For Older Adults, Mental Illness Often Goes Undiagnosed or Untreated

Mental health problems among adults 60 and older are "largely underdiagnosed and undertreated," with the World Health Organization estimating that one in five adults in this age range have a mental or neurological disorder, reports KERA News . One explanation is that mental disorders frequently attend physical health difficulties. Dr. Charles Herlihy with Medical City North Hills in Texas notes older people living at home who suddenly find themselves alone because a spouse has died can experience "a cascade of illnesses: chest pain, stomach pain, stress-related symptoms, and then clinical depression." Moreover, untreated depression can exacerbate heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and other health problems. The stigma of mental illness also can compound the situation for older adults. University of Texas at Arlington Professor Philip Baiden suggests this stigma could be dispelled if people would discuss mental health and support their older adult friends and relatives.