Older Persons' Mental Health
10 Questions is a series of leaflets written by nurses, doctors and experts with experience in aged care. Each leaflet focuses on an individual aspect of care to increase consumer knowledge and make the journey into residential aged care easier.
The project brings resources together in easily accessible leaflets that are endorsed by a number of credible professional and advocacy organisations. These leaflets are available to download at the web link below.
You may find these leaflets useful when:
• Searching for a high quality residential aged care facility
• Reviewing the quality of your current residential aged care facility
• Deciding between two residential aged care facilities that appear similar.
Cost
Free
Email
tenquestions@nswnma.asn.au
ACAT provides assessments for older people who need some help at home or are considering moving into an aged care facility. They talk with the older person about their current situation and work out if they are eligible to receive government-subsidised aged care services. ACAT is a comprehensive assessment service used to:
- Advise on appropriate support services
- Assess eligibility for residential aged care
- Identify needs
Hours of Operation
Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:00pm
The Alzheimer's Communication Carer Partner is a consultancy service for family and friends of people who have a loved one with dementia. The service aims to mentor and educate carers and family members with the strategies to build a support network around people experiencing dementia. The service educates carers to be more mindful and 'in the moment' with their loved one by working on strategies on how to approach dementia, how to act when the care is around them and how to reduce anxiety associated with the cascade of stress that may accompany 'untrained' confrontations. Services offered include:
- Consultancy
- Advice
- Guidance
- Planning ahead
- Liaison with other health services
Target Audience
Carers of people with an early diagnosis of dementia.
Eligibility
Anybody who wants to learn about alzheimers disease; families.
Email
alzheimerscommunication@gmail.com
Cost
Negotiate a cost in relation to travelling costs and affordability criteria.
Hours of Operation
Anytime within an agreement.
Local Areas
Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Lithgow, Penrith
Referral
Will take referrals from any organisation or General Practitioner.
The Australian Men's Shed Association (AMSA) is the peak body representing more than 930 Men's Sheds throughout Australia. Acting as a central hub for information exchange, AMSA is a body that represents, supports and promotes the Men's Shed movement as well as shares information between sheds and those communities wishing to establish and operate a Men's Shed. There are a number of men's sheds in the Nepean Blue Mountains region including:
The Lower Mountains Men's Shed
19 Calver Ave, Mt Riverview NSW 2774 - (02) 4751 6819
Penrith Valley Men's Shed
(02) 4732 7936
Hawkesbury Men's Shed
23 Bosworth St, Richmond NSW 2753 - (02) 4570 4459
Blackheath Men's Shed
8 Bundara St, Blackheath NSW 2785 (02) 4782 6569
Katoomba Men's Shed
6 Orient St, Katoomba NSW 2780 - (02) 4782 7433
Lithgow Men's Shed
1 Fred Burley Drive, Lithgow NSW 2790 - 0425 294 824
Target Audience
All men throughout Australia.
Postal Address
PO Box 793, The Junction NSW 2291
The Volunteer Home Visitor Scheme offers social support to frail aged people, as well as people with a disability and their carers, to help them keep living in their homes. The scheme's volunteers:
- Help with reading and writing letters and other tasks
- Take residents shopping and to do errands (such as collecting and returning library books)
- Telephone residents to say hello, have a chat and make sure that they are okay
- Visit residents and provide them with company and support
The Volunteer Home Visitor Scheme are offered at the following neighbourhood centres. Please click on the links for further details.
- Katoomba Neighbourhood Centre
- Lower-Mountains Neighbourhood Centre
- Mid-Mountains Neighbourhood Centre
- Springwood Neighbourhood Centre
Target Audience
Frail aged people and/or people living with a disability or a relative or friend who usually looks after this person and needs a break.
Local Areas
Blue Mountains
The CHSP is a program which provides home support for older people who need assistance to keep living independently. It provides planned respite, social support, domestic assistance and social transport. The CHSP benefits frail older people and carers through a standardised national assessment process and entry point through My Aged Care.
Target Audience
Frail aged people and their carers looking for in-home support.
Eligibility
Contact My Aged Care to determine eligibility.
