Supporting Mental Health in Aged Care

Supporting the mental health of aged care residents is a critical component of promoting their wellbeing and quality of life. There are many ways in which staff and systems can support good mental health in residents.

We will explore some of the ways in which a digital system can 

Personalised care delivery

Centralised care records allow staff to access comprehensive, up-to-date information on each resident, ensuring that the delivery of care is based on their current clinical and health needs. 

Staff are also easily able to draw upon each resident's personal history, preferences, and any information surrounding risk based decision making, promoting care that respects dignity and individuality. 

Emotional support

Engaging resident's in regular, meaningful interactions and conversations can help them feel connected. 

A good clinical management system will support staff in these interactions by providing areas in which to capture detailed information on:

• Life history
• Leisure interests
• Abilities 
• Important people
• Things that contribute to their life's meaning and purpose
• Ways in which they like to spend their day
• Cultural and/or spiritual practices 

Community and activity engagement

Collecting information on each resident's leisure interests allows staff to encourage participation in social, recreational and/or physical activities that fit these interests for each individual. 

This can also allow facility staff to map out activity schedules that cater to a diverse range of interests and abilities, and those that are designed to enhance cognitive function.

Participation in these activities can also help to foster a sense of community, where residents with shared interests can partake in meaningful conversations.

Monitoring and data analysis

A good clinical management system will also allow staff to capture resident attendance and participation in leisure activities. Once captured within the system, information can then be monitored and reported upon.

Utilising data to monitor trends can help staff identify changes in a resident's typical behaviour and/or routine e.g. a decline of interest and participation in their usual activities.  

By identifying these changes, staff can implement early interventions before there is a serious decline in the residents mental health. Your clinical management system can then help to monitor the efficacy of these interventions, by identifying if they have been effective or if further assessment is required. 

Treatment and planning

Residents may at times require access to professional support via external mental health services and specialists. External services can also help to provide staff with strategies for managing changed behaviours. 

A digital clinical system makes it easier to facilitate communication and the sharing of resident information with external services (with the resident's/representative's consent). Messaging can be used to ensure the relevant stakeholders are informed about any changes to the resident and their care plan.

External health providers can also input information into resident notes, charts etc. and access relevant clinical histories for their patients. This ensures that everyone involved in the care of an individual has access to the same, current information.

To find out more about how AutumnCare can assist, book a demonstration of our product suite.