Mental Health Issues Are Not a Normal Part of Aging
America’s population is aging. Approximately 75 million Americans will be over age 65 by 2030. The cohort of people aged 65 and over is currently growing at a significantly faster rate than the group of Americans under the age of 45.
Many older Americans struggle with mental health issues. A 2012 study from the Institute on Medicine found that approximately one in five older adults in the US experience a mental illness, substance use disorder, or both. While that seems like a lot, it also means 80 percent do not experience mental health issues.