You can help improve the mental wellbeing of our elders
Today, more than ever, we have a strong understanding about the relationship between our physical health and wellbeing, and the importance of keeping well throughout our lifespan.
In late life it is particularly important to check in on those whose physical health may be affected, as emotionally they may need a word of encouragement, help with adjustment and often practical day-to-day support for a diagnosed mental health condition such as anxiety or depression.
Isolation is still a significant barrier for many elders as well as disengagement and reluctance to engage in programs on offer.
Recent years have seen improvements in how older adults, particularly those in residential care, can access psychological support either face-to-face or via telehealth. There are a number of broader programs on offer to boost emotional wellbeing, encourage social connections and physical activity.
In reality, making a lasting change requires a holistic commitment and engagement of an expert in the field.
Wise Care exists to optimise mental health outcomes for the elderly by enhancing workforce capability through the delivery of award-winning programs to aged care providers.
Our founder, Dr Julie Bajic Smith is an experienced psychologist and has clinical experience in working with older adults as well as designing and delivering award-winning programs and industry-endorsed practical education.
We offer a four-step process to enriching emotional wellbeing in late life. This includes DIY resources, workshops, audits with recommendations and educational group programs for clients.
Our customers range from sole traders or single-site aged care facilities wanting one-off training programs to large providers with long-term working relationships and delivery of ongoing training, audits and educational group programs.
Step 1: DIY Resources
The first step includes a do-it-yourself approach, via a range of free resources downloadable from our website alongside instruction and guidance from Dr Julie Bajic Smith’s book Beyond the Reluctant Move: A Practical Approach to Emotional Wellbeing in Residential Aged Care Facilities.
Learn more and enroll here>>>Step 2: Workshops
The second step is enrolment in one of our two industry-endorsed workshops, Grief and Loss in Late Life: Introduction (2-hour workshop) or Enhancing Emotional Wellbeing in Late Life (6-hour workshop).
In order to effectively implement changes and embed the recommendations from our programs it is important for organisations to train a team of staff (we offer affordable options for 20, 40 or 60 participants and more), however individual enrolments are welcome for those who work in isolation or are self-employed.
Training is provided with the flexibility to learn at your own pace and offers unlimited ongoing access to resources, learning materials and our interactive online community.
Learn more and enroll here>>>
Step 3: Audit with Recommendations
This step involves reviewing organisational policies and procedures on screening client mental wellbeing, monitoring at-risk clients, escalating concerns and dealing with critical incidents. We will deep dive into what this involves below.
BOOK A CALL TO FIND OUT MORE>>>Step 4: Educational Group Program for Clients
Our award-winning program is available for licensing to aged care providers and retirement villages, allowing them to offer small group sessions to clients to minimise the risk of developing a mental health condition. One of our current clients engaging this program across five sites saw a drop in the risk of depression from 88% pre-program to 38% post program at one of their sites. Accreditation and eligibility conditions apply and you can find out more about this program HERE.
FIND OUT ELIGIBILITY>>>
Why conduct an audit of mental health procedures?
Depression and anxiety are common in older adults with declining physical health. Alarmingly, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, those aged over 85, specifically men, are at highest risk of suicide. Mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and adjustment disorder are common in this cohort. It is vitally important to know how to best support our clients.
Each organisation has a set of policies and procedures in how they manage mental wellbeing in their clients and support measures in place to assist clients to achieve their social and wellbeing goals.
We know that early detection of those at-risk is vital and delivering preventative strategies and support is an important way to minimise the impact and the severity of the condition.
Our auditing service includes:
- Initial assessments and measures used to determine client mental wellbeing status
- Clinical points when reviews are conducted
- Criteria for escalation of concerns
- Review of preventative programs and services on offer
- Engagement of external parties.
Recommendations on new procedures may include:
- Updated documentation and reminders to prompt review of clinical assessments based on assessment results
- Measures in place to incorporate wellness plans
- Procedures for at-risk clients
- Procedures for dealing with challenging situations
- Procedures for escalating critical incidents
- Recommendations on how to escalate concerns on suicidality.
Auditing helps us assess procedures in place and identify areas of improvement, ensuring continuity of service delivery to best support to our clients.
To find out more, please get in touch via [email protected]
