Page 4 - Lansdowne Gardens Newsletter Autumn 2020_Final

4 LANSDOWNE NEWS, AUTUMN 2020
Health & Wellbeing

Improving Quality of Life

There are many apprehensions surrounding depression being the most commonly diagnosed mental
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aged care, with a common fear felt by families health condition (49%). When entering care, changes in
routine, loss of independence and relocation to a new
of older Australians that their loved ones will 1
be left sitting in front of a TV all day, with no environment all contribute to these depression statistics.
This is one of many reasons why there should be an
genuine mental or physical stimulation, with increased importance placed on ensuring that Australians
this likely having a disastrous effect on that in aged care have both a strong and ongoing sense of
individual’s overall wellbeing. purpose.
Older Australians take great solace in knowing that they
As an industry we need to be proactive about dispelling are part of a community, and that they’ll always have
these concerns by committing to ongoing someone to talk to. We have a duty of care to ensure that
improvements in lifestyle offerings and onsite all residents are best utilising what’s on offer, with
amenities in aged care. A study by SANE Australia ongoing assessment and planning an integral part of the
showed that elderly people reported that physical aged care quality standards.
health and social contact were the two key elements
that would help improve their quality of life. Keeping active and healthy is important no matter what
age you are, with studies suggesting that people over the
The positive effects of mental and physical engagement age of 65, more than any other age group, require
for older Australians are far‐reaching and include: adequate fitness levels to help maintain independence,
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recover from illness and reduce risk of disease . A
 a general boost to feelings of health and Victorian Department of Health, Well for Life report
wellbeing states that as we age there is a change in our physical
 increased quality of life ability. This can include loss of bone density, loss of
 a reduction in stress and the likelihood of muscle tone and joint problems. The extent of these
experiencing depression changes differs from person to person. They go on to
 increased levels of fitness state that medical evidence suggests that much physical
 greater self‐esteem living a purposeful life and decline is not the inevitable result of ageing but of a long‐
keeping mentally sharp. term sedentary living. Such physical decline can be halted
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and even reversed by regularly exercising.
And that is just some of them. A study by the Australian Being social, as well as mentally and physically
Institute of Health and Welfare showed that the stimulated, is vital to all of us as part of our overall
majority (86%) of people living in permanent health, which is why we need to make this an ongoing
residential aged care were diagnosed with at least one priority as aged care providers.
mental health or behavioural condition, with By Kerry Mann, CEO Cranbrook Care