Strength Training, Rehabilitation, and Outreach Needs in Geriatric Medicine

The Centre for STRONG Medicine at Concord is an outpatient service that helps older adults with chronic disease and frailty improve their health.

Exercise and diet support the body to function well and maintain independence. The service uses evidence-based therapies including strength, balance, and aerobic exercise and practical diet strategies. It is safe, medically supervised and tailored to needs and goals. 

Our clinical team includes geriatricians, exercise physiologists and a dietitian, with administrative support.
 

Eligibility – who is the service for?

This service is for older adults (aged 65+ years or 50+ years for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people) who:

1. Present with one or more chronic diseases or conditions known to be responsive to exercise, such as:
   • Arthritis and joint replacements
   • Chronic lung disease
   • Cognitive impairment
   • Depression
   • Diabetes
   • Falls
   • Frailty and muscle loss (sarcopenia)
   • Heart disease
   • Mobility, balance and functional impairments
   • Osteoporosis and hip fracture
   • Parkinson’s Disease (or other neurodegenerative disease)
   • Peripheral vascular disease
   • Stroke 
   • Other chronic conditions
2. Live in the Concord or Canterbury Hospital catchment areas (including Canada Bay, Burwood, Strathfield and the Canterbury sector of the Canterbury-Bankstown local government areas). The Centre for STRONG Medicine at Balmain accepts referrals from outside of this area
3. Capable of attending the Centre for STRONG Medicine at Concord for assessment. Individuals may be eligible for community-based transport services, talk to our team for more information
4. Have a goal of functional, mood and/or health improvement

This service is not for older adults who:

• Are in receipt of exercise services provided by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), work cover or other funded schemes
• Participate in high-intensity (heavy) resistance/strength training more than once a week
• Do not need more than one support person to safely assist with transfers from wheelchair to chair

Benefits

The service is run to complement the care provided by your specialist and General Practitioner (GP). 

Benefits may include:

• specialist information about individual health conditions 
• medical review and clearance to exercise 
• group education sessions on safe and effective diet and exercise for disease management and healthy ageing 
• tailored exercise program
• supervised group exercise sessions 
• dietitian review specific to your needs 
• goal setting, education and continued follow up to help with self-management 
• reassessment at the end of the program with the development of an individualised management plan

Referrals

The Centre for STRONG Medicine at Concord requires a medical referral by a General Practitioner or specialist. The referral is for a comprehensive geriatric assessment to review eligibility and therefore should be addressed to the Geriatricians at Concord Hospital Geriatric Medicine Department. It should include reasons for referral, your medical history and any current medications.

Please send the referral to the Sydney Local Health District Access Care Team:
Phone: 1300 722 276
Fax: 02 9767 7026
Email: SLHD-ACTCallCentre@health.nsw.gov.au

If you have any questions, please contact us on 02 9767 4486 or email SLHD-STRONGConcord@health.nsw.gov.au.

The assessment process

Your first appointment will involve an assessment with one of our geriatricians to determine whether you are eligible or how we can assist you. Family and/or carers may attend this appointment with you. Interpreter Services are also available if required.

This appointment will include a review of geriatric syndromes (including falls and cognition) including medications, function and any support you might need in your daily life.

Admission to the service is determined by the geriatrician. You may require additional clearance from a specialist to determine if the program is safe for you.

When eligible, your next appointments will be with an exercise physiologist and a dietitian as appropriate.

Is there any cost?

Medical appointments with our geriatricians are covered by Medicare. 

The program has a cost of $5 per week, to be paid on completion of the program. If cost is an issue, please talk to us at your first appointment.

Getting here

The Centre for STRONG Medicine at Concord is located on the Lower Ground Floor, Rusty Priest Building 60, Concord Hospital (Hospital Road, Concord).

Our services operate Monday to Friday.

There is a patient drop-off area at the entry to the building, best accessed by Gate 4. Parking is available in the Hospital Road Car Park (opposite the Main Building). Casual hourly parking rates apply, exclusions apply for concession card and disability permit holders. Talk to our staff about validating car park tickets. 

Visit the Concord Hospital map, transport & parking page for details.

Exercise information