No one is immune to developing chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer or arthritis as they get older. But research shows social activities, like joining clubs, interest groups or volunteering, are linked to better mental and physical health and a longer lifespan.
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Advice for older people from the Mental Health Foundation on keeping safe and looking after their mental health at this time.
Read the advice here
The Centre for Ageing Better has reviewed
research on attitudes towards ageing and
found that older people are subject to many
negative stereotypes.
Read the study here
NHS England and Age UK have joined forces in a campaign to encourage older people to access treatment for mental health conditions, as new analysis shows a majority of older people do not seek help. New data reveals that more than six in 10 people in the UK aged over 65 or over have experienced depression and anxiety.
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Age UK report calling for legislation to change what is understood as domestic abuse and make it easier for people to recognise or report it, as well as improving the resources available to help victims and survivors. This includes training for health care practitioners and better links between the NHS and police.
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Guidance from the Royal College of Psychiatrists to help local areas plan and deliver specialist services, led by old age psychiatrists, to meet the needs of older people. The report brings together views from older people, service users, carers and a wide range of health and social care professionals and provides insight into:
• the essential role played by old age psychiatrists, and the Older People’s Mental Health (OPMH) services to whom they provide leadership, in delivering high quality outcomes for the health and wellbeing of the UK’s ageing population;
• the centrality of this to the Ageing Well agenda; and
• how best to support decision-makers responsible for implementing the NHS LTP as it affects older people
Click here to view the full report.
This report brings together recommendations for designing digital skills interventions for older people with care and support needs. It draws on insights from two pathfinders, which were funded by NHS Digital and supported by Good Things Foundation as part of the Widening Digital Participation programme. The pathfinders generated insights on small system-level changes that can embed digital inclusion in social care support and factors influencing digital inclusion within social housing schemes. The model developed suggests:
• Step 1: Engage people where they are
• Step 2: Needs-led learning
• Step 3: Empowerment and Ongoing Support
Click here to view the full report.
This statement by Public Health England and the Centre for Ageing Better defines the shared commitment of the signatory organisations. It is the first time that such a wide range of organisations have come together to voice their intention to promote healthy ageing. Signatories span the areas of health, employment, housing and communities, and are from academia, local government, the NHS, and the public and voluntary sectors.
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The Community Mental Health Framework describes how the Long Term Plan’s vision for a place-based community mental health model can be realised, and how community services should modernise to offer whole-person, whole-population health approaches, aligned with the new Primary Care Networks.
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This report aims to shine a light on the issue of casual ageism and the impact that it has on all of us. It highlights how ageism can have real life consequences, promotes exclusion and can affect physical and mental health. It is based on consumer research of 4,000 UK adults to understand how and when people experience ageism, how many of us admit to being ageist, and if people feel progress is being made to stamp it out. It finds casual ageism is part of our everyday language. It’s so ingrained that many ageist remarks are often overlooked, missed or simply accepted. Many sentiments are subtle and can even be well-intentioned. But the truth is that ‘ageist’ language, however casual, can have a huge impact on our perception of life after 50 and the way we treat people we meet. The truth is that ageist language, however casual, perpetuates the myth that life after 50 must be worse than before it.
Click here to view the full report.
