Mental health of older people: the role of primary care

There are currently over 600 million people aged over 60 and it is predicted that, by 2025, the number will double and, by 2050 there will be over 2 billion people aged 60 and above and the number of over 60's will be greater than the number of children under the age of 15. Co-morbid physical and mental health conditions are associated with an aging population and many of this population will suffer from stroke, hypertension, loneliness, depression, dementia, mobility and sight problems. The traditional approach of caring for people in hospitals is increasingly inappropriate for many of the elderly population and primary care is often the first point of contact for many people seeking acces…