It’s not just your age – a serious message from Brummie-born comedian

Birmingham born comedian, Jasper Carrott generously donated his time and voice to share an important mental health message to people aged 65 and over.

BSMHFT, with the help of Carrott, are promoting the importance of local community mental health services and the role they play in supporting our older population.

Older people are just as likely to struggle with their mental health but are less likely to receive the support they need. In 2020/21 only 5% of NHS talking therapy referrals were people aged over 65 - 7% below what was expected.

Community mental health services play a crucial role in delivering mental health care for adults and older adults with severe mental health needs as close to home as possible. The community-based care includes access to psychological therapies, improved physical health care, employment support, personalised and trauma informed care, medicine management and support for self-harm and coexisting substance use.

Feeling low or losing interest in things you once loved are not normal parts of aging – they could be signs of depression or anxiety.

There are many things that can impact our mental health as we get older such as retirement, bereavement, being a carer, money worries or not physically being able to do the things you once could.

Hannah Kenny, Older Adults Transformation Lead said:

“We’re thrilled to introduce this new animation aimed at raising mental health awareness for older adults. This initiative highlights the unique challenges they face and promotes understanding, compassion, and early intervention. By sharing these stories in an accessible and engaging way, we hope to spark meaningful conversations and ensure that nobody in our community feels alone in their mental health journey.”

It’s not just your age. Speak to your local GP to learn more about your local community mental health service.?

#ItsNotJustYourAge #BirminghamSolihull #ReachOut #OlderAdults #MentalHealthSupport #JasperCarrott Mental Health UK Mental Health Foundation NHS England