Later life mental health nursing

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An emerging service 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.

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 provides time to develop a comprehensive understanding of the person’s experiences, needs, strengths, and existing supports. This initial session is not currently Medicare‑rebated.

Subsequent sessions are 40 minutes in length usually 3-4 weekly and may be Medicare‑rebated when referred by your GP under a GP Management Plan. Where eligible, this allows access to care with no out‑of‑pocket expense for these subsequent sessions.

Please discuss this with your GP as many people use GP Management Plans across multiple allied health services.

Medicare allows a total of five sessions per calendar year across all providers combined.