The Metro South Older Adults Liaison Team has launched a new pilot program, aiming to enhance nutrition knowledge, cooking confidence, exercise skills, and overall physical and functional capacity among older adults in the community.
Multimorbidity Quality Improvement Strategy Project Officer Brooke Warner-Lee said the initiative was developed in response to the complex challenges often faced by this cohort.
“Older adults with severe mental illness experience increased hospital presentations and medical admissions, higher instances of multimorbidity and increased falls in community compared to their aged-matched peers,” she said.
The evidence based, four-week pilot program officially launched on 29 October and is being facilitated by Senior Exercise Physiologist Nicola Carlish and Senior Dietitian Kaylee Saw, with support from Acting Professional Leader Exercise Physiology, Talia McIntosh.
“We have partnered with our colleagues in Logan and Beaudesert Allied Health to make use of the Logan Healthcare Centre, supporting a collaborative approach to care,” said Brooke.
“We’re also excited to be welcoming the involvement of students who are playing an important role in planning this pilot with us.”
Beyond the physical and nutritional benefits, the new group will provide an opportunity for participants to build social connection and community belonging, which staff say are key factors in improving both mental and physical health outcomes.
The program’s launch coincided with Queensland Seniors Month (1 – 31 October) which is all about increasing the social connectedness of older people and their communities.
In another boost for the Older Adults Mental Health Service team, a new Multimorbidity Screening Pathway has recently been rolled out to screen for risk factors related to multimorbidity such as falls and malnutrition.
Well done to everyone in the MSAMHS Older Adults team for all that you do every day!