Twenty five percent of Americans will die in nursing homes. Over 40 percent of nursing home residents exhibit signs of clinical depression or anxiety. Furthermore, the Surgeon General's report on aging and mental health reveals that a considerable portion of the population 55 and older will experience specific mental disorders that are not part of the normal aging process such as unrecognized or untreated depression, Alzheimer's disease, alcohol and drug misuse and abuse, anxiety, late-life schizophrenia and other conditions that can be severely impairing, even fatal. The rate of suicide is highest among older adults relative to all other age groups. Studies have shown that many older adults who die by suicide – up to 75 percent – visited a physician within a month before death. 

 

For everyone, the later years are a time of many changes. Work patterns change and there can be retirement issues, serious physical illness, loss of family and friends, loss of physical capacities, and a change in self-image. Over the years everyone develops coping skills to deal with the disappointments, losses, and changes that come as a natural part of life. Unfortunately, as we grow older these losses and changes can become increasingly frequent and the consequences more devastating. Older people have less time and fewer personal resources to see them through. The NIMH stresses that a depressive disorder is not just a normal part of aging but is a widely under-recognized and undertreated medical illness. In fact, some health professionals mistakenly think that persistent depression is an acceptable response to serious illnesses and the social and financial hardships that often accompany aging. Some symptoms of persistent depression include loss of interest in life, feeling tired for no reason, loss of appetite, feeling snappy or irritable with people, poor sleep, feeling useless and a burden to others, withdrawal from others. 

 

It is important to note that there are effective treatments for depression and most mental disorders experienced by older persons. Geriatric mental health professionals work with individuals or in group settings such as nursing homes to provide counseling services related to the later years of life. Studies suggest that several forms of psychotherapy in combination with psychiatric medications are effective for the treatment of late-life depression and other mental disorders. Psychotherapies that have been effective include cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, problem-solving therapy, and reminiscence therapy, a therapy developed for older adults that emphasizes reflection upon past life experiences that enables the individual to overcome feelings of depression and despair.

 

The Surgeon General's report on aging and mental health also emphasizes that disability due to mental illness in individuals over 65 years old will become a major public health problem in the near future. The report also noted that primary care practitioners are a "critical link" in identifying mental disorders in older adults. Some of the overall health benefits of treating older adults with mental disorders include an improved ability to care for themselves and follow their primary care provider's direction and advice, especially regarding compliance with medications.