Friendly Faces Helping Hands website launched
20 October 2020
The ACI Rural Health Network announced the launch of a refreshed Friendly Faces Helping Hands website to acknowledge National Carers Week and the silent and unwavering commitment our carers contribute to the health and wellbeing of our communities each and every day.
The website was the result of a 2-year project to provide country people and their families/carers, with practical information about hospitals, accommodation and support services when healthcare is required in an unfamiliar city a long way from home.
Inspired by Kelly Foran using her own experience, the website was designed to feature local information about 28 major hospitals in NSW and neighbouring states. The website and hotline phone support are designed by country people for country people, as a centralised ‘go-to’ place for rural patients and their families or carers to get the help they need to make a trying time easier and minimise the overwhelming feelings of isolation.
Kelly said that “knowing where to access parking, cheap eats, supermarkets, accommodation and even hairdressers for people, or their family or carer when they are away from home for long periods, is crucial to their ability to cope in this overwhelming situation.”