Don't forget the old and the lonely

"The impetus to make the necessary changes in the mental health services must come from the community," said Professor Nalaka Mendis, chairman of the panel discussion on "Mental Health Rights of the Older Person", which took place at the National Conference, held during National Mental Health Week 1999.

So far nothing significant has happened since 1965, said Prof. Mendis. Senior Ministers have been alerted, they have all agreed that radical innovations are required. Policies are enacted, but it needs community-based advocacy to get things done, he said.

A start was made of this type of approach when several parents whose children attended the day care centre at Sahanaya, spoke of their problems at a seminar organised on October 9.

The National Conference, organised by the Ministry of Social Services, was well attended by government personnel, medical professionals, and NGOs. Participants were welcomed by the Director, National Secretariat for Persons with Disabilities, Malini Samarasinghe and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Social Services, V. Jegarasasingham. It was significant that the world's population had hit the six billion mark on that very day. Equally significant was the fact that by the year 2031, 21.9 percent of the Sri Lankan population will be in the category of older persons.

• Resource persons

The panel comprising Prof. Nalaka Mendis, Chairman, Roy Perera, J.K.T.G. Prematilake, Kalhari Hewage and Malini Balasingham discussed mental health rights of older persons both at macro and micro levels.

Introducing the subject, Prof. Mendis said in Sri Lanka, health was not considered as a human right, least of all mental health. It was necessary in the coming year, to identify such rights and needs, which included an adequate income, enough space to live comfortably in and health care in the elders' own homes.

Prof. Mendis did not think that day care centres and residential homes were the answer. The overall aim should be to improve the quality of life of the elders, he said.

Dr. Prematilake said if you have good mental health when you are younger, it will carry through into old age. Elderly people can have the same illnesses as young people, but two conditions which specifically affected old people were dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

It was a pity, he said that at Angoda Mental Hospital there was no separate ward for elders.

Dr. Roy Perera covered the many mental illnesses that older people were subject to and explained their interaction with psychological and social factors. Kalhari Hewage, psychologist, focused on typical problems faced by older persons, such as incompatibility with their immediate family members. Malini Balasingham drew on her personal experiences as a senior citizen, in dealing with common mental health problems such as lack of sleep, loneliness and loss of memory.

She also drew attention to some of the joys of old age, such as having grandchildren to be proud of, and the satisfaction of not craving for worldly goods.

• Taking a step forward

The conference concluded with addresses from Minister of Social Services, Sumedha G. Jayasena and the Deputy Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine Abu Bakr. The Minister said mental health problems were worldwide, but in Sri Lanka a great step forward was being taken through productive discussions on how to deal with the rising rate of mental ill health and the promotion of mental health.

The Deputy Minister said that since Mental Health Week 1997, mental health care and services have been marching forward. A summary of the conference proceedings and the vote of thanks was delivered by Mrs. V. Jegarasasingham.(M.B)

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