Inquiry

March 31, 2004

- as part of my public health practice I am in the process of setting up an 'older people' group/s. In conjunction with the Pension Service (who offered a financial audit) I undertook a survey of the needs of older people (900 people, +/- 600 questionnaires; 100 responses). If we can help in any way by being evaluated we would be happy to work with you. Ruth

Inquiry

Dear Excellent Folks of the Forum

The mental health promotion charity mentality has been commissioned

by Age Concern and the Mental Health Foundation to complete a review into

mental health + well being in later life. The review is the first stage of a

three year joint inquiry which will consider promotion, prevention + provision

The promotion of mental health and well being among older people is an area

of concern which has, to date, largely been ignored. Responsibility for it

has tended to fall between mental health professionals and those working with

older people and therefore it has remained a low priority on most agendas.

It is often assumed that old age is linked inevitably with failing health,

poverty, dependency, isolation and depression and yet there is much that can be

done to promote the mental health of older people.

At the current time mentality are asking two questions:

1 - Are there any key background studies that people are aware of which would

provide information of relevance to mental health promotion or any

published evidence for effective approaches to promoting the mental health

and well being of older people? (they are not including pharmacological

interventions in the review)

2 - Are there any models of good practice that people are aware of in the UK

which support the promotion of mental health among older people?

Any help/assistance/expertise/evidence that any of you can provide via myself will

be passed on to mentality directly.

Very Best Wishes

Manning

www.primhe.org

www.depressionalliance.org

April 4, 2004

Perhaps you could get Age Concern to supply details about the ACCESS projects which operate in Suffolk in respect to early stage dementia support for client & carer.

Also I used to work, in a Staff Nurse capacity, offering a Health Visiting service for clients over 65's. During my time the F/T designated HV was not replaced but owing to the client balance in NE Suffolk a number of the HV's are expected to cater as much for their older clients as for the under 5's. Much of this was discrete support through life, mobility, relationship, health involving supporting through access to equipment, benefits and general health info which of course included mental wellbeing. The 'named person' approach working within the 'health' as opposed to 'mental health' remit seemed to make the service accessible and acceptable to clients.

I wrote some of this work up when completing the research module of my diploma- might still be able to find a copy lurking on the hard drive or a hard copy that I can blow the dust off, but the references may be a little old now (completed 97/98), let me know

Hope this helps,

Judy