MENTAL HEALTH As Young As You Feel
NRS Healthcare explain their latest campaign, As Young As You Feel Day, launched in a bid to encourage elderly people that age and ageing doesn’t have to be a scary prospect.
NRS Healthcare have focused their recent campaigns on supporting those in need, none more so than their #Be Selfless initiative and their Conversation Cards issued to help combat loneliness in the elderly.
More recently, NRS Healthcare have celebrated As Young As You Feel Day - an initiative to remind older people that age doesn’t have to limit what you do. Teaming up with various charities and organisations, NRS Healthcare have shared the message that growing older doesn’t need to affect you adversely, and have told the stories of inspirational older people to get the message accross.
With many elderly people now suffering from loneliness – which can be just as harmful to your health as smoking according to the Campaign to End Loneliness – and figures estimating that up to 40% of older people in care homes are affected by depression, the campaign aims to increase awareness of issues that can affect the mental health of older people.
A common misconception is that developing mental health issues such as depression, dementia and memory loss is an inevitable part of aging. Depression is the most common mental health issue in older people, with up to 2.4 million people over 65 living with depression severe enough to impair their quality of life. But it doesn’t need to be this way.
Loneliness can be a major contributor to depression as an older person may feel they have no one to ask for help. It’s important to stay in touch with friends and family, and not to be afraid to ask for support, even if that’s from an outside organisation such as Age UK or Samaritans.
NRS Healthcare has developed this idea further by talking to Campaign to End Loneliness, which works alongside more than 2000 supporters to tackle loneliness in older age. Here, they share the stories of three inspirational women who haven’t let age stand in their way.
www.nrshealthcare.co.uk
Lil’s Story You don’t need to live in an isolated area to experience loneliness.
Lil lives in the inner city but finds it’s only too easy to isolate herself. Lil feels that because people often no longer know their own neighbours, it is important to make yourself do things, as mixing with others is very imperative.
NRS’ Clinical Lead, Rachel Seabrook commented: “Keeping busy, despite being retired or having limited mobility, is very important. As an Occupational Therapist, I know that having a purpose can add real value to a person’s life. Becoming isolated and lonely can be a real concern for older people so it is very important they are able to get out and about and meet with friends and family.”
Despite health issues, Lil makes the effort to go out, even if that’s simply riding the buses for free. Keeping active is inextricably linked to mental wellbeing, so even just walking out of the house for a short time each day can help.
- 44 - Jo’s Story
Jo grew up in an age of stigma against people in the LGBT community. She often felt alone but as she grew older and attitudes changed, she also wanted to change. Though it is better today, there’s still a stigma around LGBT. Age based discrimination is a common prejudice, and when combined with discrimination against the LGBT community, an older person can feel entirely isolated.
Although this could lead to other mental health issues such as anxiety or depression, Jo stands tall in expressing her personality and enjoys visiting Pride events to connect with people who support older members of the community. Participating in events and staying active is just as important for the wellbeing of older people as it is for the younger generation.
Sally’s Story
Sally spoke to Campaign to End Loneliness about the challenges of feeling lonely when living in a rural area. After the death of her husband, Sally set up the Rural Coffee Caravan – an initiative to combat rural isolation by bringing older people together and promoting community spirit. Maintaining relationships is a very important factor in sustaining good mental health in people of all ages.
www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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