Mental Health of Older People

1992 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-54
Author(s):  
Steven H. Zarit
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older People

scholarly journals Service innovations

2003 ◽  
Vol 27 (09) ◽  
pp. 346-348
Author(s):  
Chris Simpson ◽  
Prasanna De Silva
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Older People ◽  
High Quality ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Multi Disciplinary Team

The increase in older people in the UK will increase the need for mental health services to run efficient, high-quality services. Multi-disciplinary team assessments, although not new, provide a method of increasing the capacity to see referrals. Two similar systems of multi-disciplinary team assessments from North Yorkshire are reported with evidence of improvement in quality.

scholarly journals Loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparison between Older and Younger People

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 7871
Author(s):  
Mostafa Saidur Rahim Khan ◽  
Yoshihiko Kadoya
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older People ◽  
Subjective Health ◽  
Living Condition ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Subjective Health Status ◽  
Policy Interventions ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Health Support ◽  
Precautionary Measures

The precautionary measures and uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have serious psychological impacts on peoples’ mental health. We used longitudinal data from Hiroshima University to investigate loneliness before and during the pandemic among older and younger people in Japan. We provide evidence that loneliness among both older and younger people increased considerably during the pandemic. Although loneliness among younger people is more pervasive, the magnitude of increase in loneliness during the pandemic is higher among older people. Our logit regression analysis shows that age, subjective health status, and feelings of depression are strongly associated with loneliness before and during the pandemic. Moreover, household income and financial satisfaction are associated with loneliness among older people during the pandemic while gender, marital status, living condition, and depression are associated with loneliness among younger people during the pandemic. The evidence of increasing loneliness during the pandemic is concerning for a traditionally well-connected and culturally collectivist society such as Japan. As loneliness has a proven connection with both physical and mental health, we suggest immediate policy interventions to provide mental health support for lonely people so they feel more cared for, secure, and socially connected.

The ‘loneliness pandemic’: implications for gerontological nursing

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (11) ◽  
pp. 652-655
Author(s):  
Carlos Laranjeira
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Gerontological Nursing

The COVID-19 pandemic compelled states to limit free movement, in order to protect at-risk and more vulnerable groups, particularly older adults. Due to old age or debilitating chronic diseases, this group is also more vulnerable to loneliness (perceived discrepancy between actual and desired social relationships) and social isolation (feeling that one does not belong to society). This forced isolation has negative consequences for the health of older people, particularly their mental health. This is an especially challenging time for gerontological nursing, but it is also an opportunity for professionals to combat age stereotypes reinforced with COVID-19, to urge the measurement of loneliness and social isolation, and to rethink how to further adjust interventions in times of crisis, such as considering technology-mediated interventions in these uncertain times.

Dialogue and challenge among different specialities

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 2059-2059
Author(s):  
A.R. Atti
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older People ◽  
Cognitive Disorders ◽  
Case Manager ◽  
Psychiatric Services ◽  
Psychiatric Nurses ◽  
Worldwide Phenomenon ◽  
Socio Economic Impact ◽  
Care Of Elderly ◽  
Medical Advances

IntroductionThanks to social, technological, and medical advances occurred during the last century, the aging of the population has become a worldwide phenomenon (Kinsella, 2002). The high socio-economic impact of this demographic transition has recently stimulated a growing interest for the aging process (Lunenfeld, 2008) and elderly mental health has been receiving increasing attention (Mental Health in Older People. Consensus, 2008).ObjectiveOld age psychiatry, or psychogeriatric, deals with psychiatric conditions that predate the ageing process such as schizophrenia or depression, and with diseases occurring later in life like dementia and other cognitive disorders. To cope with the increased workload due to older people, Psychiatric Services are required to provide multidisciplinary, comprehensive and integrated care.AimsTo investigate the attitude of Bologna's Psychiatric Services in the care of elderly affected by psychiatric disorders.MethodsSelf-completed questionnaires administered to psychiatrists.ResultsPsychogeriatric is the second main priority of psychiatry for the new millennium. Psychiatrists working in liason-consultation settings take care of around 20 elderly patients per weeek. Sedation, insomnia and resistant-depression treatment are the most frequent interventions required to psychiatrists by colleagues of other specialities. Psychiatrists report feelings of un-satisfaction and worries for potential drugs side-effects. They “don't like much” dealing with elderly people especially with patients affected by un-treatable conditions such as dementia (narcissistic wound?).ConclusionAccessible and responsive services working in liason with other medical specialists, gero-psychiatric nurses, case manager and social workers might be a good response to the increasing needs of elderly with mental health disorders.

