Mental Health

Mental health conditions among older people are often under recognised, undertreated and the stigma surrounding these conditions can make people reluctant to seek help. This is compounded by ageist attitudes in society and the workplace. Our mental health is also affected by the cumulative impact of earlier life experiences including exposure to adversity, loss of intrinsic capacity or a decline in functional ability. In addition, older people are more likely to experience life events such as retirement, bereavement or physical illness, which can impact our mental health.

In Greater Manchester, there were 16,979 people aged 65 and over accessing health services due to mental health issues in September 2023, this accounts for 17% of all people accessing services. Depression is thought to affect around a quarter of people aged 65 and over (compared to a fifth of people aged 16+), yet it is estimated that 85% of older people with depression receive no help at all from the National Health Service.

Our vision for 2034 is that the mental wellbeing of older people in Greater Manchester has improved, more older people are accessing mental health services, and the presence of the most common mental health problems has receded. Older residents are able to access mental health services without fear of discrimination and ageist attitudes in mental healthcare have receded.

Our Work:

We work closely with Mature Minds Matter (external link) through the Greater Manchester Older People's Network, who work to ensure the voice of older people with lived experience of mental health are able to use their experiences to influence the transformation of mental health support across Greater Manchester.