Getting older brings its share of challenges, and at times you may find it difficult to stay mentally healthy and strong.

If feelings like sadness or worry are preventing you from getting the most out of life, help and support is available.

Your mental health is important

Your mental health is a central part of your overall wellbeing. If you don’t have good mental health, it’s possible you also don’t have good self-esteem or you don’t feel confident and able to face life and its challenges.

Being mentally healthy is important, not just so you can get through the day but so you can maintain healthy relationships with others, and appreciate life to the full. So if you feel like your mental health is not as good as it could be, look for support before you reach a crisis point (see ‘Where to get help’ below).

Common mental health issues for seniors

Many older people have mental health issues at some point. This may be due to:

• illness
• frailty and loss of independence
• grief and loss
• financial stress
• changing living arrangements
• increasing social isolation

Improving your wellbeing

There are plenty of things you can do to improve your mental health and wellbeing. They include:

• eating well
• getting enough sleep
• exercising regularly
• spending time with friends and family
• sharing feelings with others
• doing enjoyable and relaxing activities
• volunteering and helping others