Every 10th of October, World Mental Health day is commemorated with a campaign that raises worldwide awareness on the identification, treatment and prevention of emotional and/or behavioural disorders for that year. In 2013, the theme chosen by the WHO and the WFMH is mental health of older adults, a problem of immediate relevance since the number of older people is growing very quickly around the world, surpassing the number of children in some countries. The aim of this day is to promote active aging as a tool to increase the physical and mental health of people throughout their lives.

The most common mental disorders among the elderly are depression and different types of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's, which affects more than 35 million people worldwide. Stressful events of everyday life, such as retirement, marital breakdown, social isolation, misuse or abuse of drugs, financial problems and chronic physical changes associated with the aging process can also contribute to the deterioration of older people’s mental health. Thus, the WHO’s programme of active and healthy aging provides a framework for action to strengthen the mental health of older adutls, especially in developing countries, by promoting the treatment of these diseases as a public health priority.

Diagrama Foundation supports older adults with these disorders and their families, and is actively working within this field through its programmes. This work is geared towards providing high quality care, support and rehabilitation of people with mental health issues, with an emphasis on the elderly. Our main objective is to improve the quality of life of this group, promote personal autonomy and foster their social and family integration.

For more information about World Mental Health Day, please visit the WFMH website.