Research Paper on:
Mental Health Services and the Elderly

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
been pointed out that older adults are the most underserved demographic in the mental health system (Takrouri, 2008; Sanders, Fitzgerald and Bratelli, 2008). This factor is largely attributed to "ageist  attitudes among mental health professionals, fears of older individuals and poorly coordinated heath and social service programs" (Sanders, Fitzgerald and Bratelli, 2008, p. 252). Research has identified the incidence  of "mental health disorders with serious symptoms" as being evident in 15 to 25 percent" of the older population, that is, adults over the age of 65 (Sanders, Fitzgerald and  Bratelli, 2008, p. 252). However, researchers have also pointed out that under utilization and also assessment issues make it difficult to obtain an accurate determination of the prevalence of mental  illness among this segment of the US population (Sanders, Fitzgerald and Bratelli, 2008). There has also been international debate as to whether there is an age-related decline in mental health  issues as people age. For example, Trollar, et al (2007) found that community dwelling elders in Australia have a lower incidence of mental disorders when compared to middle-aged adults.  Nevertheless, as the percentage of elderly Americans is increasingly rapidly, so there is a corresponding increase in the number of older adults who are in need of mental health services.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Americans 65 years or older increased by 74 percent between 1970 and 1999, from roughly 20 million to close to 35 million (Latka-Davis, 2005).  This trend will accelerate in coming years as the 76 million members of the "baby boomer" generation reach their sixties, which will occur between 2010 and 2030, which means that  by 2030, older adults will constitute 20 percent of the overall population (Latka-Davis, 2005). In addition to consider the mental health needs of the elderly, mental health service policies