Pathways to community living in practice: Local development and adaptation within an older peoples mental health service

Objective: To describe the local adaptation of the Pathways to Community Living (PCLI) program in an Older Peoples Mental Health (OPMH) service to guide other services. Method: A retrospective observational study was conducted. Data were obtained from service planning meetings and newly developed documents, Clinical Advisory Committee meetings, and OPMH PCLI database. Results: The PCLI program was adapted for the local OPMH service through development of an assessment template, creating a Memorandum of Understanding with a partner Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) and establishing processes for collaboration and regular review. Between 2019 and March 2023, 20 mental health consumers were referred to the OPMH PCLI program. Their demographic and clinical characteristics are described. Conclusions: Adaptation of the PCLI program for OPMH consumers required consideration of specific older adult needs to develop a bespoke plan for assessment and partnership with the PCLI-funded RACF. The development phase and ongoing processes for review facilitated engagement of key stakeholders across health and RACF sectors, highlighting issues with consumer engagement. Similar models could be used by other health services to implement the PCLI in their local context.