later life

People aged 55 and over. The elderly men and women in the population. Old people who may be retired and suffering from chronic disease

Our later life Blogs

No good quality research to guide the treatment of late-onset schizophrenia

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Late-onset schizophrenia is relatively common. Onset after the age of 40 years is reported in 23% of patients hospitalised with schizophrenia. The condition is different from early-onset schizophrenia on a number of counts, including the response to antipsychotic drugs. This Cochrane review set out to assess the effects of antipsychotic drugs for elderly people with [read the full story…]

Actigraphy offers insight into sleep problems of older people with learning disabilities

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Sleep problems in young people with learning disabilities have been explored in a number of studies, particularly in relation to the impact on families and supporters, but there is relatively little in the literature about the impact of sleep problems on older people with learning disabilities. The researchers in this Dutch study wanted to look [read the full story…]

New evidence suggests that antidepressants do not influence suicidal thinking in young people

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In 2004 the US Food and Drug Administration published a “black box” warning that highlighted an increased risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts in young people who were taking antidepressants. This warning was updated in 2007. A new analysis of 41 randomised controlled trials has been published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, which suggests [read the full story…]

Involving older people in commissioning: more power to their elbow?

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This study of older people’s wishes and experiences of commissioning health and personal care services published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation was conducted by researchers from the London School of Economics. Key aims of the research: The aim was to understand how far, and with what effect, older people were involved in commissioning: 1. to [read the full story…]

Antidepressants may be less effective in older patients with depression, according to new meta-analysis

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Following on from my post yesterday about screening tools for depression in later life, here is a new meta-analysis that explores the efficacy of antidepressants for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in patients aged ≥ 55 years. The researchers from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia in Italy just searched PubMed for [read the full story…]

The Geriatric Depression Scale is the best screening tool for depression in older people in acute hospital settings

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Depression often occurs in later life and people in poor physical condition tend to be more susceptible than others. Older people in hospital who get depressed have poorer outcomes, so it’s important that we know how to detect depression and manage it in the acute setting. This systematic review conducted by researchers in Swansea set [read the full story…]

New RCT suggests memantine is not an effective treatment for dementia in people with Down syndrome

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Our colleagues at the Mental Elf  found this small randomised controlled trial looking at the use of memantine for people with Down syndrome and dementia. The trial is being reported in the Lancet. People with Down’s syndrome are more likely to develop dementia than others and one in three will have the illness as early [read the full story…]

Audit Commission reports on improving value for money across health and social care

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For all the focus on joint working across the NHS and social care in recent years progress has been patchy. The Audit Commission has identified that PCTs could improve outcomes and achieve £132 million in efficiency savings per year.  This readable briefing for health and social care commissioners focuses on services for older people with [read the full story…]

Mental health problems and colon cancer: a double-whammy that leads to poor cancer outcomes

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We know that mental health problems often go hand in hand with other physical health complaints. Older adults with cancer and mental health issues are especially vulnerable as they tend to suffer from behavioural, socio-economic and biological changes that act as barriers to effective healthcare. This retrospective cohort study conducted by researchers from the University [read the full story…]

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Significant improvements needed to care for people with dementia in hospital, says national clinical audit

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The first full report of the National Audit of Dementia has identified a need for significant improvements in hospital ward environments, staff training and the overall approach to care delivery for patients with dementia. Although the majority of wards meet basic safety requirements, the audit shows that many had not addressed simple measures that could [read the full story…]