ve also had a significant increase in costs such as housing and rent... which means that people can’t afford to spend as much on accommodation.”
Ms Rae said one of the biggest challenges was identifying the homeless.
Services available include Samaritan House and Lowana House for women, Ozcare Homeless Men’s Shelter, Youth Information Referral Service and Community Accommodation Support Agency.
A possible factor related to the region’s high level of homelessness is the soaring cost of living and a lack of affordable housing.
“Often people found themselves homeless due to circumstances beyond their control,” Lt Goodwin said.
While more temporary accommodation would help, Lt Goodwin said it would only be a band-aid and not a very good one at that.
More affordable housing, particularly in areas like this, where high wages and a lack of accommodation dictate house and rental costs, would be one step , Lt Goodwin said.
Business and community leaders are being challenged to experience being homeless for a night at the Bluewater Quay on August 7.
2011年7月31日 星期日
2011年5月8日 星期日
Rest assured by smart textile bedding
More than 1 million people develop pressure ulcers each year, according to the National Decubitus Foundation, an organisation committed to eradicating bedsores. The UK's National Health Service found that up to 20% of patients in acute care, 30% of people in the community, and 20% of people in nursing and residential care suffer pressure ulcers.
In October 2008 the US Medicare and Medicaid services implemented rules that meant hospitals would no longer be reimbursed for treating pressure ulcers, as they are considered reasonably preventable.
As a result, treatments can prove to be a burden on the US healthcare budget: a market study in 1991 estimated that the overall cost of treating pressure ulcers in US healthcare totals more than $5 billion (€3.6 billion), at $2,000-5,000 each. A 2004 study of costs for UK healthcare put the cost at around $2,500-$12,500, depending on complications in the condition.
Accounting for the cost and prevalence of the bed sore issue, as well as the level of suffering involved, it is reasonable to assume there is an urgent need for innovation: the sort of situation that plastic electronic technologies like smart textiles aim to address.
Innovation
Smart fabric producer Eeonyx has been developing a range of technologies to offer functionality including thermal and sensing capability. Through a partnership with sensor supplier Vista Medical, the smart fabrics have been applied to bedding that would be suitable for monitoring patients and identifying areas of pressure.
In September 2010 Vista Medical secured an exclusive agreement to supply the pressure sensing bedding technology to Stryker Medical, a supplier of hospital beds. The technology will become available by the end of 2011, according to Jamshid Avloni, CEO +Plastic Electronics volume 3, issue 5of Eeonyx, and Rob Golden, president and chairman of Vista Medical.
In October 2008 the US Medicare and Medicaid services implemented rules that meant hospitals would no longer be reimbursed for treating pressure ulcers, as they are considered reasonably preventable.
As a result, treatments can prove to be a burden on the US healthcare budget: a market study in 1991 estimated that the overall cost of treating pressure ulcers in US healthcare totals more than $5 billion (€3.6 billion), at $2,000-5,000 each. A 2004 study of costs for UK healthcare put the cost at around $2,500-$12,500, depending on complications in the condition.
Accounting for the cost and prevalence of the bed sore issue, as well as the level of suffering involved, it is reasonable to assume there is an urgent need for innovation: the sort of situation that plastic electronic technologies like smart textiles aim to address.
Innovation
Smart fabric producer Eeonyx has been developing a range of technologies to offer functionality including thermal and sensing capability. Through a partnership with sensor supplier Vista Medical, the smart fabrics have been applied to bedding that would be suitable for monitoring patients and identifying areas of pressure.
In September 2010 Vista Medical secured an exclusive agreement to supply the pressure sensing bedding technology to Stryker Medical, a supplier of hospital beds. The technology will become available by the end of 2011, according to Jamshid Avloni, CEO +Plastic Electronics volume 3, issue 5of Eeonyx, and Rob Golden, president and chairman of Vista Medical.
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