Healthy and institutionalized: health and related conditions among older persons with developmental disabilities

The life expectancy of mentally retarded citizens has increased significantly in recent decades. At the same time, we have learned that this special population is nearly twice as likely as the general population to develop severe mental illness. These facts, coupled with the psychological and physiological changes that accompany aging in general, are increasingly challenging the mental health professionals of today. We provide an overview of mental retardation in the elderly, as well as the types, treatments, and attendant challenges of associated mental illness.