Mental health and physical illness in older people

Abstract

Older people are acknowledged as being high users of health care and social services. Older people with physical health problems are more than twice as likely as people who are physically healthy to suffer a depressive illness. Nevertheless, most elderly people do not suffer from depression and it is not an inevitable consequence of being old and physically disabled or ill. Depression at any age whether in the presence of other illness or not is a highly treatable illness; treating it effectively will improve the level of functioning and the quality of life for both patients and carers. Community nurses provide a good deal of what may be termed supportive care for people with mental health problems, however, they may be ill prepared by their training to provide this care in the best possible way. This article examines the facts about mental ill-health in older people and points to some of the ways in which generalist community nurses, practice nurses, health visitors and district nurses may be able to improve their practice with this important and potentially vulnerable group.