Healthy Ageing Service (HAS)
Healthy Ageing Service (HAS) provides multidisciplinary support to individuals aged 65 years and older (55 years and older for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders) living in the community or in a residential facility who are experiencing mental health concerns. HAS also provides phone advice to clinicians.
HAS is a service designed to support older adults in the north-eastern and eastern suburbs of Melbourne. The service is free of charge, funded by Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network (EMPHN) and is delivered by St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne.
HAS offers:
- A phone advice line: support for clinicians and aged-care facilities for diagnostic clarification, medication advice, therapeutic management strategies and referral pathways
- Face to Face (or telehealth) intervention: brief period of individual care (≤6 sessions) for people with moderate symptoms that are impacting daily functioning
- Education sessions: delivery of education seminars (with CPD) exploring mental illness in older adults, and advice for healthy ageing
Referrals directly to the HAS program are managed through the existing aged mental health services:
- St Vincents (for Banyule, Whittlesea, Mitchell, Nillumbik, Murrindindi, Boroondara)
Eligibility Criteria
Anyone aged 65 years and older living in the north eastern Melbourne area can access this service. If you identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, you are welcomed at this service from 50 years of age.
Fees
This is a free service.
