Improving Access to Talking Therapies for Older Adults

Improving Access to Talking Therapies (formerly known as Improving Access to Psychological Therapies – IAPT) for older adults with common mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, is a national and local priority. IATT is as effective for older adults (65+) as for those of working age. Typically, this age group tends to respond well to talking therapies, but currently has low referral rates. Signs of depression and anxiety are often overlooked and assumed to be a result of getting older. The proportion of people over 65 years old referred to IATT services is lower than the proportion of the general population.

During 2018, Health Innovation Network worked in partnership with two south London IATT providers, Lewisham Psychological Therapies Service and Mind in Bexley. The project used behavioural science (the study of how people make daily decisions) techniques to increase referrals of older adults into IATT services.

The project aimed to address some of the barriers that have been identified nationally that prevent older adults from accessing IATT by:

• reducing the stigma that older people may attach to mental health
• informing healthcare professionals that common mental health issues are not a normal part of ageing
• communicating the effectiveness of IATT services as a treatment for older adults
• increasing the confidence levels of IATT therapists to treat older adults.