A mental health condition is where there are changes in a person's thinking, feelings or behaviours that can cause distress and difficulty with daily living.
Caring for someone with a mental health condition can be challenging, but there are resources and support to help you in your caring role. The most important thing to understand is that help is available, both for you and the person you care for.
On this page
I need help right now
If the person you are caring for needs to talk to someone immediately, contact one of the following:
- Lifeline: 13 11 14
- MensLine Australia (for men of any age): 1300 789 978
- Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
- Healthdirect Australia: 1800 022 222
These phone lines are available to anyone in Australia 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are free or the cost of a local call (some charges may apply to calls from mobiles).
If they are at risk of hurting themselves or someone else, call 000 immediately.
Is there a link between ageing and depression?
Older people who are lonely or socially isolated and don't have strong social networks and support can be at risk of developing mental health conditions such as depression.
Depression is often not well recognised or detected in older people. Symptoms of depression such as problems with sleeping, memory or concentration can be dismissed as being part of growing older. Sometimes depression co-exists with dementia, which can make a specific diagnosis difficult.
Physical illness is also linked to depression. Things like being more dependent on others for care can lead to a sense of a loss of dignity and independence, which can contribute to developing depression.
There are many different types of mental health conditions. Visit the Medicare Mental Health website for more comprehensive resources and information.
What can I do to help?
It’s important to help the person you care for understand that getting help is not a sign of weakness, or that they’re doing anything wrong.
Talk to their doctor, nurse or mental health professional about treatment and management options. To get a positive outcome from treatment:
- develop a trusting relationship with a health professional and work together to find a suitable treatment
- identify and work on factors which may have contributed to the mental health condition
- continue with treatment for as long as needed.
Make sure you have the written consent of the person you are caring for to speak to their health professional. Talk to the health professionals to find out the best way to do this.
Carer Gateway has more information on talking to health professionals.
How do I know when professional help is needed?
The person you care for may feel embarrassed about asking for help. In some cases, they might not know they have a mental health condition but are concerned about physical symptoms such as headaches or chest pain. These symptoms can occur at the same time as mental health conditions.
It’s important to always have new physical symptoms assessed by a doctor. If a person complains of chest pain, seek medical advice to make sure they are not having heart problems.
If their physical symptoms are severe, get worse quickly or last longer than 10 minutes, call 000 immediately and ask for an ambulance. If calling 000 does not work on your mobile, try calling 112.
What treatments are available?
If you’re caring for an older person with a mental health condition, they will receive similar treatment similar to any other age group. Treatment depends on their symptoms, and may include:
- lifestyle changes such as getting plenty of exercise and improving nutrition
- counselling to help them address practical problems and conflicts, and to develop personal coping strategies with their condition
- psychological interventions to help the person understand their thoughts, behaviour and relationships with other people
- medications to improve symptoms, reduce anxiety and restore normal sleep patterns or appetite.
Medications often take time to have a positive effect; most medications need a few weeks to make a noticeable change.
Support groups
Groups or networks run by people who have experienced mental health conditions are available. These include self-help and mutual support groups, and mental health consumer organisations.
Making and keeping good friendships to avoid isolation is very important when you have a mental health condition. Encourage the person you care for to make the most of family, friends and local community groups – these groups don’t always have to be related to their condition.
Resources and support
There are a number of useful online resources that provide more information about mental health conditions and the help available:
- Beyond Blue: an independent, not-for-profit organisation working to increase awareness and understanding of depression and anxiety in Australia.
- Black Dog Institute: a leader in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder.
- BluePages: information on treatments for depression.
- Carer gateway: provides emotional and practical services and support for carers including connecting you with an Australia-wide network of Carer Gateway service providers.
- iLA – LiveUp: is a free healthy ageing guide to help maintain independence and social connections with free ageing information, downloadable resources and local activities.
- Lifeline: an organisation that provides access to crisis support, suicide prevention and mental health support services.
- Mental Help Net: mental health and wellness education and advocacy.
- Open Arms: provides free and confidential counselling to anyone who has served at least one day in the Australian Defence Force (ADF), and their families.
- SANE Australia: a national charity helping all Australians affected by mental illness lead a better life.
- Wellmob: brings together online resources made by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, all with a focus on social and emotional wellbeing.