Later life mental health nursing

An emerging offering in response to community requests.

 

This service is for older adults aged 75 years and over.

 

Later life can be a time of emotional transition shaped by experiences such as loss, changes in health, shifting roles, and reflection often holding both vulnerability and resilience.

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Care is provided

• Through a mental health nursing lens and may include

• Biopsychosocial mental health assessment

• Supportive education

• Therapeutic arts and expressive or sensory modalities

• Support through life and health transitions

• Collaboration with GPs, families, aged care, and allied health services.

• Care is paced, relational, and responsive to each person’s preferences, values, and life experience.​

• Support is commonly accessed via a GP Management Plan, which allows for up to five sessions.

The initial appointment is 90 minutes and is used to develop a comprehensive understanding of the person’s experiences, needs, strengths, and current supports.

The out‑of‑pocket cost for the initial appointment is $120.00

Following this, support is typically offered every 3-4 weeks, with the remaining four appointments each 60 minutes in length and an out‑of‑pocket cost of $60 per session.

Funding options and pathways are discussed as part of the initial conversation, with care taken to ensure people feel informed and supported before commencing.

As this service continues to evolve, we aim to support access thoughtfully and flexibly, recognising that needs, circumstances, and funding pathways may change over time.

Please discuss this with your GP. Many people use GP Management Plans across multiple allied health services, and Medicare allows a total of five sessions per calendar year across all providers combined.