Tayia Yeates is passionate about working with colleagues, patients, carers and families to provide the best possible care for adolescents and young adults with life limiting illnesses. 

In her new role as the service manager at the Adolescent and Young Adult Hospice, Tayia is responsible for the operational and strategic management of the service to provide innovative and sustainable models of care. 

“The opening of the AYAH provides a unique opportunity to develop a service that addresses the differing physiological, developmental and psychosocial needs of adolescent and young adult patients and their families,” Tayia said.

With a career in public health spanning more than 35 years, Tayia has worked in managerial and clinical roles, having started her career as a physiotherapist. Tayia said considering the AYAH is a first of its kind in Australia, her new role at the AYAH will be the most unique to date. 

“There are always challenges in developing a new service especially one such as this where you are caring for a cohort of patients who have such differing age-related issues,” she said.

“We will need to ensure that we are providing physical, emotional, financial, social and spiritual support that is age appropriate in addition to supporting the needs of family members, siblings, partners and friends.”

Tayia said she hopes the AYAH will provide a welcoming and comfortable place for patients, families and friends to come together and create memories. 

“We hope to provide a level of care and support that will make a difference to both our patients and families during this challenging and vulnerable time in their lives and to ‘fill a void’ in the services that currently exist for adolescents and young adults,” she said.