Resources

Physical activity is critical for the mental health of people over 65 years of age. This resource from ARIIA is a short easy-to-read summary of the research evidence.

Mental health diagnoses increase the risk of potentially inappropriate medications in residential aged care, especially in the form of antidepressants. This resource from ARIIA is a short easy-to-read summary of the research evidence.

Psychological approaches provide people with the opportunity to discuss their thoughts and feelings with a trained professional to assist them with understanding and coping with their daily life or negative events. This resource from ARIIA is a short easy-to-read summary of the research evidence.

Depression is markedly higher among people living in residential aged care compared to those living in the community. This resource from ARIIA is a short easy-to-read summary of the research evidence.

Being able to drive is strongly related to feelings of independence and life satisfaction in older adulthood. Evidence shows that ceasing to drive is consistently associated with depressive symptoms. This resource from ARIIA is a short easy-to-read summary of the research evidence.

Dr Deborah Brooks and colleagues invite interested aged care residents, family/care partners, and aged care staff to participate in a co-design project to develop MHICare Tool – a tool for monitoring and promoting the mental health of people with dementia living in residential aged care.

In Australia, approximately 10 per cent of older adults have anxiety. Anxiety disorders are especially prevalent among people living in residential aged care. This resource from ARIIA is a short easy-to-read summary of the research evidence.

Researchers at National Ageing Research Institute compare the pre- and post-pandemic ‘rollercoaster’ media coverage of loneliness experienced by older people living in residential aged care and the social support available to them. They find an increased media focus on these issues during the pandemic that needs to translate into ongoing initiatives for improving the mental health and wellbeing of aged care residents.

Despite recent Australian Government-commissioned strategies for fostering inclusion and equity of care, Dr Trish Cain and colleagues from Edith Cowan University explain why many Australian LGBTI older people continue to have negative expectations of aged care service quality.

In this blog, social anthropologist, Dr Angela Zhang, reflects on the question ‘can aged care residents experience a sense of wellbeing in the presence of disease and functional decline?'