Ireland’s population is ageing – so how do we support older adults to age successfully?
St Patrick’s Mental Health Services (SPMHS) is hosting a conference on Friday, 22 November that will share expert knowledge on healthy ageing, proactive planning for mental health in later life and advocacy for older adults.
The conference comes at a time when people aged 65 years and older account for approximately 15% of the total Irish population, with these figures are expected to grow rapidly over the coming decades.
Recent data from Ireland has also shown:
- The number of people aged 65 years and over is estimated to have increased by 40% from 2013 to 2023
- There are currently approximately over 800,000 people aged over 65 in Ireland, with that figure expected to double to 1.6 million by 2051
- Approximately 15% of adults aged 60 and over experience mental illness, including depression, anxiety and alcohol dependency.
As a society, Ireland is now at a critical point in how it prepares for and responds to the needs of its increasing older adult population, in order to ensure the best possible opportunity for successful ageing. In this context, the conference will hear from clinical, academic and lived experience experts, including researchers from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) and Global Dementia Ambassador, Helen Rochford Brennan, on ways to unlock the potential of later life.
Speaking about empowering successful ageing, Dr Declan Lyons, Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist here in SPMHS and author of Mindcrafting: How to Mentor Your Ageing Mind, said: “Ireland’s population is ageing and there is a duty on us all, as service providers, clinicians, policy-makers and citizens, to ensure we are meeting and responding appropriately to the needs of older adults.”
“Our later years offer many opportunities for personal growth and renewal, but they can also bring with them times of challenges and difficult changes.”
“If the key emotional and psychological needs of older adults are met and balanced in a healthy way, mental health difficulties can be significantly reduced and opportunities for positive mental health, enjoyment and fulfilment in later life enhanced.”
“This year’s Founder’s Day conference will bring together experts and personal experience in older adult health and successful ageing to explore and respond to a key question – how do we best unlock the potential of later life?”
Held annually, the Founder’s Day conference recognises and continues the legacy of our founder, Jonathan Swift, a pioneer in mental healthcare.
