The Talking Mental Health project aims to enhance the identification and support of mental health and well being needs among older adults receiving home care.

The project is a collaboration between the National Ageing Research Institute, Flinders University and Uniting AgeWell, and supported by funding from Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA).

Why this matters

Mental health and wellbeing challenges often go unnoticed in older people, and older people may be often hesitant to seek support or simply do not know where or how to seek support.  Home care workers who develop trusting relationships with clients through regular contact, are ideally positioned to notice changes in mood or behaviour and start important conversations about mental health that activate support.  

Project goals

• Equip home care staff to better identify and respond to mental health and wellbeing issues in the people they care for.
• Co-design organisational care protocols and processes and training with older adults, carers, staff and experts – that are seamlessly integrated within existing systems.
• Implement and evaluate a scalable model for improved mental health and wellbeing support in home care.

What the team did

The project was conducted in 2023 and delivered through three key phases:

1. Codesign. Though interactive and vibrant workshops involving care staff, clients, families and expert advisors including Beyond Blue and Mental Health First Aid Australia), we developed the Talking Mental Health program, tailored for use in the aged care setting,
2. Training and tools.
   • Two new e-learning modules on older adult mental health for aged care staff
   • Face to face training for over 180 staff
   • Mental Health First Aid certification for care managers
   • User friendly data collection tools to log and escalate observations
3. Pilot implementation.  Conducted at Uniting AgeWell’s Kingsville region in Melbourne, the pilot involved:
   • 2000 clients and 200 staff
   •  Revised intake and screening processes to improve identification and management of mental health and wellbeing
   • 275 recorded staff observations of mental health issues
   •  17 clients receiving additional support or referrals as a response to mental health concerns.

Impact highlights

• 88% of staff reported imported mental health literacy and skills in managing mental health and wellbeing concerns
• 72% felt more confident initiating well-being conversations with clients
• 69% increased their knowledge of older people’s mental health
• Over 24,000 digital observations submitted via the new data platform.

Award winning innovation

In 2024, the Talking Mental Health project was awarded the Future of Ageing Research Award, recognising its innovation and impact in aged care service delivery.

Find out more about the award

What's Next?

The team plans to study the implementation of Talking Mental Health across services and to share what they’ve learned to help shape better mental health care across Australia’s aged care sector. 

This Research program is enhancing the quality of every year lived by older Australians, by addressing the crucial importance of mental health and wellbeing.

The intersection of ageing and mental well-being demands thoughtful investigation not only to address clinical needs but to elevate our understanding of ageing as a dynamic psychosocial process.