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Introduction
These learning materials aim to explore mental health in later life. They will review the meaning of mental health, why it is an important part of overall well-being and how it relates to successful ageing.
They will also offer an overview of the different aspects of an older person’s life and situation that impact on their mental health and the role that an individual and their family, the community they live in and wider society can play in promoting, or undermining, mental health.
Later on a model (a model is an abstract map of ideas or concepts. Models tend to include theories - explanations for how the world works - and the building blocks of theories are ‘concepts’ Key concepts for this learning object include ‘mental health‘ and ‘social exclusion’. These are abstract in that you cannot touch, see or easily measure them but they are nevertheless important in helping us understand an issue that is complex and/or has many parts) is outlined which draws these different elements together in a pictorial format.
Although much of the discussion in this learning object refers to able-bodied older people, it may also be relevant to people with disabilities and those who are housebound.