NHS England in collaboration with Age UK has started a campaign to encourage older individuals to seek treatment for mental health conditions.
New analysis indicates that more than six in 10 individuals aged ≥65 years in the UK have experienced depression and anxiety. More than half of the affected individuals refrained from seeking help as they believed ‘they should just get on with it’ and nearly a quarter of them had sought support from friends or family.
The campaign aims to inform GPs to watch out for the symptoms of mental health conditions in older individuals and make the individuals aware of the NHS support services available. The NHS talking therapies which is part of the 'Improving Access to Psychological Therapies' have achieved good success with treating common mental illnesses.
Alistair Burns, National Clinical Director for Dementia and Older People’s Mental Health, said: "Older people sometimes feel they have to have a ‘stiff upper lip’ towards health, but we all have our own battles to fight and seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness, so anyone out there who is feeling down and needs help, can and should get it from the NHS."
