Joan’s story: Why mental health care must be part of aged care.
When Joan lost her husband, her world became smaller. Anxiety and grief took hold, and without mental health screening as a standard part of her aged care assessment, her struggles went unnoticed.
Joan withdrew from friends, barely ate, and found herself trapped in distressing routines – checking door locks multiple times, obsessively arranging her cutlery, and washing her hands repeatedly.
When she developed arthritis and frequent dizzy spells, her daughter arranged for aged care home support through Silverchain.
While Joan was able to access government funded support for domestic tasks, mental health screening is not part of a standard in home aged care assessment.
One morning, Joan clutched her chest in distress, gasping for air. Lesley, Joan’s Silverchain Support Worker, called an ambulance, fearing a heart attack. At the hospital, doctors confirmed it was a panic attack.
Joan’s mental health had been overlooked.
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Lesley has seen the gap in mental health care for older Australians.
Lesley, a Silverchain Support Worker, is dedicated to supporting older Australians at home, assisting with everyday tasks like meal preparation and cleaning. But over the years, she has seen many clients struggle with anxiety, depression, and other complex mental health conditions.
Joan was one of them. She wanted to help but had no formal training to recognise or respond to complex mental health conditions.
“I’ve met many older Australians who are struggling with mental health challenges, but I’m not trained to provide the support they truly need.
“It’s heartbreaking because I know that with the right knowledge and training, I could step in and help set a client on the right path before things get worse.
“No one should have to struggle alone.” – Lesley, Silverchain Support Worker
Together, we can create meaningful change and provide better mental health care for older Australians.
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*Names and personal images have been changed to protect client identity