Mental wellbeing in over 65s: occupational therapy and physical activity interventions

Introduction

The Department of Health (DH) asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to produce public health guidance for primary care and residential care on interventions that promote the mental wellbeing of older people. This guidance focuses on the role of occupational therapy interventions and physical activity interventions in the promotion of mental wellbeing for older people. It is anticipated that this is the first of a range of NICE public health guidance on the health and wellbeing of older people.

The guidance is for NHS primary care and other professionals who have a direct or indirect role in, and responsibility for, promoting older people's mental wellbeing. This includes those working in local authorities and the wider public, private, voluntary and community sectors. It will also be relevant for carers and family members who support older people and may be of interest to older people themselves.

The guidance complements and supports, but does not replace, NICE guidance on supporting people with dementia and their carers in health and social care, managing depression in primary and secondary care, assessing and preventing falls in older people, obesity, commonly used methods to increase physical activity, physical activity and the environment, behaviour change and community engagement.

The Public Health Interventions Advisory Committee (PHIAC) has considered a review of the evidence, an economic appraisal, stakeholder comments and the results of fieldwork in developing these recommendations.

Details of PHIAC membership are given in appendix A. The methods used to develop the guidance are summarised in appendix B. Supporting documents used in the preparation of this document are listed in appendix E. Full details of the evidence collated, including fieldwork data and activities and stakeholder comments, are available, along with a list of the stakeholders involved and the Institute's supporting process and methods manuals.