Expert mental health advice for older people
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust is aiming to ensure that more older people get treatment for mental health conditions.
The Trust is backing an NHS England and Age UK campaign introduced after an analysis which showed that the majority of older people do not seek help.
New data reveals that more than six in 10 people in the UK aged 65 or over have experienced depression and anxiety but more than half did not seek help as they thought ‘they should just get on with it’ and nearly a quarter relied on support from friends or family.
Despite effective treatment for mental health problems being available, only 13% of people surveyed by Age UK said they would put their mental health before their physical health, with ingrained attitudes towards mental health a possible factor in preventing them from seeking help.
The campaign aims to boost the number of older people seeking help.
Simon Reay, the Trust’s clinical lead for community adult mental health, said: “Many older people grew up in an era when there was a stigma associated with mental illness and, consequently, they may adopt a ‘stiff upper lip’ approach towards mental health’.
“Treatment can be very effective for many mental health problems but the first step is to seek help.”
The Trust provides the South Tyneside Lifecycle Primary Care Mental Health Service and Gateshead Talking Therapies – which offer free and confidential NHS services. For information on services, go to www.southtynesidelifecyclementalhealth.nhs.uk or ring 0191 2832937.