The occurrence of psychiatric disorders is common in old age, considering that at least 12% of the elderly living in the community has a diagnosable mental disorder, in the case of patients hospitalized for problems of organic type is estimated between 40-50%, and in nursing homes about 70 to 94%.

The Latin American population is aging faster than projected, which poses challenges in terms of equity, quality and coverage of social services, pensions, academic, curricular renewal geriatric and gerontological components, strengthening research, cultural work, challenges terms of institutional arrangements, new programs of promotion and prevention for older persons, the economic sustainability of the adult in the last stages of life, prevention of cognitive impairment, etc. To develop policies, programs and plans that improve health during aging, a better use national surveys and surveillance systems.

It is also necessary to make international efforts to gradually create sources of information that provide benchmarks to compare the situation of older people in different countries of the region and to accumulate evidence to design interventions and subsequently evaluate the impact of policies, plans and programs. The conclusion is that Latin America in general, is not ready to take on the upcoming changes related to the aging population.

While this is a concern, there is still time to start a job that will address demographic change in the best way possible, considering that this is a different process experienced by developed countries.

Source: Rubinstein, C. (2015). Latin America is Prepared to Face the Challenges of an Aging Population?, International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience, 17(1), 372-373.

Visit Geriatric Mental Health for more articles

• Share this page
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•