Bedlam (2013)

Breakdown: Older Adults (1x4)

Air date: Nov 21, 2013

The final episode of the series visits a psychiatric ward for over-65s at the South London and Maudsley. According to psychiatrist Professor Robert Howard, 'In society old people and people with mental health problems come right at the bottom of the heap really. So, if you are old and you have got mental health problems, you have got this sort of dreadful double whammy of disadvantage.' Lorraine, who's 67, has forgotten who she is and can't remember anything about her life. It happened almost overnight. Peter, who's 86, has spent his life travelling the world. A year ago he was teaching in Istanbul but his mental state began to deteriorate and he took an overdose after returning to England. He has schizoaffective disorder, characterised by mood swings and delusional behaviour. He doesn't want to take medication. Vera, who's 82, had never had a mental illness before she was admitted to hospital with psychotic symptoms. She'd developed a distorted view of reality and believed the doctors and nurses were imposters. Although those symptoms have gone, she now suffers from extreme anxiety and, with no family to support her, she's unsure whether she'll ever have the confidence to live on her own. Sylvia was 70 before she first experienced mental illness. She became severely depressed following the deaths of a number people very close to her. After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, she had electroconvulsive therapy treatment. Two years later, she volunteers every Friday in the ward where she was once treated, chatting to the patients and generally helping out. Friendly, warm and chatty, Sylvia is an example that recovery is possible.