Symptoms of depression, anxiety high in seniors

The Silverchain Foundation, an initiative of the Western Australian home care provider Silverchain Group, is calling for more attention to be given to older people’s mental health.

Silverchain director of research discovery and clinical psychologist Adjunct Professor Tanya Davison said there was a significant mental health care gap in Australia’s aged care system.

“Our research shows that symptoms of depression and anxiety are common among older Australians receiving care at home – yet mental health care is not routinely integrated into aged care services,” Adjunct Professor Davison said.

“With the right training, our care teams can recognise these challenges early and provide support that makes a real difference to a person’s wellbeing.”

The not-for-profit said the likelihood of a mental health diagnosis increased markedly for people in their 80s and 90s – particularly if they still lived at home – with research led by Silverchain in March finding that more than 60 per cent of older Australians receiving home care had symptoms of depression or anxiety.

This trend is reflected in Australian Census data, said Silverchain Foundation’s executive director Bronwyn Perry said. Despite this, there is little tailored support offered.

“This reflects the experience of our 6,000-strong team across Australia, with our care and clinical teams reporting a rise in clients presenting with complex mental health conditions – conditions that require more visits, more support, and place people at greater risk of hospitalisation or premature admission to residential aged care,” Ms Perry said.

“Too many older Australians receiving home care struggle with complex mental health conditions alone. Without the right support, their symptoms can go unnoticed. We need the community’s help to address this urgent gap in care.

“Early intervention is critical – if we can better support our care teams to recognise mental health concerns early through better tools and training, we can help people stay well at home for longer, ease pressure on families, and prevent unnecessary visits to hospital.”

In response, Silverchain Foundation is appealing for funds to contribute to developing evidence-based tools and training programs to empower aged care workers to identify and respond to their clients’ complex mental health conditions early.

Silverchain has designed a model of care to support older people to access tailored mental health care but the Silverchain Foundation is appealing for funds to contribute to developing more evidence-based tools and training programs to empower aged care workers to identify and respond to their clients’ complex mental health conditions early.

“Through the generous support of our community, we have already been able to improve support for older people experiencing depression and anxiety, and now we need to address complex mental health conditions. Together, we can provide better care for older Australians, giving them the dignity, confidence, and support they deserve,” Ms Perry said.

“Despite the growing need, complex mental health issues remain a hidden problem within aged care, often overlooked by policymakers. We have the opportunity to address a critical gap to ensure older Australians receive the support they need to age well at home.”

“Silverchain is committed to developing and testing practical, evidence-based tools and training programs to help care teams identify and respond to complex mental health needs in the home, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, hoarding, obsessive compulsive disorder and problematic drug and alcohol use,” said Dr Davison.

“With the support of the community, we can improve not only the physical health of older people but also their mental health and their quality of life.”

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