Prevention of mental disorder in the elderly: current perspectives and future prospects.

This article reviews primary, secondary, and tertiary preventive strategies in the mental health field. Primary prevention is currently restricted to some forms of dementia, but secondary and tertiary prevention can significantly diminish both short-term and long-term morbidity. Improved professional and lay education, better use of existing knowledge and resources, and improved communication among practitioners in the medical, psychosocial, and mental health fields can all lead to improved care at the present time.