Two of the biggest challenges facing community groups in Queensland are the sheer size of the state and the fact that most people live a long way from Brisbane. The Australian Pensioners’ and Superannuants’ League (APSL Qld), an organisation for pensioners and older people, has 80 branches throughout Queensland. They were excited when they heard about the small grants to promote and explain Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) to consumers. They saw a golden opportunity to work in regional Queensland, and build on earlier work on the wise use of medicines. CMIs are leaflets written especially for consumers that provide accurate and up-to-date information about prescription medicines and how to use them.

APSL Qld applied for and received a grant of $2000 to run two seminars on CMI for older people in Kingaroy and Rockhampton.

Planning

When planning the seminars, APSL Qld wanted to create vibrant events that would attract older people. As Yvonne Zardani, State Secretary, said, ‘One of the most important things was to make sure the seminars offered people relevant, useful and topical information. And, were enjoyable. Otherwise, people wouldn’t come’. So, instead of just holding a session on CMI, they decided to make a whole morning of it.

Seminar

APSL Qld was keen to have the CMI sessions presented by pharmacists who were known to most of the people in the audiences. In Rockhampton, they found a retired pharmacist. In Kingaroy, they had a hard job finding someone at first, because most of the towns in the district do not have relieving pharmacists. Eventually, they found a pharmacist in Murgon who had previously run a chemist shop in Kingaroy.

The CMI speakers used the video, overheads, leaflets and background information that came with the CMI grant to prepare and present their sessions. They showed the video, and used the overheads to explain CMI: what it is, how to use it, and how to get it.

Yvonne Zardani, State Secretary, and Janet Hogan, State Treasurer, went to both seminars. Yvonne broke the ice by telling her story about how she’d once mistaken her dog’s heartworm tablets for her own tablets, because she’d left them all on the kitchen table — a cautionary tale about how not to manage medicines wisely. But, as the pharmacist said after they’d all stopped laughing, at least she wouldn’t get heartworm.

Kingaroy members (L–R) Frances Nord, Pat Larkin, Mavis Askin and Faith Raabe.

The CMI sessions were followed by talks on two issues that were topical because of recent changes in Queensland. A speaker from the Office of Fair Trading gave a talk on how to avoid being ripped off. A speaker from the Public Trustee talked about enduring powers of attorney and advance health directives.

Lunch was provided — particularly important in view of the long distances some people had travelled to attend. At Kingaroy, lunch was organised by a nutritionist from the hospital. This blew the budget, but the food was great.

The people at the Kingaroy seminar were entertained between speakers by a local choir.

Each participant took home a sample bag of resources, including information on the wise use of medicines and Home Medicines Reviews. A couple of people took home lucky door prizes.

Promotion

APSL Qld used posters, flyers and media releases to promote the seminars. ABC Radio picked up the story, and interviewed Yvonne before the Rockhampton event. The promotion went well beyond their membership to a host of other older people’s groups, including Probus, Council on the Ageing, senior citizens groups, and 60 and Better.

Success

The tactics used to attract people paid off handsomely. About 50 older people attended the Rockhampton seminar and 120 attended the Kingaroy seminar. Some people travelled over two hours each way just to attend.

Yvonne believes the main things that led to the success of the seminars were having talks on several topical issues, having well known pharmacists, and providing lunch.

The seminars also benefited immensely from working cooperatively with related organisations to publicise the event, find venues and speakers, and attract people — even though they had a grant to help with costs.

The seminars had an unexpected benefit. The Rockhampton and Kingaroy branches now feel far more confident about organising similar events themselves — without help from the APSL Qld state office. For more information, contact the Australian Pensioners’ and Superannuants’ League Qld on 07 3844 5878 or visit www.apsl.com.au.