American Psychological Association
Changes in Mental Health and Mental Processes
Demographic, Economic, and Social Issues
Psychological Problems of Older Adults
- Because it may take older adults more time to encode, store, and retrieve information, the rate at which new information is learned can be slower among aging adults, and older adults often have a greater need for repetition of new information. Although it may take older adults longer to input and retrieve new information, daily occupational and social functioning among those over age 65 is not impaired.
- Long-term memory shows substantial changes with age, while short-term memory shows less age-related decline.
- Most aspects of language ability remain strong, yet word-finding ability declines with age. Three-dimensional drawing similarly declines with age.
- Wisdom and creativity often continue to the very end of life.
- Overall prevalence of mental disorders in older adults is less than in any other age group, and general life satisfaction among older Americans is as good as, if not better, than any other age group.
