Today, our understanding of mental health is better than ever. But are older people being left behind? Depression in older people can sometimes be brushed off as a natural part of growing older. It shouldn't be this way. If depression goes untreated, it can cause a serious decline in an older person's physical and mental health. Today's article aims to help you recognise depression in older people. If you notice any signs or symptoms that you or someone you know may be suffering from depression, now is the time to act. The Facts About Depression: Why …
Top 10 Mindfulness Techniques
When you hear the word meditation, what springs to mind? Is it sitting cross-legged and humming with your eyes shut? That is probably what pops into most minds. However, there is a type of meditation that you can practice anywhere, at any point in the day, with your eyes open and your legs uncrossed. It's called mindfulness. Mindfulness can be used to lessen feelings of stress and even improve moods in those who experience anxiety or depression. The aim of mindfulness is to be fully present in the current moment without being overwhelmed. Think 'stopping to smell the roses'. …
Physical & Mental Health Conditions that could affect your Older Parents
Around 15 million people in England suffer with a long-term health condition, with around four million elderly cases. These conditions can be very challenging to live with and to treat. With an ageing population, the NHS faces growing demand each year. Outcomes for most of these health conditions can be greatly improved by noticing symptoms quickly. With this in mind, we've put together this handy guide to some of the physical and mental health conditions that could affect your older loved ones. Physical Health Conditions That Could Affect Your Loved Ones There is a long list of …
News Update: Pride Doesn’t Come Before a Fall
In this week's news update we cover the stories about the elderly who are less likely to fall, freezing weather conditions and depression among our elders. 'Pride doesn't come before a fall' The topic of falls among the elderly hit the headlines this week, in the Telegraph, suggesting that 'pride doesn't come before a fall' after all. The article highlighted that "Pensioners with a sense of pride are less likely to suffer serious falls." This statement comes after research conducted on 11,000 elders. A team of researchers from the universities of Stirling and Aberdeen and the …
Depression in old age
Depression in Old Age Did you that multiple studies have found that many people get depressed after the age of 65? Depression affects around 22% of men and 28% of women aged 65 years and over, yet it is estimated that 85% of older people with depression receive no help at all from the NHS. Source: Mental Health Foundation People are living longer lives, which is positive news, but we need to be aware of mental health and depression in old age, as well as physical health. Read more about the research here. Causes of depression in old age There are a handful of causes …