Mental Health Service Provision for Older People: Inequities and Policies

HEALTH ISSUES IN GENDER AGE AND
ETHNICITY

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
Mental health service provision for older people........................................................................2
The way mental health service provision for older people is related to age inequities in health 2
Nature and the extent of health inequities in Mental health service provision for older people. 3
Policy and legislation addressing inequities for mental health service provision for older
people...........................................................................................................................................4
Identify gaps in policy and legislation.........................................................................................5
Suggestions for improvement that can fill the gaps in policy and legislation.............................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7
1

INTRODUCTION
Mental health refers to cognitive, behaviour and emotional well-being of individuals that
helps in effective understanding about the way people think, behave and feel. It helps in
determining the way stress will be handled by individuals in order to effectively cope up with the
adverse situation. Furthermore, mental health is important at every stage of life such from the
childhood, adolescence and throughout adulthood (Spoorthy, Pratapa. and Mahant, 2020). This
report has discussed crucial information related to mental health services provision for the older
people. The way mental health service provision is related to age inequality. Furthermore, has
covered policies and legislation that are made by government to address the inequality for mental
health services among older people. At last, it has identified that gaps present in the legislation
and suggestion that could be used be in filling up gap in policy for better outcome.
Mental health service provision for older people
National health services have ensured consistent access of mental health care services to
older adults through focusing on functional needs likewise depression, anxiety and several
mental illnesses. The population across worldwide is ageing at rapid stage that has results in
increasing the older adults from almost 12-22%. Likewise, there is increase from 900 million to
2 billion people over the age of 60. It is been recognised that the older people face lot of mental
and physical health challenges as growing (Bruine de Bruin, 2021). Along with it, there are
number or risk factor for mental health problem among older adults such as reduced mobility,
chronic pain, frailty and other health issue. It has also found out that older people with physical
health condition for example heart diseases have higher rates of depression as compared to
individuals that are healthier. So, there has been provision made by the government of United
Kingdom to provide equal mental health care services to the patient. For examples: improved
access to psychological therapies so that needs of local population can be meet to address the
inequalities in IAPT access for older people.
The way mental health service provision for older people is related to age inequities in health
Ageing is one of the most common global challenges in health and social care services of
United Kingdom that needs to be addressed in best possible manner. Recent research has helped
in understand that there are number of older people that are suffering from serious discrimination
in mental health services. Both investment and resources has been reduced to be used in old age
2