Overview
The Older Adults Community team provides services within the community for adults aged over 65 years who experience mental illness together with physical ill health. The team will work in partnership with you, your family and care team to reduce the impact of your mental illness, improve your quality of life and to promote recovery.
We work with older adults living in their own home or in supported residential care within the Hobsons Bay and Wyndham areas. We aim to be accessible to all and are sensitive to the diversity of our community.
Secondary consultation and support will be provided to families, supporters and carers, GPs, care staff and other Mercy Mental Health and Wellbeing Services Community Teams to ensure quality of life and continuity of care for the older person.
Getting here
Find us at:
131-135 Synnot Street
Werribee Victoria 3030
For more information on getting here, visit Community Care Unit .
54 Burnside Street
Deer Park Victoria 3023
For more information on getting here, visit Prevention and Recovery Care (PARC) .
117-129 Warringa Crescent
Hoppers Crossing Victoria 3029
For more information on getting here, visit Wyndham Clinic .
Your appointment
What to do before
- Your Healthcare Card
- Your Medicare Card
- Your pension card
- Your referral letter, if needed
- A list of medications you are taking, actual medication boxes or Webster-pak, and the regime (the dose prescribed) and when you take them
- Information about any known drug or medication allergies
- The name/s of your treating doctors (ie: your GP or private psychiatrist etc) and the name and contact details for anyone else involved in your care (ie: your psychologist, your alcohol and other drugs worker)
- Glasses, hearing aid, mobility aid (such as a walking frame), if needed.
What to expect on the day
You may wish to have a list of questions at your appointment about supports or treatments available to you.
More information
Team Composition
The Older Adults Community team includes a range of health professionals including:
- mental health nurses
- social workers
- psychiatrists
- lived experience workers
Discharge information
You can call your assigned recovery clinician or in their absence, the duty worker at Saltwater Clinic on (03) 9928 7444 or the Mercy Mental Health and Wellbeing Services Triage Service on 1300 657 259.
For health professionals
All referrals to the Older Adults Community team is via Mercy Mental Health triage 1300 657 259.
When you should refer to us:
- Older persons aged over 65 with a comorbidity and/or physical frailty that is or has the potential to exacerbate a mental health concern
- Adults aged over 50 years with a mental health concern from indigenous communities
- The older person appears to be experiencing mental illness or relapse of existing mental health diagnosis
- Residing in MMH&WS catchment (Hobsons Bay and Wyndham LGAs)
The team can offer Secondary consultation and support will be provided to families, supporters and carers, GP’s, care staff and other MMH&WS Community Teams to ensure quality of life and continuity of care for the older person.
Procedural information
Referral Letter from GP should include:
- Reason for referral, timeframe of onset of symptoms, MSE and any risk issues
- Details of any treatments trialed to date
- Medical history and details of any other specialists involved in care
- Current medications (dose/frequency) and any known allergies
- Have other services been explored or referred to? e.g. Dementia Support Australia Dementia Behaviours Management Advisory Services (DBMAS) & Severe Behaviour Response Teams (SBRT), Western Health Cognitive Dementia and Memory Service (CDAMS)
- Who has consented to this referral? Consumer/and or support person?
- NOK/support person contact name and telephone number
Pathology -completed within the last four weeks
- FBE including U&E, ESR, CRP, TFT, LFT, B12, Folate, blood glucose
- MSU within 3-4 days
- Radiology – CT brain & chest Xray if available
This information needs to be provided to Triage within 24 hours of referral.
What/when you should refer to us
Referral Letter from GP should include:
- Reason for referral, timeframe of onset of symptoms, MSE and any risk issues
- Details of any treatments trialed to date
- Medical history and details of any other specialists involved in care
- Current medications (dose/frequency) and any known allergies
- Have other services been explored or referred to? e.g. Dementia Support Australia Dementia Behaviours Management Advisory Services (DBMAS) & Severe Behaviour Response Teams (SBRT), Western Health Cognitive Dementia and Memory Service (CDAMS)
- Who has consented to this referral? Consumer/and or support person?
NOK/support person contact name and telephone number
Pathology -completed within the last four weeks
- FBE including U&E, ESR, CRP, TFT, LFT, B12, Folate, blood glucose
- MSU within 3-4 days
- Radiology – CT brain & chest Xray if available
This information needs to be provided to Triage within 24 hours of referral.
What/when you should not refer to us
If the presenting issues require urgent action or someone is in immediate threat of harm, or posing a threat of harm to others please call 000.
OR when the person could be supported by alternative services such as a Private psychiatrist, General Practitioner and or Mental Health Community Support Services
More information
Resources for you
Dementia Support Australia – https://www.dementia.com.au/
Western Health Cognitive Dementia and Memory Service (CDAMS) – https://www.westernhealth.org.au/Services/CDAMS/Pages/default.aspx
Cognitive Dementia & Memory Service (CDAMS) is a specialist diagnostic service for people who are concerned about changes to their memory and thinking.
Additional resources
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