Rehabilitation and Aged Services Program (RASP)
Aged Persons Mental Health Services
What is the Aged Persons Mental Health Service (APMHS)?
The Southern Health APMHS comprises:-
- Community Mental Health Teams
- Acute Inpatient Assessment Units
- Residential Care Facilities
- Education and Training
Aged Persons Community Mental Health Teams
These teams provide assessment, treatment, and Case Management to people over
the age of 65, who have a psychiatric disability and/or dementia with associated
significant behaviour problems, and who live within a defined catchment area.
Aged Persons Mental Health Teams
Kingston
Team
Warrigal Rd
Cheltenham 3192
9265 1750
9265 1751 (fax.)
The KINGSTON Team cover the Bayside, Kingston, Glen Eira (part), and Monash
(part) local government areas.
This area is known as Middle South.
(Click for map)
Endeavour
Hills Team
1 Raymond McMahon Boulevard
Endeavour Hills 3802
9709 7100
97097107 (fax)
The ENDEAVOUR HILLS Team cover Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia.
This area is known as the Dandenong Area.
(Click for map)
What is Mental Illness?
One in five Australians will experience a mental illness at some stage in their
life, varying from mild or temporary, to severe or prolonged. Mental illness is
a general term referring to a group of illnesses in the same way that heart
disease refers to a group of illnesses affecting the heart.
Mental illness can be transient; it can come and go in episodes through peoples
lives. Some people experience their illness only once, with a full recovery. For
others, it recurs throughout their lives. The vast majority of mental illnesses
are treatable. Some of the illnesses we assist with include:-
Anxiety
Bipolar Disorder
Depression
Schizophrenia
Delirium
Dementia
While The symptoms of these illnesses are often not evident to
others, they cause considerable distress and can be relieved by appropriate
treatment. The Aged Person’s Mental Health Teams offer the expertise, experience
and resources to provide this treatment.
Care Pathway
The APMHT’s aim to provide a seamless pathway of care delivery, from assessment
through to treatment and rehabilitation. Sometimes our involvement is relatively
brief, but in other circumstances the team may remain involved over a longer
period of time, providing support to consumers and carers through extended
periods of illness and life change.
Who can refer to the Aged Persons Mental Health Team?
Referrals can be made by anyone.
Some typical people may be:-
The person themselves,
A family member or carer,
General Practitioner,
Council Support Services (Social Workers, Nurses),
Aged Care Assessment Services
The Care Pathway starts at the point of referral to the
service. A Triage worker gathers information which is then discussed within the
team, and in most cases the decision is made to carry out an initial assessment.
At this point a team member will be allocated as Case Manager. The Case Manager
will usually contact the consumer or carer to arrange a time to visit.
Acute Inpatient Units
|
|
 |
 |
 |
Biala, Kingston Centre
Biala is a 20 bed unit providing psychiatric inpatient
assessment and treatment to people over the age of 65.
The unit is committed to providing high quality inpatient service to people who
require intensive, specialist, psychiatric assessment, treatment and care.
Consumers and carers/significant others are involved in treatment decisions
wherever possible. Consumers have a right to be treated with dignity and respect
at all times. Biala staff utilise specialist skills and programs, and
incorporate a ‘whole person’ approach in the delivery of individualised care,
ensuring that best practice is maintained and best outcomes achieved.
Biala Inpatient Team
- Consultant Psychiatrists
- Nursing Unit Manager
- Psychiatry Registrars
- Nursing Staff
- Physiotherapy
- Social worker
- Psychologist
- Occupational Therapist
- Pharmacist
Amaroo, Dandenong Hospital
Amaroo is a 10 bed unit providing psychiatric inpatient assessment and treatment to people over the age of 65.
The unit is committed to providing high quality inpatient service to people who require intensive, specialist, psychiatric assessment, treatment and care. Consumers and carers/significant others are involved in treatment decisions wherever possible.
Consumers have a right to be treated with dignity and respect at all times. Amaroo staff utilise specialist skills and programs, and incorporate a ‘whole person’ approach in the delivery of individualised care, ensuring that best practice is maintained and best outcomes achieved.
Amaroo Inpatient Team
- Consultant Psychiatrists
- Nursing Unit Manager
- Psychiatry Registrars
- Nursing Staff
- Physiotherapy
- Social worker
- Psychologist
- Occupational Therapist
- Pharmacist
Assessment and Treatment includes:-
- Daily review of individual needs
- Close involvement with family, carers, and key community workers
- An activity program that caters to physical, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual needs
ADMISSIONS
Admissions usually follow assessment by the Aged Persons Mental Health Team
APMHT.
Arrangements for admission are made after liaison between the inpatient unit,
the APMHT Case Manager and the consumer and/or family or carer.
RESIDENTIAL
SERVICES
Mooraleigh Hostel
748 Centre Rd
Bentleigh 3204
Ph: 9563 8288
Fax: 9563 7185
Mooraleigh Hostel Brochure (click here)
Mooraleigh is a 29 bed Hostel, auspiced by Southern Health. It is funded by the
Commonwealth Government and operates under their standards as an Aged Care
Facility.
Mooraleigh receives additional funding from the Victorian State Government
through the Department of Human Services, Mental Health Branch. Residents are
also required to contribute a percentage of their income towards their care.
Mooraleigh is a low care facility. Where possible residents will be referred on
to generic residential services once their behavioural symptoms have settled.
The philosophy of Mooraleigh is to care for people in a non-restrictive home
like environment.
The hostel is designed to resemble 5 domestic home units, each housing 4 – 8
residents. Each unit has its own kitchen, living room, dining room, laundry and
bedrooms.
Who is eligible for admission to Mooraleigh?
Mooraleigh provides care for older people suffering from dementia or other
psychiatric illness, whose behavioural symptoms require specialist care.
Symptoms may include wandering, intrusiveness, night-time restlessness and
aggression.
Who can refer to Mooraleigh?
All potential residents must be referred by one of the following agencies:-
- Kingston Aged Person’s Mental Health Team
- Endeavour Hills Aged Person’s Mental Health Team
Other Requirements
All potential residents will also:-
- Be 65 or older
- Live in a defined catchment area
- Be ambulant, including with aids
Behaviour Management
Mooraleigh employs registered Nurses who assess each new resident and establish
individual behaviour management plans.
A Consultant Psychiatrist visits weekly and is also available for telephone
consultation at other times.
Families are kept informed of changes in medication and/or management plans.
How long can a person remain at Mooraleigh?
Residents will stay until one of the following occurs:-
- The original behaviour problem has settled and the treating team is confident that the resident’s needs can be met in a mainstream facility.
- Increasing physical frailty requires transfer to a Nursing Home.
- You, as a carer no longer wish to have your relative/friend remain at Mooraleigh.
The length of stay will depend on each individual’s progress.
When a resident is ready for discharge, family/carer will be asked to look for
suitable alternative accommodation. Your co-operation is essential. Our beds are
in very high demand.
ALLAMBEE
Kingston Centre
Warrigal Rd
Cheltenham 3192
Ph: 9265 1153
Unit Manager 9265 1156
Allambee Brochure (click here)
Allambee is a 35 bed special purpose, secure nursing home which offers
specialised care to older people who cannot be managed in a general purpose
nursing home because of current behaviour.
YARRAMAN
Yarraman Rd
Noble Park 3174
Ph: 9558 5662
Fax: 9546 2568
Yarraman Brochure (click here)
Yarraman provides care for confused older people who require 24 hour care and
whose behaviour currently makes them unsuitable for accommodation in a generic
nursing Home, and who do not require specialised psychiatric inpatient
treatment.
