Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Shutterstock/BaanTaksinStudio

Elderly mental health services 'seriously under-resourced' and need 'urgent improvement', report warns

Older people are facing a mental health “perfect storm” due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES for older people in Ireland are in need of urgent improvement and the situation is set to deteriorate due to a rapidly aging population, a new report has warned.

The Mental Health Commission report highlights an “alarming” under-provision of acute mental health beds and “serious under-resourcing” of community mental health services for the elderly.

The document describes Covid-19 as a mental health “perfect storm” for the elderly because they face higher mortality rates from the disease as well as the difficulties posed by self-isolation and social-distancing measures.

It says the threat posed by the virus means the elderly must be provided with more single-room accommodation in residential and acute mental health care settings, with adequately staffed community teams and other supports provided to enable them to stay at home as long as possible.

Written by Dr Susan Finnerty, inspector of mental health services for the Mental Health Commission, the report highlights that population projections show that the number of people aged 65 years and over will increase significantly from a level of 629,800 in 2016 to almost 1.6 million by 2051.

The Central Statistics Office predicts that over 470,000 of those will be aged over 80.

age-chart

The report notes that 4.5% of Ireland’s older people live in a congregated or residential care setting. This is approximately 40% higher than the current European average. Dr Finnerty said the level of service in these settings is “already substandard in numerous areas.”

The document highlights “serious under-resourcing” of community mental health services.

There are 43 older people teams across Ireland, just 66% of the number of teams recommended by the ‘Vision for Change’ mental health national policy framework which was published in 2006.

Of the teams that do exist, they are only staffed to 54% of the recommended level.

Ireland also has just 1.2 dedicated acute mental health beds for older people per 100,000. This compares very poorly with 6 per 100,000 in England and 9.7 in Northern Ireland.

It also said the delivery of in-patient mental health care in general adult mental health units, rather than in dedicated units for older people, “constitutes a risk to their safety and does not meet their therapeutic needs”.

The reports calls for the creation of a single integrated system of needs assessment and service provision that aims to promote alignment and collaboration between the care sectors.

“Older people’s mental health is an increasingly important area of public policy that does not get the attention it deserves,” Dr Finnerty said.

The levels of unmet mental health needs amongst older people are extremely high and improving current services is necessary.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
6 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael McLoughlin
    Favourite Michael McLoughlin
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 9:52 AM

    Still use my nano for runs and the gym , it’s great.

    113
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Seeking Truth
    Favourite Seeking Truth
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 9:47 AM

    We had the classic iPod, then our daughter got the nano5 and our son the nano7. His has broken since, but hers still works.
    Would be nice to have an mp3 player not reliant on the internet to give kids to let them have music in their bedroom….tjat did not have a camera, text messaging, etc. In other words, can we have separate devices for each activity? Oh wait….we used to have it that way…..

    88
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Deborah Behan
    Favourite Deborah Behan
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 12:57 PM

    @Seeking Truth: I bought my daughter a low tech stereo system and CDs! She loves that the radio never buffers!!!

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Seeking Truth
    Favourite Seeking Truth
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 5:04 PM

    @Deborah Behan: she has a CD player and can listen to the radio on her iPod nano. But Spotify makes things tricky!! Looking at a Sonos wireless speaker that runs from an app anywhere in the house so the device can stay downstairs but they are fairly spendy!!!

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Will Keane
    Favourite Will Keane
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 9:46 AM

    Still have me 2gb nano and 80gb iPod 2nd edition and they are still going strong!

    45
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute wiklagirl
    Favourite wiklagirl
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 10:30 AM

    I still use my 120gb iPod. Long may it last !

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute WilhelminaMCallaghan
    Favourite WilhelminaMCallaghan
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 9:32 AM

    I wish I had any iPod

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mr. Dragmire
    Favourite Mr. Dragmire
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 11:12 AM

    I won an iPod nano 4th gen in college in 2004. I wasn’t into music really turn so I gave it to my sister who was. A few years later she gave it back when she got a phone that could store music. I used it for podcasts and music then. In 2010 I got an iPod touch 4th gen and used that instead. A couple years ago I gave the iPod nano back to my sister and she uses it for music in her car. It’s a great little device.

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Catherine Sims
    Favourite Catherine Sims
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 1:07 PM

    What’s a Walkman ??? :) I’m still hauling a record player around with a long extension lead :)

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Melina Roberts
    Favourite Melina Roberts
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 12:09 PM

    I have the first Generation IPod, took great care of it and think I even have the original box for it.I’m hoping it will be worth something in the future

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Revolting Peasant
    Favourite Revolting Peasant
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 10:57 PM

    @Melina Roberts: It probably will be. Apple recalled them a few years back due to battery issues and replaced them with a newer version (the small square thing whose button always breaks). If the screen wasn’t broken we wouldn’t of sent ours away. It was the original classic design.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ivan lynch
    Favourite ivan lynch
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 10:20 AM

    Pity…
    very tough to get a device these days that children want and can satisfy parents at the same time.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Scott
    Favourite Alan Scott
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 1:42 PM

    Over rated over priced just like VW Audi cars.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rui Firmino
    Favourite Rui Firmino
    Report
    Jul 30th 2017, 12:02 PM

    @Alan Scott: I got a nano 9 years ago and still works fine. Worth every cent!

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ger
    Favourite Ger
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 3:13 PM

    I had a 5th gen Nano about 10 years ago. It was a perfect piece of kit and had I not lost it it would probably still be my preferred way to listen to music.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eamonn Sheen
    Favourite Eamonn Sheen
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 2:21 PM

    I had a 160gb iPod classic and have an iPod touch but never use it now. I use Spotify on my phone as my main source of music these days.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lily
    Favourite Lily
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 6:00 PM

    I waited for the first generation iPod touch. I still have it (though for a time I thought I lost it and got a 4th or 5th generation iPod touch and found the 1st generation one a few days later.)

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Leitrim303
    Favourite Leitrim303
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 7:28 PM

    never liked apple devices

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciaran O Reilly
    Favourite Ciaran O Reilly
    Report
    Jul 30th 2017, 7:59 PM

    Classic

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Charles McCarthy
    Favourite Charles McCarthy
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 8:08 PM

    I have a one of those iPod classics U2 edition jobbys somewhere in the house, never even been used as I can’t find it. I’m sure that it is a great little device when it turns up! : O

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gary Mason
    Favourite Gary Mason
    Report
    Jul 29th 2017, 7:55 PM

    Never owned an Apple product and never will.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute George Roche
    Favourite George Roche
    Report
    Jul 30th 2017, 8:11 AM

    My neck’s killing me carting this boombox about.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds