ALONE calls for emphasis on mental health support for older people

ALONE, the charity known for supporting older people, have called for additional focus on mental health difficulties that older people experience.

This plea has occurred because the number of interventions to support mental health that were carried out by ALONE has increased by almost 300% in the past year.

ALONE CEO, Seán Moynihan, spoke at the Joint Oireachtas Sub-Committee on Mental Health, and revealed that in the last quarter of 2022, 29% of the 1,926 older people ALONE assessed admitted they had issues in relation to their mental health. Over half of these people had not gone to their GP for support. 

The charity also mentioned research that was carried out by the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). This found that 78% of older adults who have evidence of depression and 85% who have evidence of anxiety, do not have a diagnosis from a doctor.

Seán Moynihan stated, “We do not give older age due consideration as a time where mental health difficulties may emerge for the first time. We do not discuss how getting older is associated with age-specific psychosocial risk factors for mental health difficulties, such as living alone, bereavement, physical illness, disability, and cognitive decline”.

“While many older people enjoy positive mental health, there is evidence to suggest that there is a significant mental health crisis among older people which is not being talked about. This has become all the more evident in the aftermath of COVID-19 restrictions”.

The CEO continued, “Increasingly, we are working with older people who have completely cut themselves off from their family, friends, community and life in general due to fears around COVID-19 which have not subsided”.

The organisation has explained that “specific mental health policy, evidence-based programmes and research for older people must be committed to, funded, and implemented as part of Sharing the Vision, Ireland’s national mental health policy”. 

ALONE also wants an action plan to help combat loneliness and social isolation in place to support older people to reconnect with their community.