Why chose Melbourne West Psychology to support your residents?
The psychologist working with your residents has a high level of clinical assessment, formulation and treatment skills. They use their skills to understand and address interpersonal and person-environment challenges. Working in residential care as a psychologist provides a vital psychological perspective to care staff, family and the residents so that the physical and mental health of all concerned has a chance to be optimised.
Why is there a need for psychology in Aged Care?
There is an overwhelmingly unmet mental health needs of residents in long-term care. There is an under diagnosis and under treatment of depression with conservative estimates at 34-41% of aged care residents experiencing depression (beyondblue, 2010).
Best practice treatments for anxiety and depression in older people include antidepressant medication, psychological approaches, multidisciplinary approaches and physical activity interventions, which have all shown to play a role. It has been well established that non-pharmacological treatments, such as CBT are deemed more effective in many instances than pharmacological interventions. Given the problems that poly-pharmacy create, antidepressants should not be the first response.
What will be offered?
A range of empirically validated interventions with diverse client groups and treatment modalities including reminiscence programs, well-being programs, individual interventions, and staff education.
What is required from residential aged care staff?
Staff are to identify clients with depression and/anxiety or who they believe are displaying symptoms. A request is to be made to the resident’s GP to prepare a referral.
What are the benefits of using Melbourne West Psychology?
Screening and treatment for anxiety and depression without cost to the GP, patient, or the residential care home as services will be bulk billed.
What are the anticipated challenges of recruiting residents?
Older people with chronic physical illness and depression can be difficult to recruit because of their motivation as related to their mood disorder. Mobility can be a barrier to attending sessions. In order to overcome these barriers treatment can be provided in the resident’s room or other location of their choosing.
Other recruitment barriers:
Older people are far more likely than any other age group to believe that depression is a normal part of ageing. Attitudes such as these held by older people and their families mean that older people are less likely to seek help for depression and anxiety, either due to embarrassment and shame, or because they don’t recognise these disorders as illnesses worthy of medical attention. Ageist attitudes among some health professionals also act as barrier to older people being properly treated for depression or anxiety.
A further barrier to identifying and managing depression in aged care is the focus many aged care services have upon providing practical, physically oriented care and not adequately responding to the emotional needs of patients. Limited staff resources and mental health skills are often cited as a barrier to detecting and managing depression in older people, along with absences of standardised procedures for reporting instances of depression, ensuring follow-up, or referral to specialists.
MWP 