Older people
Care for older people represents the largest area of adult nursing in the UK
Whatever care setting you work in, you will be regularly caring for older people with a diverse set of needs, which in turn require diverse expertise. In this section you will find resources and guidance on the key issues related to the care of older people.
Resources supporting the care of older people
Delirium - Information, guidance and tools to help you identify and manage episodes of delirium in older patients. Find out more about our Delirium Champion resources.
Falls - Guidance and resources for nursing professionals on the prevention, treatment and management of falls in older people
Frailty - Get advice and resources on identifying frailty in older patients and choosing the right interventions to help manage their condition
Meaningful activity - Fundamental to the delivery of high quality, safe and effective care for residents living in care homes
Supporting healthy ageing - This page looks at how nurses and health care assistants can support physical, mental and sexual activity in later life
Mental health in later life - Information on how mental health in older people and how nurses can work with older people experiencing mental health issues
How nurses can support older people’s mental health
Looking after our mental health is important whatever our age, but for many older people talking about mental health and accessing support can be more difficult. Age UK will be launching a campaign in the new year to raise awareness of the difficulties some older people face, and below Charlotte Lynch, Policy Manager at Age UK, discusses how nurses can be well placed to support older people with their mental health.
Healthcare professionals and nurses are ideally positioned to be making a difference. Age UK has identified key steps for nurses to take:
- Remember that mental health is just as important as physical. Try to get into the habit of asking about the emotional wellbeing of the people you see.
- Look out for signs that your patients are struggling with their mental health.
- Start the conversation. It can seem awkward bringing up mental health but older people tell us that they want to be asked and find talking useful.
- Think about language. Older people can be put off by terms such as mental health and depression. Try to use more informal language
- Remember mental health problems in later life are not inevitable. With the right support older people can recover.
Care home journey
The Care Home Journey is specifically designed to support nursing care in older peoples care homes. It is the first time the RCN has provided bespoke web pages for nurses working in this area of the independent sector and the content has been reviewed by current experts.
View the resource.
Safe staffing
Read RCN's thoughts on what we believe will be important to ensure the new legislation is as effective as possible.
Related to older people: information and guidance:
Professional lead for older people: information and guidance:
Older people and COVID-19
- NHS England: Dementia wellbeing in the COVID-19 pandemic
- See also: Clinical guidance for managing COVID-19
Complex conversations and decisions for care home leaders
Related news
- SIGN, June 2020. Management of osteoporosis and the prevention of fragility fractures. This revised guideline provides recommendations based on current evidence for best practice in the management of osteoporosis and prevention of fractures.
- Health Education England, 30 April 2020. Physical Health Competency Framework for Mental Health and Learning Disability Settings
