Department of Psychiatry, Medical College, Thrissur.
Indian J Psychiatry. 2004 Oct;46(4):367-72.
Demographic aging will soon lead to a sudden increase in the number of older people with dementia and depression in India. We need to develop services to meet the mental health needs of the aged in the population. Geriatric Psychiatry section of IPS has initiated a process of consultations to address this emerging public health issue. Health professionals involved in the care of older people with mental health problems took part in focus group discussions Their opinion and suggestions regarding development of psychogeriatric services and research were gathered. Urgent action is needed to improve the existing low levels of public awareness about mental health problems of older people. Home based care needs to be supported through formal services in the community. If sensitised properly clinicians, can be more effective in managing depression and dementia at primary care level. Research initiatives can be facilitated by networking of researchers and active efforts at dissemination of important research findings. Community health workers could be trained to identify and provide help to older people with mental health problems and their carers. Community outreach programmes for elderly could be particularly relevant in the rural areas where as development of clinic based psycho-geriatric services may be feasible in urban settings. Good research can influence and shape policies which in turn can result in better mental health care for older people.
人口老龄化将很快导致印度痴呆症和抑郁症老年患者数量的突然增加。我们需要发展服务，以满足人口中老年人的心理健康需求。IPS 的老年精神病学分会已经启动了一个磋商过程，以解决这一新出现的公共卫生问题。参与照顾有心理健康问题的老年人的卫生专业人员参加了焦点小组讨论，他们就精神老年医学服务和研究的发展提出了意见和建议。需要采取紧急行动，提高公众对老年人心理健康问题的现有低认识水平。需要通过社区中的正规服务来支持以家庭为基础的护理。如果临床医生得到适当的启发，他们可以在初级保健层面更有效地管理抑郁症和痴呆症。可以通过研究人员的联网和积极传播重要研究结果来促进研究计划。可以培训社区卫生工作者，以识别和帮助有心理健康问题的老年人及其照顾者。对于农村地区来说，针对老年人的社区外展计划可能特别相关，而在城市环境中，基于诊所的心理老年医学服务的发展可能是可行的。良好的研究可以影响和塑造政策，从而为老年人提供更好的心理健康护理。
