Improving practicing physicians' knowledge of geriatric mental health issues

Elderly patients are most likely to seek mental health care from primary care physicians. Ironically, recent research findings show that primary care physicians fail to adequately detect mental health problems in their older patients. These findings raise questions about: 1) the adequacy of geriatric mental health training for physicians and 2) the possible methods for improving practicing physicians' knowledge and skills in detecting, treating, and referring patients with mental health needs. With a projected doubling in the number of people older than age 65 in the next 40 years, it is even more important that recognition and treatment of geriatric mental health problems be made a priority for primary care physicians.