Older adult’s mental health networks: first results of the ARPA ageing project regarding expectations and needs of health professionals

The European project “ARPA ageing” (co-funded by the Erasmus+ strategic partnerships programme) aims to improve the efficiency of mental health networks for older people. In order to have a better knowledge of the perceived strengths and weakness of these networks, we investigated by a survey the needs and expectations of health professionals such as geriatrists, nurses or nursing assistants.
A questionnaire of 24 items with an estimated duration of 20 minutes was published online from the 1 March 2018 to the 1 April 2018 in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. Preliminary data concern 90 health professionals (main categories: 15.6% of nurses, 10% of psychologists, 7.8% of geriatricians and 7.8% of nursing assistants) in the domain of mental health and/or elder care. Notably due to the fact that not all participants already worked with health networks, levels of “no answer” varied between 24.4% to 33.3 according the questions.
First results on the total sample reveal that health professionals globally perceived health networks as beneficial to a holistic care approach and care continuity (both 51.1%), and to care access (48.9%). These networks were estimated as beneficial to the increase of professional knowledge regarding older adults (38.9%) and mental health (34.4%), and to the improvement of professional skills (38.9%). Main reported difficulties working with these networks were the lack of information about these networks (56.7%) and the related health professions (50.1%), the lack of time and financial compensation (both 36.7%), and of coordinating tools (36.7%).
This study is being extended to more participants and countries (i.e., Greece and Romania) in order to have a larger and more representative understanding of the European situation and cultural differences regarding mental health networks. This information will guide the next steps of the ARPA ageing project: the development of a European Internet platform and the production of guidelines to facilitate the implementation and monitoring of efficient mental health networks in Europe.