India is envied for its demographic advantage. But we are also confronted with the unenviable phenomenon of “Population Ageing” brought about by economic advancement, improved nutrition and medical advances. It took 50 years for the population of aged above 60 years to rise by three percent from 5.6% in 1961 to 8.6% in 2011. In just another 15 years the population of aged is projected to rise by four percent to 12.4%! And the old in our country are living in times of tectonic social changes.
The old are confronted with many problems of the body and mind. The body is no more the trusted friend of youth and adulthood. Mental and physical illnesses coexist in many old. They are also more prone to certain kinds of mental disorders. Diminishing cognitive and metabolic capacities together with diminished mobility puts them at a distinct disadvantage. They require well informed, skilled and compassionate care. As professionals we are obliged to be quite conversant about relevant issues related to managing mentally ill old persons.
The Indian Psychiatric Society considered that it is time to address ourselves to the problems of the aged and took the initiative to bring a set of guidelines for management of psychiatric disorders of our senior citizens. The team headed by Prof Shiv Gautham and Prof Ajit Avasthi went about their task by their now well known diligence to bring out a set of excellent Practice Guidelines based on an in-depth search of evidence base and rich clinical experience. I congratulate Dr. T S S Rao, Editor, Indian Journal of Psychiatry and his team for publishing the same well and in time.
I am sure that all clinicians will find these guidelines as of great utility.
Long live Indian Psychiatric Society