Volume 3 Issue 10 October, 2013
World Mental Health Day: 10th October 2013 “MENTAL HEALTH AND OLDER ADULTS”
Every year on 10th of October, The World Health Organization joins in celebrating the World Mental Health Day. The day is celebrated with the initiative of the World Federation of Mental Health for which WHO supports through raising awareness on mental health issues using its strong relationships with the Ministries of health and civil society organizations across the globe. The theme for World Mental Health Day 2013 is “Mental health and older adults”.
The world population has never been as mature as now. Currently, the number of people aged 60 and over is more than 800 million. Projections indicate that this figure will increase to over two billion in 2050. One of the possible negative consequences of the rapid ageing of the global population is the increase in the number of people with mental disorders which will soon overwhelm the mental health system in many countries. Older people will have several health related problems both psychological and physical and diseases like Dementia, Depression, Anxiety and Substance use disorders along with co-morbid chronic physical illnesses will drastically affect the quality of life of this vulnerable population. The promotion of healthy ageing in all its aspects is an important role for all societies. Early recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders that are common in old age are important to
prevent suffering and disabilities.
