Services for Older People

Mental health services for older people in Northamptonshire are provided in a range of ways and are available across the county.

There are two main categories of mental health illness in older adults: functional mental illness and organic mental illness. People who have these conditions receive inpatient and community-based assessment and treatment through our Older People’s Mental Health Services.

• Functional illness generally describes conditions, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders and alcohol/drug addiction.
   
• Organic illness generally describes conditions associated with memory loss and cognitive impairment, such as dementia.  Dementia describes a syndrome, which may be caused by a number of illnesses in which there is progressive decline in multiple areas of function. It is estimated that more than 750,000 people in the UK live with dementia. These figures are expected to double in the next thirty years.
   

Philosophy

The overall philosophy of our service is to ensure that people continue to have a meaningful life as their condition progresses, and to improve patients' and carers' experience of local services. We focus on helping people remain in their own homes for as long as possible.

If you wish to access any of our services we do advise that new referrals are made via your GP in the first instance to ensure the appropriate physical screening has been completed. Your GP will refer you on for specialist care and treatment if it is considered necessary. Referrals can be received from GPs, carers and other agencies. Contact numbers are referred to throughout this web site.
 

Dementia services

Information on our Dementia services is listed on specific pages that can be accessed through this short-cut link.  Dementia Services.
 

Community Mental Health Teams

CMHT’s work predominantly in the community. This encompasses the patient’s own home, residential and nursing homes. The teams provide a wide range of services including assessment and monitoring (including memory services), carers support, planned treatment and diversional groups (such as relaxation, anxiety management and cognitive stimulation therapy). The CMHT’s also liaise with other agencies and the voluntary sector to promote mental and physical well-being. 

There is a specific page dedicated to our teams and this can be accessed through this link: Community Mental Healthcare Teams

A core element of this service is the support given to the person living with dementia and their carers, to enable them to maintain the best quality of life for as long as possible in the community. Interventions will be aimed at promoting early diagnosis and intervention and will include facilitating access to appropriate care and packages of support, providing specialist advice, offering continued contact with people living with dementia for as long as their condition requires.
 

What we in Older People's Mental Health Services aim to provide

• Improving dementia awareness and understanding
• Good quality early diagnosis and intervention for all
• A focus upon support for carers
• Living well with dementia at home
• Improved quality of care for people with dementia in general hospitals
• Living well with dementia in care homes
• Quality ‘end-of-life’ care

Our clinical services for older people's mental health are delivered and compliant with the following mental health related guidance and legislation

• National Dementia Strategy (2009).
• NICE Quality Standard for Dementia (2010).
• Everybody’s Business – Integrated Mental Health Services for Older Adults (2005)
• National Service Framework for Older People (2001).

 

Last updated: 17 July 2012

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