The Adelaide-based MemorySupport Transition Team (MSTT) pilot program has been operating since February 22 this year, and has already successfully helped six older South Australians living with advanced dementia move from a specialist dementia unit into residential aged care.
The MSTT was developed by the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN), operates out of the Repat Health Precinct at Daw Park, and partners exclusively with South Australia’s only aged provider to offer in-house geriatrician services, Life Care. Life Care operates five residential aged care locations around Adelaide, and a range of other aged care services.
MSTT’s geriatricians and other staff have worked closely with Life Care’s own geriatrician, Miriam Cursaro, to structure a six-week program that allows older people living with advanced dementia to move into a more structured community environment, while still receiving a high level of clinical care.
The program also means that families are brought closer together, as was the case with Colin Semmens. Colin spent a year in the Specialist Advanced Dementia Unit at the Repat Health Precinct, which was a 60km roundtrip for his wife, Barbara. But now that he has moved to Life Care’s Aldinga Beach residential aged care home (pictured), Barbara is just a 15-minute drive away.
“It is very rewarding to be able to change someone’s life for the better by helping them out of hospital and into an environment that feels more like home,” said Melissa Fox, Life Care’s residential operations manager.
“I am delighted that that Colin has settled in so well with us at Aldinga Beach.”
