New campaign launches to help older people ‘Feel Brighter’ by seeking NHS Talking Therapies
Are you 65 or older and feel like life is less colourful than it used to be? If you haven’t been feeling yourself, don’t suffer in silence.
‘Feel Brighter’ is a new NHS campaign that aims to encourage older people aged 65 and over in Cambridgeshire & Peterborough who have symptoms such as anxiety, loneliness, or low mood to reach out and access free NHS Talking Therapies and other local support to help them feel brighter again.
NHS Talking Therapies are effective treatments that involve speaking with an experienced mental health professional to understand feelings and learn ways to manage them. Sessions are totally confidential and can be one-to-one, in a group, online, or over the phone.
To find out more, simply visit the Feel Brighter webpage at www.cpics.org.uk/feel-brighter for more information about NHS Talking Therapies, other support available, and how to refer yourself.
Dr Emma Tiffin, GP and Clinical Mental Health Lead at the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Integrated Care System said: “We know that older people can think feeling low or anxious is just part of the ageing process, but if you haven’t been feeling yourself don’t suffer in silence, there is a wide range of help and support available locally. “We want our older population to enjoy life to the full, so if you or someone you know is struggling with mental health symptoms like anxiety, loneliness and low mood, do reach out because sometimes a professional listening ear is all it takes to turn things around.
Deborah Lloyd, 79, from Milton near Cambridge took part in NHS Talking Therapies. Mrs Lloyd, had suffered from anxiety for several years. She had tried medication, but it didn’t have the impact she wanted so her GP referred her to NHS Talking Therapies. Mrs Lloyd said: “The therapy and support I received have made me more active. The talking therapies helped me to change my behaviours when faced with certain situations. It gave me mechanisms to cope and how to act with situations that would previously have been an issue. It’s much more manageable now and I feel comfort from knowing that the service exists.”
A 67-year-old man said: “The treatment has lifted me so much so, that I don’t seem to have as many bad moods. Talking about my symptoms really helped me to be stronger and I am now at the point where I feel I can deal with things better.”
The campaign also aims to reach out to family, friends and carers of an older person, who hasn’t been feeling themselves recently and would benefit from accessing free support like NHS Talking Therapies.
All the information that older people aged 65 and over need is available on the campaign website www.cpics.org.uk/feel-brighter, or they can call this number to make an initial referral: Tel 0300 300 0055. Phone lines are available 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday (closed on Bank Holidays).