27March 2001

NATIONAL SERVICE FRAMEWORK FOR OLDER PEOPLE

Commenting onthe governments announcement of a National Service Framework for Older People,Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of mental health charity SANE, said:

"Mental illness can strike olderpeople with the same devastating effects for individuals and families as thosein younger age groups. It is distressing that 17% of all suicides in the UnitedKingdom are committed by people over the age of 65, strongly associated withdepression and living alone.

"SANE is pleased that themental health needs of older people, and those of their families, are at lastbeing treated with the same seriousness as their physical needs. Funding forthe Mental Health National Service Framework is already severely stretched,therefore any new monies allocated for this group must be sufficient to caterfor their often long-term problems."

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