Central Bayside

Overview

A Psychosocial Approach to Accessing Day Activities for People with Psychiatric Illness and /or Dementia

Aim

The Southern Psychogeriatric Activity Services (SPAS) aims to assist older people with psychiatric disabilities and/or dementia to participate in social and recreational activities in their communities.

Service Description

The development of SPAS resulted from an unmet need to maintain the psychosocial functioning of older clients who had come to the attention of mental health services. The service commenced in 1991 as a small specialist team of psychiatric workers, assisting older persons who are depressed, confused, or disabled by other mental symptoms to gain access to mainstream day activity programs. The client group does not necessarily require ‘specialist’ psychogeriatric day centres, with therapeutic intervention they can be involved in community programs like most other older people.

Through listening to our clients we have been able to provide a service that gives all clients referred the “best” chance of being involved with other people in pleasurable and meaningful activities as independently as possible.

Who is Eligible?

Older people who:

• have a psychiatric disability or illness
• have dementia
• experience difficulty participating in activities
• reside in the local government areas of Glen Eira, Bayside or Kingston (including those living in Supported Residential Services, boarding/rooming houses and private hotels).

A Service to Clients

SPAS staff follow a model of community integration in their individual work with clients which involves:

• Getting to know each other
• Psychosocial assessment
• Discovering recreational and social needs
• Provide the client with a therapeutic relationship, offering a graded approach to accessing and enjoying activity programs in their community.
• Providing appropriate activity options to match the person's needs
• Providing support in attending the activity
• Withdrawing support when the person is comfortable and participating independently
• Being available for secondary consultation

A Service for Carers

• To Provide support and education for carers
• To Ensure high quality day respite is received

A Service to Activity Programs

• We provide support to local activity services to ensure access for people with psychiatric disability and/or dementia
• We provide education and support to activity services around the issues of psychiatric disability and dementia (i.e. informal consultations, inservice training)
• We work to advocate for better availability of social and recreational activity options that meet the needs of the client group

Staffing

SPAS is staffed by Occupational Therapists and Psychiatric Nurses, who have extensive experience in working with people with psychiatric disabilities and dementia.

For Enquiries or Referrals phone 8587 0200.

Publications for Dementia (SPAS)

	Southern Psychogeriatric Activity Service	91 KB	English	20/01/2012
	SPAS Bayside directory	981 KB	English	07/12/2009
	SPAS Glen Eira directory	1398 KB	English	07/12/2009
	SPAS Kingston directory	887 KB	English	07/12/2009