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This article takes stock of the research work carried out in Europe over the period 2020-2022 by a multidisciplinary consortium of specialists in psychiatry and mental health that brings together university research laboratories, psychiatric hospitals, universities, and training centers. Our work focuses on the difficulties encountered by care and psycho-social support professionals during the COVID-19 period. These difficulties are individual and organizational to ensure a service of accompaniment and follow-up of psychiatric users. What synthesis can we achieve of our successes, our failures, our limitations, and for which avenues of work for the future? After presenting the methodological protocol, we conduct a self-critical reflection of the achievements in 3 main axes of analysis: 1. Evolution of working conditions in a context of uncertainty, 2. Organizational dimensions and hindered care, 3. Digital technologies. From these results emerges a set of controversies and ethical questions relating to the legitimacy of remote care, confidentiality and protection of personal data, and equity in access to care. It appears that the professional practices deployed during the COVID-19 health crisis question the way in which the organization of care and social support integrate the possibilities offered by digital applications. They are about promoting the autonomy and empowerment of mental health service users and professionals. From this perspective, the extension of this work develops a forward-looking approach included in Community digitization policies for new European projects. It appears necessary to carry out multidisciplinary in-depth work, by 2030 on hospital psychiatry and "outside the walls", the care pathway of the user, social support, digitalization, data management, and the training of professionals in technological changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present narrative review addresses the difficulties and challenges occurring in the field of mental health in elderly adults by describing and synthesizing the available data. More precise knowledge on the prevalence of mental health difficulties in this population is still necessary. This directly leads us to the problem of age-related stereotypes and inaccurate knowledge regarding diagnosis in old age. Poly-pharmacy and side effects of psychotropic medications are also challenges encountered in the field of mental health in older adults. This paper highlights the necessity to improve knowledge and skills by research and by training professionals and develop multidisciplinary networks focusing on older adults' mental health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging has important consequences on mental health. In fact, the prevalence of certain mental disorders tends to increase with age: depression, but also dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease, significantly affects people over the age of 65 and is a major public health problem. In the ERASMUS + KA project, Mental Health Professional Networks and Strategic Partnership for Elderly People (ARPA Ageing) Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad is a partner alongside: Center of Psychological and Pedagogical Support in Belgium, Panepistimio Kritis University of Crete, EPSM Lille Metropole and the University of Luxembourg. The project is a follow-up to the project Employment in Europe-Public Health and Mental Health: Urgent Training, Social Integration and Employability Needs (SPSM) project, which had as main objective to improve the practice of professionals and to help the social and occupational integration into the labor market of people suffering from mental disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our article refers to the work of the Réseaux professionnels et personnes âgées project, which is an ERASMUS Plus project, a strategic project aimed at improving the professional networks of intervention and care for the elderly who have contacted a mental illness. The project puts forward innovative objectives through close collaboration between the partners involved who have a diversified professional experience. The project benefits from a multidisciplinary team: sociologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, doctors, pedagogues, social workers, etc. who, through study, exchange of good practices and experience, aim to improve the professional skills of professionals accompanying older people with mental health problems. Their interventions aim at improving the quality of life of elderly people in vulnerable and risk situations. The purpose of the project is in fact to have a dual perspective: improving healthcare networks and optimizing the care of elderly people with mental health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]