Vijayalakshmi Radhakrishan* and Thirunavukarasu
The world’s population is ageing rapidly between 2000 and 2050. The proportion of the world's older adults is estimated to double from about 11% to 22%. In absolute terms, this is an expected increase from 605 Million to 2 Billion people over the age of 60. Older people face special physical and mental health challenges which need to be recognized. (WHO -fact sheet - September 2013 on mental health and older adults). Among the elderly population depression complicates the existing morbidity conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and Cerebrovascular accidents. It decreases the quality- of-life, functional ability, increases the mortality, and decreases health care utilization. Mental health problems will have a negative influence on health seeking behavior among older persons.
