West Coast Mum hopeful of a hospital-free winter

2 May 2012

West Coast Mum hopeful of a hospital-free winter

A West Coast mother is looking forward to hopefully a hospital-free winter for her five-year-old son, following installation of home insulation under the Government’s Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart scheme.

Amelia Gamble is mother to Lily, 3, and Ry, 5 who is a bad asthmatic. He has been hospitalised every winter since he was born except for last, because the family was loaned a nebuliser.

Under the Government’s home insulation programme the family’s rental home has had underfloor and ceiling insulation installed.

“Although we’re not into the cold weather yet, it is already really noticeable the way the insulation is making a difference. The warmth from the sun is getting trapped in the house and it’s holding its heat,” Amelia said.

Her home is one of up to five hundred West Coast homes that are to be insulated for free through a joint venture between the Healthy West Coast, Autex Industries, The Insulation Company, and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).

So far more than 200 applications have been received with 110 homes already insulated.

The role of Healthy West Coast (a partnership between the DHB, the West Coast Primary Health Organisation and Community and Public Health) is to identify people in the community most at risk due to living in households with poor home insulation. Households applying for the project also have to meet other criteria before they can be insulated under the scheme. For example, the home owner or tenant must hold a valid Community Services Card and the house must have been built before 1 January 2000 to be eligible.

The Insulation Company, which is doing the installations on behalf of Autex Industries, will confirm eligibility for the scheme by way of a free in-home assessment.

West Coast DHB Chief Executive David Meates says if young children like Ry can avoid or minimise distressing hospital visits, then that is a plus for the family.

Research shows that better home insulation and heating leads to better health outcomes for people with the added benefit of reduced public health costs.

Amelia says the heat used to stay at the front of the house and the children’s bedrooms were cold; now with insulation the house seems to be more evenly warm.

She thinks the scheme is a great deal for young families.

“We are looking forward to warmer and moisture free air that is better for little lungs. Hopefully we will have a hospital-free winter.”

Amelia says the installation was done in a day and the workers were efficient and very nice.

David Meates says if a scheme like this means that there are fewer admissions from respiratory illness, then we are supporting West Coast families to keep healthy in their homes which also frees up funding for the provision of other services.

“It also means a much more comfortable home environment for households currently with little or no insulation, and an opportunity for them to save on heating costs,” says David Meates.

www.westcoastdhb.org.nz.

ENDS

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