92% of Older People Believe Their Mental Health is Overlooked, Yours Magazine’s New Survey Reveals

A new survey conducted by Yours Magazine revealed that 92% of those aged 50-80 believe that their mental health is overlooked, with 91% agreeing that there is still a taboo talking about it.  This poses a huge issue for this generation, with 70% of respondents revealing that they had experienced depression and almost two-thirds admitted that they had suffered from stress and anxiety.

The exclusive poll of 1,000 Yours magazine readers aged 50-80 from across the UK highlighted that age brings its own set of mental health challenges.  Bereavement, family members’ health and their own health were the main contributing factors – all of which have been exacerbated by the global Covid-19 crisis.  With a large proportion of older people isolated from family and friends and their everyday lives having drastically changed, the spotlight on mental health has never been stronger.

Widely referred to as “the stiff upper lip generation” who tend to not talk about their feelings, Yours Magazine and its new campaign Yours Minds aims to normalise mental health, remove taboos and encourage conversation.  In fact, currently only 21% feel they can speak to their partner about their mental health and that figure is even less with a friend (20%) or family member (18%). Respondents cited not wanting to feel like a burden (33%), discomfort (29%) and embarrassment (20%) as some of the biggest barriers to conversation.

In addition to raising awareness, the Yours Minds campaign will provide practical take-outs and information to improve mental health, ranging from tips to stay connected with friends and family to the best activities to get involved with. The magazine will also explore how age, resilience and experience can be useful and contribute to a positive mindset. The campaign comes ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week, this year taking place between May 18-24.

Commenting on the survey, Yours Magazine Editor Sharon Reid said:

“During the current pandemic there is a lot of focus on how it’s affecting our mental health but Yours Magazine wanted to specifically shine a light on the experiences of older people.  This group is disproportionately affected by the crisis and is often overlooked when it comes to talking about mental health. The results were fascinating and showed that there are still taboos and barriers around mental health in older people, and that it can affect us at any age.”

Full results from the Yours Minds Survey 2020 can be found in the latest issue of Yours Magazine, out now, available from newsstands, Apple (iOS) App Store, Google Play App Store, Great Magazines, Readly, PocketMags and Zinio. 

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About Bauer Media UK:
Yours magazine is published by Bauer Media UK. Bauer Media UK reaches over 25 million UK consumers through a portfolio of world-class, multi-platform media and entertainment brands including heat, KISS, Grazia, Empire, Magic, Absolute Radio and the Hits Radio Network. These brands offer commercial partners access to highly engaged audiences, with creative solutions underpinned by insight and instinct. Bauer Media UK is part of the Bauer Media Group, one of the world’s largest privately-owned media businesses with media assets all over the globe.

For further information, please contact:

Susie Asbury, Communications Director, Magazines, Bauer Media

susie.asbury@bauermedia.co.uk – 07754758322