Improving services and support for older people with mental health ...

Improving services and support for older people with mental health problems
3.6 Making a difference
What can be done for older people with mental health problems
to end discrimination?
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Tackle direct age discrimination, indirect age discrimination and ageism in
mental health policies and services.
Ensure proper recognition and resourcing of specialist services that
are needed by older people to ensure equal outcomes with people of
other ages.
Outlaw age discrimination in goods, facilities and services and introduce a
public sector duty to promote age equality.
Develop protocols and monitor them to ensure that social care services are
not automatically reduced or withdrawn when a person reaches 65.
Tackle the stigma of mental health problems in later life.
Run public education campaigns to challenge defeatism.
Clearly define and possibly rename the ‘old age’ mental health specialties
and locate these within mental health services for adults of all ages.
Replace the terminology of ‘working age adults’ with ‘adults of all ages’.
Draw out the views and experiences of older people with mental health
problems and their carers.
Pay more attention to invisible groups such as older people with alcohol
and drug problems and people growing older with severe and enduring
mental health problems.
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