News

Bendigo Health's Pulmonary and Chronic Heart Failure rehabilitation program is providing rehabilitation support for patients experiencing ongoing symptoms post-COVID-19 infection, known as long COVID. 
According to the World Health Organization long COVID symptoms include; fatigue, chest pain, muscle aches, depression or anxiety, fever, difficulty breathing and memory, concentration or sleep problems.
Outpatient Rehabilitation Service (OPRS) Senior Physiotherapist Jarrod Maslin said the initiative was developed following the emergence of long COVID as a recognised condition and the anticipated need for a community service.
“The ongoing symptoms of long COVID can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life and our program is designed to support patients to resume activities of daily living that are important to them,” he said.
Natasya was the first person to attend the long COVID clinic when it opened last year. She was diagnosed with COVID-19 in August 2020 but soon noticed she needed more sleep and wasn’t enjoying the usual activities, especially cooking for friends and family.
Natasya sought help and her GP referred her to the clinic.
“I was a really active person,” Natasya said. “Long COVID affected my physical and mental health. The staff told me I needed to realise I wasn’t as healthy as before and I needed to slow down.”
Natasya has been seeing an exercise physiologist, occupational therapist,
physiotherapist and health psychologist through the clinic, and is making
improvements in regard to her symptoms.
Each patient receives a tailor-made program.
“One of the big challenges is people with long COVID are different in how they present,” Jarrod said. “We have some who present with neurological issues and not so much chronic fatigue, then we have others who present with heart issues. Every time we see someone new they’re different to the one before.”
Patients can attend the program if their symptoms continue after the “acute” phase of COVID at around four weeks or longer.
Referrals to the program can be completed by any health professional and are processed through the Bendigo Health Referral Centre.
Patients are also able to self-refer to the program.
For more information, please call Outpatient Rehabilitation Services reception on 5454 8500.