The program is designed to prepare workers for new standards coming into effect next month and rising mental health needs of older Australians.
Silverchain has launched a free online training program to help aged care workers better support the mental health of older Australians and prepare providers for new standards coming in a matter of weeks.
The initiative, Foundations in Mental Health, is being rolled out ahead of the Strengthened Aged Care Standards and the Support at Home reforms, which come into effect on 1 November.
Under the revised standards, providers will be required to place greater emphasis on emotional wellbeing, integrating mental health care alongside physical health support.
Silverchain Chief Executive, Adjunct Professor Dale Fisher AM, said the training responded to a longstanding service gap and reflected the organisation’s wider goals.
“At Silverchain, our ambition is to create a better home care system for all Australians. Our commitment extends to innovative ways of supporting our colleagues across the sector, to ensure care workers can provide the skilled support and care older people need to maintain their health and wellbeing at home,” she said.
“As part of this, we are sharing our Foundations in Mental Health training with the aged care sector, free of charge, in recognition of the benefits it will bring to older people and to the dedicated aged care workers who support them.
“With more than one million Australians receiving aged care at home and the accelerating demand from the community to age at home, we must ensure as a sector we are attuned to every health need, not just physical health care.
“While mental health is a national health priority, older people have not been prioritised by government or public health initiatives and aged care staff have historically received minimal mental health training, leaving a significant gap in their ability to support the growing mental health needs of older Australians.
Research conducted by Silverchain highlights the growing number of older Australians facing depression, anxiety, and related mental health conditions. Despite mental health being a national priority, older people have often been overlooked in public health initiatives, leaving a gap in service delivery.
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Foundations in Mental Health is designed to build staff confidence in addressing sensitive issues, reduce stigma, and encourage early detection and referral for assessment and treatment. The program also provides practical support to providers navigating the regulatory shift towards more holistic models of care.
The training draws on Silverchain’s Enhanced Management of home-Based Elders with Depression (EMBED) model, led by clinical psychologist and Silverchain director of Research Discovery, Adjunct Professor Tanya Davison.
Developed with support from the Silverchain Foundation’s donors, EMBED has been trialled within Silverchain’s own workforce with strong results.
During the past year, more than 1000 Silverchain care workers have been trained in mental health screening and support. The organisation has also piloted evidence-based interventions for depression, with participants showing high levels of engagement and positive outcomes.
The official launch of Foundations in Mental Health will also present Silverchain’s latest research findings on the mental health of older Australians.
All home care providers are invited to join the online event on Tuesday 7 October, 11-11.45am (AEST); 10.30–11.15am (ACST), and 9-9.45am (AWST). Use this link to join the launch.