The Geriatric Medicine Clinic (GMC) is a specialist assessment service. We care for people with complex or multiple age-related health conditions.
Our team includes allied health clinicians and geriatricians. We work with you, your GP and/or your family to identify your needs, develop a management plan and link you into community services and supports as required.
Who we care for
We can help if you are experiencing or are concerned about:
- Ongoing health problems or lots of health problems
- Memory loss or changes to your thinking
- Dementia with new changes to your behaviour
- Problems with walking and falls
- Multiple medications
- Unexpected weight loss or changes to your appetite
- Feeling down or anxious
- Bladder / bowel problems
- Pain
- Difficulties managing at home
- Planning for your future
We do not accept referrals for assessments of capacity only or to provide reports for NDIS, VCAT, insurance and VicRoads, or paperwork for the dementia supplement.
The Geriatric Medicine Clinic is not an urgent or emergency service and cannot respond to urgent or emergency medical needs, or acute crisis situations. Please click on this link to see alternative options.
What to expect
- A phone call with one of our allied health clinicians to talk about what matters most to you and your health concerns
- If you agree, a phone call with a family member, carer or support person to talk about any concerns they have or changes that they have noticed
- A comprehensive assessment with a geriatrician
- Investigation(s), diagnosis, management, referral to other specialists or services
- A plan to address your health needs
- A copy of this plan sent to you within a week after your appointment
- A letter sent to your GP approximately 2 weeks after your appointment
- Support to access community services and supports
- 60-75 minutes for new appointments and 45-60 minutes for review appointments
- Clinic times: Monday afternoon at The Mornington Centre
- There is no cost to attend the clinic
- Support and assistance to access transport
We recommend you make an appointment with your GP after they receive our geriatrician’s letter to discuss your management plan.
The Geriatric Medicine Clinic is not an ongoing service, and you will be discharged back into the care of your GP for ongoing management.
How to access the clinic
- You need a referral from your Bayside health doctor, specialist or GP
- Referrals need to be sent to Bayside Health (Peninsula Group) ACCESS service
- You are welcome to call us to find out more about the service, referral process or current waitlist timeframe
What to bring
- All your medications OR a current list of medications, including over the counter and natural supplements
- Glasses, hearing aid and your usual mobility aid
- We strongly encourage you to bring a family member, carer or support person with you
Referrals – for health professionals
Eligibility Criteria
- Generally, people over 65 years old, or Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people over 50 years old
- Requires specialist comprehensive geriatric assessment for:
- multiple medical conditions
- any combination of: falls, weight loss or malnutrition, continence issues, pain, low mood or anxiety, carer stress, functional impairment, changes to cognition or memory, recurrent deliriu
- frailty
- polypharmacy or medication review
- advanced undiagnosed dementia symptoms
- behaviours and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) management,(including for people under 65 years old with a dementia diagnosis)
- future planning
Exclusion Criteria
- Psychiatric assessment and management
- Assessments of capacity only
- NDIS, VCAT, dementia supplement, insurance or fitness to drive reports/paperwork only
- Assessment and management for persons experiencing cognitive or behavioural issues relating to a stroke, ABI or intellectual disability only
- Requests for appointments >3 months in future
- Urgent or emergency medical need assessment and management, or acute crisis situations (000 or emergency department)
Make a referral
Referrals must be addressed to the Geriatric Medicine Clinic and sent via the ACCESS service.
Fax: 9125 5862
Phone: 1300 665 781
Our referral form is available here.
Referral letters are also accepted.
All referrals must contain the following information:
Referral: date, clinic/service referring to, referring practitioner name, signature, contact details
Patient/Client demographics: full name, date of birth, postal address, contact details, preferred alternate contact person, Medicare number, Aboriginal or Torress Strait Islander status, language spoken / interpreter requirement, consent to referral
Clinical:
- Clear clinical reason for referral including:
- History of all presenting conditions
- Investigations and management to date
- Intended outcome of referral i.e. clinical assessment, diagnosis, inform treatment plan, specialist advice, or specific tests or treatments management
- Recent medical summary
- List of current medications and allergies
- Results of all relevant recent investigations
- Correspondence from relevant specialists
Urgent, Emergency or Crisis support alternatives
Depending on the level of urgency and situation, alternative options include:
- GP
- 1-800-MEDICARE (1800 633 422) (24/7 registered nurse)
- Urgent Care Clinic
- Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED)
- Emergency Department
- Dementia Support Australia (24/7 support 1800 699 799)
- Bayside Health (Peninsula) Mental Health Telephone Triage (24/7 assessment, support, advice 1300 792 977)