Primary Care Mental Health in Older People

Abstract

In the context of the rapid growth in numbers of the older adult population, the mental health of older adults has become a huge challenge for all concerned, especially with the high prevalence of mental health issues in this group. The ageing world population needs to be central in all policies and programmes in order to enable health systems to be more equitable, inclusive and fair. Services need to be designed to respond to the mental health needs of older adults; educational programmes need to be offered for professionals to improve their specific skills to treat and care for this important group. At any age mental health is under-treated, even in many developed countries. With age, the problem is magnified, often because primary care settings lack confidence in addressing mental health in an aging and often frail population.