Email
NSWACT.CHSP@health.gov.au
Cost
Free
Hours of Operation
Mon-Fri 8:00am-8:00pm; Sat 10:00am-2:00pm
A national network of Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres (CRCCs) facilitate access to information, respite care and other support appropriate to carers' needs and circumstances and the needs of the people they care for. Centres can coordinate access to respite services in your local area and work with you to plan approaches to respite and other support needs, as well as help to arrange emergency respite care. The national network of CRCCs provide information about respite care options including access to respite in residential aged care facilities, carers programs, emergency and crisis respite and the young carers project. An individual's nearest centre has information about the following services in your region related to:
- A range of allied health care (eg. podiatry, physiotherapy etc.)
- Aged care homes
- Assessment, including Aged Care Assessment Teams
- Community Aged Care Packages
- Continence assistance
- Day care and therapy centres
- Disability services
- Household help
- Home modification and maintenance
- Personal, nursing and respite care
- Special services for dementia
- Support for carers
- Support groups
- Transport and meal services
Target Audience
Carers of someone who is frail aged, has a disability or chronic illness.
Cost
Free
Referral
Call to book an assessment.
The Dementia Advisory Service (DAS) provides assistance in the community for those caring for someone with a diagnosis of Dementia and for the person diagnosed as well. DAS can offer:
- Monthly carer support groups (carers only)
- Monthly coffee groups for both the carer and person with Dementia to socialise
- Education/information days
- Conferences
- Home visits to assist with strategies to help families cope with changed behaviours
- Simply learn how to adjust to the changes as they occur
Address
91A Kurrajong Rd, Mt Druitt NSW 2770
Target Audience
Carers of those in the role of caring for someone with a diagnosis of Dementia and the person with the diagnosis.
Eligibility
Person with Dementia who is over 65 years old.
Email
nbossard@anglicare.org.au
Hours of Operation
Mon-Fri 8.30am-4.30pm
Local Areas
Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Penrith
The Dementia Carers Support Group is a support group for people whose loved one has dementia. It provides information, guidance and support as well as valuable social interaction opportunities for people with dementia who live alone or are socially isolated.
Address
Doug Cameron's Office - 5 Raymond Lane, Springwood NSW 2777
Target Audience
Carers of people with dementia.
Eligibility
Anybody who needs support in coping with a loved one with dementia.
Email
cvs@sncc.org.au
Hours of Operation
Meets 2nd and 4th Friday of each month between 2:00-4:00pm
Local Areas
Blue Mountains
Referral
Call (Monday to Friday) or email to join the group.
FriendLine is a support line and online chat service for anyone who needs to reconnect or just wants a chat. All conversations with FriendLine are casual and anonymous. Please note FriendLine is not a crisis service.
Hours of Operation
Support line: 10.00am-8.00pm, 7 days per week
Online chat service: 1.00pm-5.00pm Tuesday to Thursday.
Email
admin@friendsforgood.org.au
Local Areas
Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Lithgow, Penrith
Great Community Transport provides flexible small group transport to eligible disadvantaged people living in the Blue Mountains and Penrith local government area. Trips include transport to local shopping centres, other outings and medical appointments. Great Community Transport are located in the Blue Mountains and Penrith.
Blue Mountains
31 Hay Street, Lawson NSW 2783 - (02) 4759 2403
Penrith
99 Cox Ave, Kingswood NSW 2750 – (02) 4722 3083
Target Audience
Those amongst the aged population as well as people with disabilities and their carers who can’t drive, use public transport or don’t have anyone else to help with their transport requests.
Eligibility
Call for an assessment to determine eligibility.
Hours of Operation
Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:00pm
Local Areas
Blue Mountains, Penrith
Postal Address
PO Box 124, Lawson NSW 2783
Lithgow Community Transport provides a number of services depending on personal needs. Destinations for transport may include shopping centres, individual social outings, doctor's and specialist appointments, hospital visits, medical treatments, hairdressers and visits to friends or family. Major services provided include:
Address
1/31 Railway Parade, Lithgow NSW 2790
Target Audience
Frail aged (over 65); younger people with a disability and their carers; people who are transport disadvantaged.
