news&views Summer 2019 | Page 48

Mental Health Part II: Mental Illness and Suicide in Canada’s Seniors Hailie Rondeau, RN | Care Specialist, HumanaCare Mental health awareness is growing, with campaigns like Bell’s “Let’s Talk” and the annual Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs in May across Canada. These are just a couple of examples of steps being taken by organizations to increase Canadians’ knowledge of mental health and illness and to reduce stigma. Reducing the stigma of mental illness is important for people to seek help and feel less isolated. Mental illness in seniors is associated with functional decline, family stress, greater risk of medical illness, and often reduced recovery from illness. 48 | arta.net