Impact of dementia and other age-related diseases on mental health services
Age-related illnesses place high demands on healthcare services. As dementia, Alzheimer’s and depression increase in prevalence in the population, care services for older people are no longer seen as the responsibility of mental health services. The increasing cases of abuse of power and neglect lead to closures of residential homes and empower older adults to remain at home and receive care in the community.
Proposed workforce impact
- Integration of compassionate care into the medical specialist psychiatry curriculum and also into non-medical specialist psychiatry curriculum and training
- As quality and demand for services increases, an increase in supply follows
Sources or references
- DH, (2013), Dementia.
- Dening and Barapatre, (2004), Mental health and the ageing population. J Br Menopause Soc. 10(2):49-53, 64.
- Age UK, (2013), Later Life in the United Kingdom
Additional research questions
- What level of care will older adults receive if they have no family members and are solely reliant on the system?
Some of the information in this section is provided by stakeholders and expert groups, and does not necessarily represent the views of the CfWI.
