Among the Elderly
With a greater percentage of people living beyond the age of 65—both in the industrialized nations of the West and the developing countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America—the problem of mental illness among the elderly has grown significantly. Researchers estimate that from 15 to 25 percent of elderly people in the United States suffer from significant symptoms of mental illness. Dementia, characterized by confusion, memory loss, and disorientation, occurs mostly among the elderly. A study of residents of Boston, Massachusetts, revealed that about 10 percent of people over the age of 65 suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, and research on residents of Shanghai, China found that 4.6 percent of people over 65 suffer from this condition. (Among the Elderly, Mental Illness)
Major depression, the most severe form of depression, affects from 1 to 2 percent of people aged 65 or older who are living in the community (rather than in nursing homes or other institutions). The prevalence of depression and other mental illnesses is much higher among elderly residents of nursing homes. Although most older people with depression respond to treatment, many cases of depression among the elderly go undetected or untreated. Research indicates that depression is a major risk factor for suicide among the elderly in the United States. People over age 65 in the United States have the highest suicide rate of any age group. (Among the Elderly, Mental Illness)
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