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National Dementia Strategy: a window of opportunity?: commentary on... National Dementia Strategy: innovation or reiteration?
- Author:
- ILIFFE Steve
- Journal article citation:
- Psychiatrist (The), 34(7), July 2010, pp.294-297.
- Publisher:
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
This article is a commentary to the opinion piece by Hilton (in pages 292-294 of this journal issue). It states that Hilton makes very valid points about the National Dementia Strategy, and that many practitioners will sympathise with them. However, the National Dementia Strategy embodies a political commitment made by the government to an ageing society, and is the result of a long period of agitation and lobbying. It argues that the implementation of healthcare policies is frequently a long drawn out and messy process. There is no guarantee that its proposals will be implemented, given the vagaries of economies and the frailty of political will, but all of them could be. It concludes that the aim should be for gradual changes that produce qualitative shifts in the standards of dementia care.
Suicide in later life: public health and practitioner perspectives
- Authors:
- MANTHORPE Jill, ILIFFE Steve
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 25(12), December 2010, pp.1230-1238.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
A selective review of English language literature focusing on the epidemiology of suicide among older people was conducted. Papers were selected for their ability to shed light on the potential for prevention and practice from public health perspectives. The study found that whilst the majority of older people who commit suicide have major depression, suicide seems to be due to a combination of personality factors and co-morbidities, including chronic pain and disablement. It also found that there is little information about the involvement of older people in risk reduction or about harm minimisation approaches at patient and public participation levels. The authors conclude that practitioners need to be aware of risk factors for suicide in later life, and that public health approaches combined with practitioners' experiences of older people at risk may help minimise the risks of suicide in later life.