World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2013 focuses on the mental health of older adults

Every year on 10th of October, The World Health Organization joins in celebrating the World Mental Health Day. The day is celebrated at the initiative of the World Federation of Mental Health and WHO supports this initiative through raising awareness on mental health issues using its strong relationships with the Ministries of health and civil society organizations across the globe. WHO also develops technical and communication material and provides technical assistance to the countries for advocacy campaigns around the World Mental Health Day.

The theme of World Mental Health Day in 2013 is “Mental health and older adults”.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that the key to continue the momentum on mental health is to step up advocacy efforts. Policy makers and the general public are only partly aware of the fact that mental disorders are common, cause a large amount of burden and effective treatment of most mental disorders is possible. The image of mental illness is incorrectly associated with images of violence and laziness rather than with suffering, marginalization and denial of basic rights.

Most health workers are not conversant with modern methods of treatment of mental illness and often do not possess the necessary skills to deal with it. Among them there are many who believe that the only way of dealing with mental illness is long term hospital care.

In the majority of countries, including developed ones, there is no parity of care for mental and physical illnesses. Stigma of mental illness gains strength from these misconceptions and reinforces them. Advocacy efforts are targeted to create a well-informed society on mental health and disorders.

Visit the WHO photo gallery on “living well with dementia.”

Visit the WHO media centre on mental health.

Read the World Federation for Mental Health report on “Mental Health and Older People” [opens to PDF].