Ageing Wisely study yields positive results for seniors

With the number of ageing adults set to expand to a quarter of the population by 2050, the problems of anxiety and low mood – already common in older adults – pose a serious public health challenge in the future.

Research now indicates that up to 50% of older adults experience at least some symptoms of anxiety or low mood/depression. However, when they occur together, outcomes in physical and mental health and wellbeing have more far-reaching consequences than when they occur separately and can lead to risk of suicide, death, disability, medication use and dementia.

The Ageing Wisely treatment program, run by Macquarie University’s Centre for Emotional Health, has been researching coping strategies to those over 60 and teaching them how to combat feelings of fatigue, loneliness, sadness and anxiety.

Results from a two-year trial reveal that teaching older adults the cognitive and behavioural skills to manage these feelings led to significant improvement in both anxiety and low mood in the study participants who completed the group treatment program.

Most significantly, the study demonstrated conclusively that both anxiety and low mood can be reduced simultaneously in older adults and significantly improve their general wellbeing. Follow up of study participants three months later showed that their treatment gains were long lasting.

“The success of this treatment trial is uplifting as we now know that older adults can benefit from psychological treatment, and that they no longer need to accept worry, low mood and loneliness as a normal part of ageing,” said Dr Viviana Wuthrich who led the study.

Even with such positive results, research into the nature of anxiety and low mood continues and volunteers are needed for further studies. Researchers are seeking happy and healthy volunteers as well as those experiencing problems with anxiety and low mood, to participate in experimental research tasks such as completing computer tasks and questionnaires.

For more information about the study and how to volunteer for further trials, contact Duska Vujkovic on (02) 9850 6748.

Other research indicates that education is the key to reducing depression in older Australians according to a study from the Australian National University (ANU).

The research, by Professor Helen Christensen and Dr Janine Walker from the ANU Centre for Mental Health Research (CMHR) contributes to the Beyond Ageing Project. The large randomised controlled trial examines the effectiveness of psychological and lifestyle approaches in preventing depression in older adults at risk.

Conducted over two years with 900 participants, the study looked at the effectiveness of three non-drug based approaches-encouraging physical activity, folate and vitamin B12 supplements and reading about mental health and depression.

The results, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, indicated that the group who received the literature regarding depression had a reduction in depressive symptoms compared to the control group. The literature included information about what depression is, what works for treating depression, and where to go for help.

“The study suggests that mental health literacy interventions may have a role in lowering the risk for depression,” said Dr Walker.

“That’s good news because evidence-based written material about mental health is inexpensive to deliver, can be easily accessed, and its ability to prevent depression may be considerable if provided to large numbers of older people already experiencing some depressive symptoms.

“Unfortunately the physical activity intervention failed to get people to exercise more – highlighting the challenge of promoting increased activity in Australian adults.”

Results of the folate and B12 supplementation have led to ongoing research with an increase detected in cognitive functions and improvements in long and short memory tests.

The findings indicate that inexpensive and accessible resources could be rolled out on a large scale to potentially promote mental health, and minimise the risk of worsening symptoms in older adults at risk.