Minds that matter: understanding mental health in later life

 his report looks at the life events and circumstances that can affect people's mental health in later life, including bereavement, loneliness, ill health and caring responsibilities

Read Independent Age report here

Older people’s hospital admissions in the last year of life

Number of admissions and length of stay in hospital amongst people aged 75 years and older in England in 2017, by age, sex, cause of death. Click here to see government statistics

Older people encouraged to ditch “stiff upper lip” approach to mental ill health

NHS England and Age UK have joined forces in a campaign to encourage older people to access treatment for mental health conditions, as new analysis shows a majority of older people do not seek help.Click here to read NHS news link

How Older Married Couples Face Chronic Health Conditions

As married couples age and develop chronic health conditions, the daily demands of coping with their own health issues as well as those of their spouse may take a mental toll, according to a new study at the University of Michigan (U-M). Read PsychCentral article here

Aerobic Exercise, Heart-Healthy Diet May Ward Off Memory Issues

A new study suggests that a six-month aerobic exercise regimen and heart-healthy diet improves one’s ability to think, remember and make decisions, and may ward off mild cognitive impairment, or cognitive impairment without dementia (CIND). Read PsychCentral article here

Estimating Need In Older People: Findings For England

This report outlines how ill health, poverty, unmet needs for care and support, poor housing, loneliness and social isolation are profound challenges for many older people. It estimates the numbers and percentages of people aged 65 and over in England with these disadvantages, and collates insights from older people’s own voices about the experience of living with them. Click here to read King's Fund blog report

Study examines depression in the last year of life

Depression impacts quality of life at all life stages, but little is known about the factors related to depression in the last year of life. A recent study found that 59.3% of individuals had depression in the last month before death. Read ScienceDaily article here

Delivering The NHS Long-Term Plan's Ambition Of Ageing Well: Old Age Psychiatry As A Vital Resource

This guidance is to help local areas plan and deliver specialist services, led by old age psychiatrists, to meet the needs of older people. It brings together views from older people, service users, carers and a wide range of health and social care professionals. Click here for King's Fund blog

Furry friends ease depression, loneliness after spousal loss

Researchers have found the companionship of a pet after the loss of a spouse can help reduce feelings of depression and loneliness in older adults.Click here to read ScienceDaily article

Study: It’s Never Too Late to Start Resistance Training

Older men in their 70s and 80s who have never been regular exercisers may have the same ability to build muscle mass as highly trained master athletes of a similar age, according to a new U.K. study published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology. Click here to read PsychCentral article

More Harm Than Good: Why More Isn't Always Better With Older People's Medicines

Read King's Fund blog here

Hearing Loss Tied to Depressive Symptoms in Elderly

A new study suggests that treating age-related hearing loss — an often underrecognized and undertreated condition among the elderly — may help lower the risk of late-life depression. Click here to read PsychCentral article

Regular trips out guard against depression in old age

New study finds clear link between cultural engagement and lower risk. Read ScienceDaily article here

Video Chat Can Help Combat Depression in Seniors

A new study finds that of four online communication technologies, using video chat to connect with friends and family appeared to hold the most promise in staving off depression among seniors. Click here to read PsychCentral article

All The Lonely People: Loneliness In Later Life

This report presents new evidence about what Age UK knows about loneliness amongst people aged 50 and over, what increases the chances of people experiencing loneliness and how best to help those older people who are persistently lonely. Click here for King's Fund blog

Forecasting The Care Needs Of The Older Population In England Over The Next 20 Years

This study estimates that in the next 20 years, the English population aged 65 years or over will see increases in the number of individuals who are independent but also in those with complex care needs. This increase is due to more individuals reaching 85 years or older who have higher levels of dependency, dementia, and comorbidity. Click here to read King's Fund blog

Older Adults May Be Less Likely to Notice Their Mistakes

A new study suggests that as we get older, we become much less likely to notice our mistakes.The study involved a simple, computerized test designed to determine how readily both younger and older adults were able to detect when they’d made an error. Click here to read PsychCentral article

Safe and reliable mental health advice for older people and those who care for them

MindEd for Families has launched MindEd for Older People which is a free web-based resource providing information about mental health issues for older people and their families. The resource is supported by NHS England in partnership with Health Education England. Click here for link

New online resources for older adults struggling with mental illness - The British Psychological Society

MindEd for Older People is a new online educational resource that explains a range of mental illnesses commonly experienced by older people, and offers practical advice for dealing with them.  Click here for further details.

NIHR Signal Enriched food and snacks can increase nutritional intake in older people in hospital

NIHR Signal Enriched food and snacks can increase nutritional intake in older people in hospital


Enriching hospital food with energy or protein may improve nutrition in older people in hospital.
Studies assessed in a systematic review showed consistent effects of enriched or fortified foods compared with usual nutrition. The extent of increased consumption varied depending on the amount and type of foods added.


Published on 20 March 2018
full document available at: https://discover.dc.nihr.ac.uk/portal/article/4000973/enriched-food-and-snacks-can-increase-nutritional-intake-in-older-people-in-hospital