Appropriate support and interventions for both the individual and the family also must be developed for later stages of the disease. In particular, the non-cognitive mental health aspects of dementia have been understudied, both in terms of basic descriptive research and intervention. Also, little is known about appropriate support interventions for members of different minority ethnic groups who often use established mental health services less frequently than do members of other groups. Different traditions and different understandings regarding dementia may require different intervention techniques to be effective. Problem 3 Depression is one of the most common disorders in older adults.
Depression is a clinical syndrome that affects older adults in a variety of ways.
Nearly 5 million individuals age 65 and over suffer from serious and persistent symptoms of depression, and over 1 million suffer from major depression. Most of the treatment for older adults' depression occurs in the context of a primary care medical practice, with only a small minority of depressed older adults being treated by a mental health practitioner. Thus, depression among older adults often goes undetected and untreated, seriously eroding the quality of life and productivity of older adults. Well-accepted, standardized methods for evaluating depressive symptoms and disorders in older adults have been developed. In addition, effective treatment approaches for depression have been developed, including both pharmaceutical and psychotherapeutic approaches.