Exercise to your ability NOT your age

Don’t let age be a factor when determining what exercise you do

We all know exercise is good for us but research has shown that exercise in older adults is linked to lower disease risk, reduced risks of falls and better overall health. Our bodies change as we age, but this shouldn’t change our attitudes towards exercise. We simply need to choose the type of exercise that is suitable for our ability. Whether it’s low intensity activities (walking, jogging, cycling), HITT (high intensity interval training) or resistance training- don’t let age be a limiting factor.

Exercise is also shown to improve mental health, well being, cognitive function and improve life expectancy. We should all aim to be physically active daily and get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week . Simple things like reducing the amount of time sitting or lying down can make a difference.

So not matter your age- let your ability be the factor that determines your physical health.

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The Mental Elf

An online resource to keep up to date with mental health research and guidance

Mental heath experts summarise evidence based publications relevant to mental health practice.

They find key guidance, systematic reviews and high quality research and reports to help make your practice more evidence based.

You can also join evidence based journal clubs interactive webinars targeted at your field, or suggest a paper to be discussed.

Best of all, their work is free to read and access.

To access click this link.

Mental and Physical Health

Five activities that can protect your mental and physical health as you age

No one is immune to developing chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer or arthritis as they get older. But research shows social activities, like joining clubs, interest groups or volunteering, are linked to better mental and physical health and a longer lifespan.

Read more here

Report

Recreating parks: securing the future of our urban green spaces

In this briefing paper, the cross-party think-tank states that parks and green spaces should be seen as a tool of health care in the same way as medicines and therapies. Giving the NHS a role in supporting parks and green spaces would allow doctors to make more use of social prescribing techniques where patients are told to take exercise and spend time outdoors to boost physical and mental health.

Survey Results

Understanding people’s concerns about the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic

The Academy of Medical Sciences, together with the research charity MQ: Transforming Mental Health, is working with researchers and those with lived experience to ensure that mental health is at the heart of research into the impacts of COVID-19. This report describes the findings of a consultation undertaken in late March 2020, the week that the Prime Minister announced the UK lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clinical, mental health, and nursing e-book collections

Around 5,000 titles have been made available from EBSCO via OpenAthens until the end of May 2020 and include titles from Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, McGraw-Hill Education, Springer Publishing, Wolters Kluwer Health, Taylor & Francis and Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

The clinical collection is available here and topic areas include dermatology, gynaecology and obstetrics, internal medicine, medicine (general), nursing, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, pathology, paediatrics, pharmacology and surgery.

The nursing collection is available here and topic areas include nursing research and theory, pharmacology, nursing management, evidence-based nursing, home care nursing and leadership.

The psychology collection is available here and topic areas include psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, counselling, social psychology, evolutionary psychology, developmental psychology and more.

For support contact EBSCO

The British Journal of Psychiatry

Volume 216, Issue 3, March 2020 Published Online

Natural disasters, war and racial or religious persecution bring major challenges to the mental health of those who have to flee their homelands and to those who suffer brutal violations of fundamental human rights. The British Journal of Psychiatry (BJPsych) has collaborated with the World Psychiatric Association to examine the mental health aspects of disasters and trauma, aiming to strengthen the contribution of psychiatrists to reduce distress, illness and suicidal behavior among vulnerable populations.

Guest Editors: Prof. Jonathan Bisson, Prof. Michel Botbol, Prof Edgar Jones, Prof. Jan Kizilhan and Prof. Thomas Schulze

See more here