COTA Australia provided brief comments to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee Inquiry into the accessibility and quality of mental health services in rural and remote Australia.
The mental health of older Australians is a significant public health concern. Older Australians experience higher rates of suicide, particularly among men over the age of 85; reduced access to appropriate mental health treatment; and ageist attitudes in general health and mental health care.
In rural and remote Australia, these concerns become magnified; with suicide rates nearly double that of the general population.4 With a rapidly ageing Australian population, it is critical that suicide prevention and broader mental health prevention and early intervention measures are implemented; and the capacity of mental health services and systems improved, in order to support this group of older Australians.
