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Some Facts About Growing Old in America Today
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According
to the U.S. Census Bureau, currently one in eight Americans is 65 years old.
By
the year 2010, the ratio will be one in five, and by the year 2025, 20% of
Americans will be over age 65.
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According
to the Surgeon General's Report, "Older Adults and Mental Health,"
(January 2001) twenty percent of those aged 55 and over in the U.S. suffer
from a mental illness or disorder. Up
to 88% of nursing home residents exhibit mental and behavioral problems,
with depression and dementia being the most common. (Five percent of persons
65 and older suffer with depression and 15% suffer with dementia.)
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Alzheimer's
disease is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. One
million people over 65 are severely afflicted with Alzheimer's and two
million are moderately affected.
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The
highest suicide rate in America is among those 65 and older. Almost
6,000 older Americans commit suicide each year.
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The
Surgeon General and the American Association of Retired Persons have
identified a shortage of mental and behavioral health professionals trained
in gerontology. There
is a lack of consistent funding for graduate specialty programs in aging for
mental and behavioral health professionals.
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Older
Americans under-utilize mental health services. It
is estimated that only half of those who acknowledge mental health problems
receive treatment. (Older Adults and Mental Health, 2001)
Psychologists
are Providing Important Services to the Elderly
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Health
Service psychologists serve as vital members of health care teams providing
quality care to the elderly in hospitals, nursing homes and hospices. Psychologists
work with the elderly to help them manage incontinence, adhere to their
medical regimen, maintain independent lives, and cope with depression and
other mental illnesses that are so prevalent among older adults.
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