Dental health of community-living older people attending secondary healthcare: a cross-sectional comparison between those with and without diagnosed mental illness

2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 417-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitin Purandare ◽  
Eva Woods ◽  
Sue Butler ◽  
Julie Morris ◽  
Martin Vernon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Older People ◽  
Dental Treatment ◽  
Dental Health ◽  
Oral Pathology ◽  
Community Living ◽  
Health Examination ◽  
Medical Group ◽  
Cross Sectional

ABSTRACTBackground: Mental illness and cognitive impairment are risk factors for poor dental health.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study to compare the dental health of older patients attending out-patient clinics and day hospitals of old age psychiatry services (the psychiatry group, n = 103) with those attending general/geriatric medical services (the medical group; n = 99). Those living in care homes, and those with diagnosed mental illness (in the medical group) were excluded. A registered mental health nurse assessed mental and general health using validated and previously published instruments. A registered dentist made an independent assessment of dental health (examination to assess oral pathology, status of remaining teeth, and dentures) and made an overall judgment about whether the patient needed any dental treatment (a “normative” need).Results: The normative need for dental treatment was significantly higher among the psychiatry group compared to the medical group (85% vs 52%; p<0.001); even after taking account of the effect of age, gender, teeth status, physical comorbidity, cognition, depressive symptoms, and overall mental and social health [adjusted odds ratio, OR (95% confidence interval): 4.32 (2.09, 8.91)]. The presence of any natural remaining teeth [OR: 4.44 (2.10, 9.42)] and Barthel Index [OR: 0.96 (0.93, 0.99)] were the two other independent predictors of the need for treatment.Conclusion: Dental problems are common in community-living older people, especially those with some natural remaining teeth and those with mental illness. There is a need to develop integrated mental health and dental care services for older people with emphasis on prevention of dental problems.

Enhancing Mental Health and Mental Wellbeing in Older People

Wellbeing ◽  
2014 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Anna K. Forsman ◽  
Eija Stengård ◽  
Kristian Wahlbeck
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older People ◽  
Mental Wellbeing

scholarly journals IMPACT OF OFFLINE AND ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKS ON LONELINESS AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG ITALIAN OLDER PEOPLE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S529-S529
Author(s):  
Daniele Zaccaria ◽  
Georgia Casanova ◽  
Antonio Guaita
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Older People ◽  
Online Social Networks ◽  
Social Network Sites ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Causal Impact

Abstract In the last decades the study of older people and social networks has been at the core of gerontology research. The literature underlines the positive health effects of traditional and online social connections and also the social networks’s positive impact on cognitive performance, mental health and quality of life. Aging in a Networked Society is a randomized controlled study aimed at investigating causal impact of traditional face-to-face social networks and online social networks (e.g. Social Network Sites) on older people’ health, cognitive functions and well-being. A social experiment, based on a pre-existing longitudinal study (InveCe - Brain Aging in Abbiategrasso) has involved 180 older people born from 1935 to 1939 living in Abbiategrasso, a municipality near Milan. We analyse effects on health and well-being of smartphones and Facebook use (compared to engagement in a more traditional face-to-face activity), exploiting the research potential of past waves of InveCe study, which collected information concerning physical, cognitive and mental health using international validate scale, blood samples, genetic markers and information on social networks and socio-demographic characteristics of all participants. Results of statistical analysis show that poor social relations and high level of perceived loneliness (measured by Lubben Scale and UCLA Loneliness scale) affect negatively physical and mental outcomes. We also found that gender and marital status mediate the relationship between loneliness and mental wellbeing, while education has not significant effect. Moreover, trial results underline the causal impact of ICT use (smartphones, internet, social network sites) on self-perceived loneliness and cognitive and physical health.

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