IOM report: Nation lacks health workers trained to meet seniors' mental health needs

Jul 12 2012

The Institute of Medicine report, released Tuesday, found the continued lack of health care providers will make it difficult to meet the growing demand for mental health services from the nation's growing senior population.   

The Associated Press: Report: Too Little Mental Health Care For Boomers
Getting older doesn't just mean a risk for physical ailments like heart disease and bum knees: A new report finds as many as 1 in 5 seniors has a mental health or substance abuse problem. And as the population rapidly ages over the next two decades, millions of baby boomers may have a hard time finding care and services for mental health problems such as depression -- because the nation is woefully lacking in doctors, nurses and other health workers trained for their special needs, the Institute of Medicine said Tuesday (Neergaard, 7/10).

Kaiser Health News: Capsules: Report: Nation Isn't Ready For Seniors' Mental Health Needs
A continued lack of specialists and other trained providers including primary care physicians and nurses will likely make it difficult for aging patients to receive treatment for depression, dementia and other conditions" (Torres, 7/10).