ADVANCING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING INTO OLD AGEMental health needs of older persons
Greater investment is called for in research into aspects of mental health and ageing. Investigation of causes, manifestations and treatment of depression and dementia with ageing is particularly important. Curricula on gerontology and geriatrics should incorporate instruction in mental health issues on ageing. Programs for assessment, treatment, management, care and rehabilitation including community based programs should emphasize mental health aspects of ageing.
Research- Research on the causes, prevention, protective factors, early detection, treatment and rehabilitation issues in psychiatric disorders especially depression, anxiety, and psychotic disorders is critically important. Special attention should be paid to differential diagnostic factors with multiple psychiatric, social, medical problems and protective factors such as nutrition and exercise.
- Research on dementia, including causes, prevention, treatment and care and support systems for detection, assisting home caregivers, supportive and sensitive housing, and adaptive devices and environments will produce not only policies but also informed clinical practice.
- Research on care giving for people with mental health problems including support and education for home care-givers in rural or isolated environments is absolutely essential. Analysis should include gender and other issues and the effectiveness and cost of various models of care.
- Research on the ecology and psychology of death and dying especially as it relates to the mental health of the person, family and caregivers will assist practitioners in their responsibilities.
- Research on systems for delivering mental health care to provide timely access, evidence-based, user-friendly and efficient services to both the person and family will be useful to professionals and consumers working to improve the care of persons suffering with mental disorders.
- Curricula in gerontology and geriatrics should incorporate appropriate instruction on the range of mental health problems of older people including modern knowledge about detection, assessment, treatment, rehabilitation, referral and systems.
- Education on mental health issues of older people should include a multidisciplinary perspective because of the multiple needs of people with mental health problems and their family caregivers.
- Specific instruction in this area should include psychopathological components; protective factors (e.g. cognitive tasks in dementia and pleasant events in depression and cognitive behavioral rehearsal in anxiety); treatment (medication, psychological, cognitive behavioral etc); rehabilitation and support especially of family caregivers, stigma reduction, spirituality and death and dying issues.
- Policy at such levels of governance as national, state, municipal, and facility should articulate the importance of addressing mental health needs of older people within the context of health and social services for all ages but policy should recognize special assistance is needed by older people and their families.
- Policies should encourage access and cost effective services for older people through the use of primary care models backed by specialist services.
- Practitioners need to be sensitive to the needs of older persons presenting with mental health problems in terms of the greater interplay of physical and mental problems, multiple loses, gender issues, spiritual issues and their psychological needs around major life events.