- In the colder months older adults may find staying at home more often may cause feelings of isolation, affecting both mental and physical well-being.
- Often the most telling signs of a decline in one's mental health are changes in patterns or behaviours, including; sleep, less motivation, more confusion and changes in appetite.
- The Eastern Health Older Adult Mental Health team see people over the age of 65, providing targeted treatment according to their individual needs.
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During the colder months it's important to stay warm, however for older adults, staying at home more often may cause feelings of isolation, affecting both mental and physical well-being.
Manager of the Older Adult Mental Health team, Karen Haynes says during the winter period, motivation to get active tends to drop.
"As the days get shorter, people are less motivated, less inclined to go out and about even potter around in the garden and do social activities that one would normally do that they get pleasure and enjoyment from.
"So people may become more withdrawn and isolated within their own environment," Ms Haynes said.
The Older Adult Mental Health team, see people over the age of 65 for a range of different reasons.
"Some people are seen by their GP's and managed very well. Others need to have a little bit more specialty care, not unlike if you have diabetes or any other physical illness that you need to seek that little bit more advice.
"We have a single point entry that people can ring and get advice and tell their story. It may be the person might refer themselves or it may be their family member or their GP who's wanting some additional support. Sometimes it's a residential aged care facility that we take referrals from," Ms Haynes added.
Often the most telling signs of a decline in one's mental health are changes in patterns or behaviours, including; sleep, less motivation, more confusion and changes in appetite.
"You may even notice a change in the person's presentation and they might be more tearful at times, being unable to do things that they used to be able to do really well.
"It's important to have a discussion with the individual to see if they have noticed change themselves in the first instance. We do a lot of work via the GP because often there may be some underlying physical cause. Pain is another factor also that can contribute to depression, stress and aggression," Ms Haynes said.
The Older Adult Mental Health team work in a recovery framework model of care; involving any family members or other support people who are part of the consumer's journey, providing targeted treatment according to their individual needs.
Occupational Therapist Michelle Motteram suggests ways to keep a level of routine, even when it may be chilly outside.
"It may be an opportunity to explore new hobbies. Some consumers have an indoor garden with indoor plants and others are embracing technology to remain connected.
"Something older people can try to stay active this winter would be bringing their usual activities indoors, or eating healthy, drinking lots of water and continue doing chores around the house," she said.
Aside from routine, Older Adult Mental Health Clinician Samantha Dong also recommends her consumers facilitate their connection to the community.
"We encourage them to attend social groups or explore if there are any groups at the council that are suitable for them. There were some older adults who are quite involved with U3A who provide learning and social opportunities to members aged 50 plus.
"If consumers have any difficulty in travelling, we encourage them to gain some support from the volunteer transportation groups, like EV Strengthening," Ms Dong explained.
Sometimes, it's just about taking those little steps.
"It's important to say to people it's a case of 'use it or lose it' and you need to just continue to keep yourself going. It might be if they're feeling overwhelmed, you might just encourage them to do small goal based activities per day," Ms Haynes concluded.
If you're concerned about yourself or a loved one, the team suggests receiving a My Aged Care evaluation, or calling the G'Day Line (1300 920 552); a free service for older people who would like to have a chat.
