Mental health – as important as physical health
As well as diet and lifestyle advice, having conversations with people, particularly older customers, will help you determine the state of their mental health. The term “public health” encompasses a person’s complete physical, social and mental wellbeing and does not only refer to the absence of disease9. Mental health and physical health are deeply connected – e.g. older adults with conditions such as heart disease have higher rates of depression than those who are medically well10, further highlighting the need for a holistic approach.
There are various aspects that are important to your older customers’ mental health and wellbeing:
Always keep these factors in mind when speaking to older customers; having conversations with them and asking how they are will help to build a good rapport and encourage them to open up and feel like they can trust you and your team.