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Faith in Older People

Faith in Older People

Enabling a better understanding of the importance of the spiritual dimension to the well-being of older people

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You are here: Home / Explore our work / Mental Health, Older People and Faith Communities / Understanding mental health in older people

Understanding mental health in older people

You are here: Home / Explore our work / Mental Health, Older People and Faith Communities / Understanding mental health in older people

Faith in Older People wanted to understand the situation for people as they aged in relation to an enduring mental health challenge, and we worked with Voluntary Health Scotland and Support in Mind in 2019 to consider the evidence to raise awareness of the issues and to try to improve policy and practice.  With a range of organisations from the third and public sectors we held two roundtable discussions and undertook a scoping exercise to see what happens to people with mental health conditions other than or alongside dementia once they become 65. Issues we have been exploring include under-diagnosis, under-provision, poor transitions from ‘adult’ services to ‘older people’ services, discrimination and flouting of human rights. It is said that for some people with serious mental health issues, their 65th birthday is like ‘falling off a cliff’ in terms of service provision. 

https://vhscotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/FALLING-OFF-A-CLIFF-AT-65-DISCUSSION-PAPER-AND-EVIDENCE-Final.pdf

If this was the situation for older people what would be the impact of supporting individuals within a faith community,

As Sanctuary Mental Health (UK – Sanctuary Ministries – Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries) points out one in four people will be affected by a mental health challenge at some point in their lives, yet the stigma surrounding these experiences often prevents faith communities from responding compassionately and effectively. FiOP wants to work with others to raise awareness; reduce stigma and engage communities in meaningful conversations about mental health and faith. See Archbishop Welby’s vimeo  The Sanctuary Course: Supporting Mental Health in UK Churches on Vimeo

Close up of forget me notes in sunlight

The challenge for older people is to make sense of life at a stage when loss and change occur more frequently and perhaps more painfully.

Malcolm Goldsmith, founder of Faith in Older People

Contact

Tel: 0131 346 7981
Email: info@fiop.org.uk

21a Grosvenor Crescent
Edinburgh
EH12 5EL

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Faith in Older People is a registered company SC 322915. Limited by guarantee with charitable status.
Registered Charity No. SC038225. Registered Address: 21a Grosvenor Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 5EL

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