Skip to main content

Mental Health

America’s aging baby boomer populace may be more familiar with psychology and psychiatry than was the Greatest Generation, but as a group they also have a penchant for misusing substances. Is there a way to ratchet back drug use as baby boomers age? It’s predicted that by 2025, the number of people ages 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease will increase 40 percent (to 7.1 million), with no cure on the horizon. Who’s doing what to fix or prevent Alzheimer’s? Are too many elders with dementia being medicated in nursing homes? What about cascading medications that cause delirium, dementia and other health complications? ASA’s membership community includes many professionals and clinicians with a psychology/psychiatry specialty and they regularly contribute their expertise to stories on the issues and trends in the mental health arena. 

Recommended

Online Learning: ASA members have free access to all web seminars.

MindAlert: With generous funding from the MetLife Foundation, ASA’s MindAlert Program trains members on the newest findings in cognitive fitness, and disseminates information on current research and innovative programs that help older adults maintain and improve cognitive and mental function in their later years.

Mental Health and Aging Network: The Mental Health and Aging Network (MHAN) can help you with your professional development. Members of MHAN are dedicated to improving supportive interventions for older adults with mental health problems and for their caregivers.