The impact of the grey nomad migration is reportedly being felt at medical facilities in the north.
Popular areas such as Queensland’s Sunshine Coast say the influx of heat-seeking visitors from the south is putting a strain on emergency departments.
A Nambour General Hospital spokesman, for example, said winter meant patients with different diseases presenting, the most common being respiratory illnesses.
He told the Sunshine Coast Daily that patient-stays in the colder months were typically longer than during summer, because people took longer to recover.
“We notice a lot of people who have a lot of medical conditions, move up from the southern states because they can’t handle their winter,” the spokesman said. “We get that load of people, which adds to our number of people to deal with.”
The spokesman said Nambour hospital emergency department experienced a 10% increase each year.
Have you noticed medical facilities in popular grey nomad destinations are busier than ever? Comment below.
I think there is a fair amount of exaggeration on the amount of people being sick, also you should make up your minds on exactly what you want instead of making excuses you seem to want our Dollars and as usual give nothing in return.
I am a grey Nomad in my 70th year and I take umbrage to the suggestion that we are a burden on the hospital system. The Sunshine Coast is a tourist destination and is widely promoted as such. The hospitals should be equipped to cope with the influx of extra patients.. They accept the financial boost to their economy that tourists, Grey Nomads or others bring and the last time I was in the Nambour I donated blood at the Red Cross I heard no complaints about that…
So they will accept the volunteer work I and others did for months working long hours in cities and on farms after the floods, but don’t want to help out with their health! Get real!
A week ago I had an incident at Inskip Point & was quickly transferred to Gympie Hospital & when they found I had private coverage I was transferred to the private hospital in Buderim. They could not have been more understanding, or treated me any better, keeping me alive over the weekend. A giant thank you to them & Qld. Health. It appears I may have been a little fortunate I bypassed Nambour Hospital judging by this thread.
2010 I slipped on the Rocks at Camilla Qld ripped my arm open very badly…Had to go to Sarina Qld the treatment I got was Magical…Got a photo of it you wouldn’t believe