Older people, mental health and learning

The World Health Organization (2002) describes population aging as “one of humanity's greatest triumphs” as well as “one of our greatest challenges.” Growth in the number of older people as a proportion of the total population (described as the graying of the world's population) is a global phenomenon. With increasing age the causes of death and disease change: in early life communicable diseases, nutritional deficiencies and maternal/perinatal conditions are most important, but after midlife, chronic conditions assume increasing importance. Amongst the chronic conditions of later life, mental disorders feature prominently, the two most common being dementia and depression (Faculty of Old Age Psychiatry, 2006).