Support for older people in Otago and Southland
Local services providing care for older people in Otago and Southland. These include Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) agencies, Meals on Wheels and nursing.
Needs Assessment and Service Coordination
The Needs Assessment and Service Coordination service assesses the needs of people who struggle with daily activities because of age, a health condition or disability. The goal of the needs assessment is to help people maximise their independence.
Older persons' NASC
Older persons' NASC services in Otago and Southland are arranged by the care coordination centre. You can contact them by:
- email carecoordinationcentre@southerndhb.govt.nz
- phone 03 470 9300
- freephone 0800 627 236
Mental health NASC
Mental health NASC services are done by our Mental health and addictions needs assessment and service coordination team. They work closely with our Māori mental health and addiction services, Kakakura health services and Synergy wellness teams.
You can contact the team at:
- Dunedin Hospital on 03 470 9429
- Helensburgh House on 03 476 9660
- Southland Hospital 03 214 5786
For more information
Find out more about needs assessment services, including finding other organisations that offer a NASC.
Older persons' mental health services
Older persons' mental health services are provided at Dunedin and Southland hospitals.
Contact details
- Phone 03 214 5786
- Freephone 0800 443 366
Location details
Dunedin Hospital
201 Great King Street
Dunedin
Southland Hospital
Gate 2 Elles Road
Invercargill
About Mental health for older persons'
The Mental health for older persons' service provides assessment and treatment for those aged 65 and over in Otago and Southland. The service is for people who have an identified moderate to severe mental illness which causes significant dysfunction or enduring disability, including dementia with behavioral and psychological disturbance.
The team aims to help people live as full a life and independently as possible. Appointments can be provided in a variety of settings including home, rest home or community mental health offices.
Location
Floor 6 Dunedin Hospital
201 Great King Street
Dunedin
About Ward 6C
Ward 6C provides inpatient services for people aged over 65 years with mental health needs. It is a 12-bed acute assessment and treatment unit.
We aim to offer a safe, supervised environment to assess your needs and provide any treatment you may require during your admission. We do not provide long-term care as you will be going home or to another facility in the community when you are discharged. Length of stay is variable and depends on the individual patient's needs.
While based in Dunedin, Ward 6C provides a service to all of Otago and Southland.
Location
Dunedin Hospital
Ground Floor
201 Great King Street
Dunedin
About Gibson day unit
The Gibson day unit offers a day-based service providing comprehensive assessment, treatment and rehabilitation services to clients over 65 years old with Mental Health needs.
We aim to assist individuals in meeting their immediate physical and emotional needs and help them to achieve or maintain their highest possible level of health within the community.
The Gibson day unit runs groups Monday to Friday, but not public holidays. Each day caters for patients with different needs.
Opening hours
8am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday (not open public holidays).
Location
Dunedin Hospital
Ground Floor
201 Great King Street
Dunedin
Community psychiatric nurses
Community psychiatric nurses assess, treat and monitor clients in their own homes. We will work with you and your whānau to build a therapeutic relationship and create a care plan that takes your goals and needs into account. Our aim is to provide you with support to enable you to live as independently as possible and enjoy your life.
Nurse practitioner
Nurse practitioners enhance the care and support of people with significant mental health problems in the community. In some situations, the nurse may work with other health professionals to achieve these goals.
Home as my first choice
The Home as my first choice programme is committed to helping you or your whānau, maintain health and independence in your community and home. The aims are to educate and encourage health professionals and the community, when supporting and working with older people, to listen to what the older person wants.
The programme:
- shares information about where people can go for support, services and equipment, as their needs changes
- encourages people to learn about the funded and non-funded services that are available to support people at home for as long as possible
- supports the older person's whānau and friends when caring the kaumātua in our community.
It starts from asking the question, 'If home is my first choice, what support needs to be in place to enable this to happen?'
Patient experiences
In the following videos David, Kaumātua and Tāngata utu nui, and David's daughter Ros share their thoughts about:
- the importance of home or tūrangawaewae
- their experience of community support services who have helped David in the way he wanted.
Ingrid talks about The home team in Dunedin and how they can support you in your home.
Daphne was in hospital for 9 weeks following a stroke. She was determined to recover in the comfort of her own home and to continue living there. Daphne was able to do this with the support of home support services. Daphne tells her story in the following video.
Patient video: Daphne — YouTube
Home as my first choice resource
Find out some of the community resources available in your area in our Home as my first choice booklet.
Home as my first choice
Other services for older people
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels is a support service that prepares and delivers a subsidised hot midday meal.
You usually need to be referred to the service by a healthcare provider.
The Citizens Advice Bureau has contact details for Meals on Wheels services in each region.
Meals on Wheels community directory — Citizens Advice Bureau
District nursing
To contact district nursing services in
- Dunedin freephone 0800 627 236
- Invercargill phone 03 214 5783
Hato Hone St John Health Shuttles
The St John Health Shuttle is a community service that transports people to and from medical and health-related appointments.
The service is run by volunteers. A donation is greatly appreciated to help cover costs.
Hato Hone St John Health Shuttle operates a service:
- door-to-door across the wider Dunedin area — freephone 0800 103 046 to book
- between Dunedin and Invercargill — freephone 0800 103 046 to book
- between Dunedin and Cromwell — freephone 0800 785 276 to book.
On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the Dunedin to Cromwell shuttle travels via Milton, and on Tuesday and Thursday it travels via Palmerston. There are designated drop off points along the way.