Hours of Operation
Mon-Fri 8.30am-2.30pm
Local Areas
Lithgow
Postal Address
PO Box 231, Lithgow NSW 2790
My Aged Care is a website and contact centre established by the Australian Government to help people navigate the aged care system. My Aged Care helps people find government-funded aged care services for older people in the community. My Aged Care provides information about:
- Assessment criteria and eligibility for services
- Costs of your aged care services
- Different types of aged care services
- How My Aged Care understands aged care needs and help them find local services
My Aged Care provides a number of services helping older people stay in their own home when transitioning from hospital, when attempting to find a residential aged care home or for carers searching for respite care.
Eligibility
Eligibility criteria to access services are available through the My Aged Care portal.
Cost
Free
Hours of Operation
Mon-Fri 8:00am-8:00pm Sat 10:00am-2:00pm
Alzheimer's Australia is the peak body for people with dementia and their families and carers. They offer a number of services including:
- A helpline
- Counselling
- Education and community awareness
- Information and resources
- Recently diagnosed information sessions
- The living with memory loss program
- The safely home program
- Younger onset dementia program
Address
Macquarie Hospital - Building 21, Gibson-Denney Centre, Cnr 120 Coxs & Norton Roads, North Ryde NSW 2113
Nepean Neighbour Aid provides social support for clients in their homes, as well as taking clients out into the community. It aims to assist clients to remain living independently to delay inappropriate residential care.
Address
106/114-116 Henry Street, Penrith NSW 2750
Hours of Operation
Mon-Friday 9:00am-4:00pm
Local Areas
Penrith
The NSW Elder Abuse Helpline & Rsource Unit offers a free, confidential service that provides information, support and referrals relating to the abuse of older people living in the community across NSW.
Hours of Operation
8:30am-5:00pm Monday to Friday
Cost
Free
The Older Persons Mental Health Service (formerly SMHSOP) provides assistance to clients over 65 with mental health problems who require assessment and treatment. All referrals are made through the central access line.
Address
Level 1, Mental Health Centre, Nepean Hospital, Corner Parker and Derby St, Penrith NSW 2750
Target Audience
People with mental health problems over 65.
Cost
Free
Hours of Operation
24 hours, 7 days a week
Local Areas
Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury Lithgow, Penrith
Palliative Care New South Wales is the peak body in NSW representing palliative care providers and those with an interest in palliative care. Palliative Care New South Wales is a member of the national peak body Palliative Care Australia.
Address
5/414 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Target Audience
Palliative care providers and those with an interest in palliative care.
Email
info@palliativecarensw.org.au
Postal Address
PO Box 487, Strawberry Hills NSW 2012
Peppercorn Community Transport provides transport for frail older people and others in need, as well as people who live in geographically isolated areas with no access to transport. Services include:
- Shopping Trips: Passengers are taken to local shopping centres for 2-3 hours of shopping. Bus drivers help with shopping bags and parcels (Mon,Tues,Thurs)
- Shuttle Bus: Provides transport to a variety of local destinations including hardware stores, hairdressers, libraries, Centrelink and nursing home visits (Fri)
- Social Access: Provides transport to attend social groups and activities including the Hawkesbury Seniors Leisure & Learning Centre.
All services are door to door and include wheelchair access.
Address
320 George Street, Windsor NSW 2756
Target Audience
Frail older people, younger people with a disability and their carers, transport disadvantaged
Eligibility
Eligibility criteria applies
Email
transport@psinc.com.au
Local Areas
Hawkesbury
Referral
Phone the office to book an assessment.
The Shed Online is an online social community for men. It is a place for men to socialise, network, make friends, access information on health and wellbeing and share skills.
Target Audience
All men throughout Australia.
Our services assist older people with dementia, people diagnosed with young onset dementia (under 65 years of age), family members and their carers. We offer an extensive range of recreational, social, therapeutic, and pastoral care services, as well as information, training, support and referrals to other local support services.
Address
364 Hawkesbury Rd, Winmalee NSW 2777
Target Audience
Family members and their carers whose loved one has dementia or is diagnosed with young onset dementia (under 65 years of age).