Well-child family health services provided

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 539, 7 June 1994, Page 7

Well-child family health services provided

Karen Tuhoro is the new member of the Plunket health team in the Waimarino. Karen joins Carole Harford the Plunket nurse and the local Plunket committee to provide a 'well-child' family health service in the area. Karen' s job includes visiting families of new babies with the Plunket nurse and encouraging them in their role. She will also assist in setting up new mothers' groups, where mums can get together with others to encourage each other in their new role, and learn latest health trends. Karen will be available to help families who have problems with breast feeding, toilettraining,behaviourproblems,illness, provide mothercraft assistance and generally help where needed. Karen arrived in the area at Christmas time, from Wanganui where her parents run a half-way house for the rehabilitation of young men. With her background in social work she helped her parents working with these people. She worked for about eight years for Maori Affairs, and worked for a time with the Social Welfare Department. She has clerical, administration and counselling experience. This new job js her first with young children, apart from her job as mother to her own three children, one of whom is physically disabled. "Learning to cope with the social serv-

ices to do with my eldest child (the one who is disabled) was a big thing," said Karen. She is undergoing the Karitane training at present, and until she has completed this, is officially a 'Plunket health worker', As always with Plunket help is available by phoning the Plunket rooms and leaving a message. Plunket also has a new service available, the Plunket help line, for those needing advice between 4pm - 1am. The freephonenumberis0800 101 067, this number is staffed by experienced Plunket nurses who are available to give advice after hours.