Mental Health Awareness Week officially started today, with an opening ceremony at the Mid Atlantic Wellness Institute.Health Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin launched the annual event which this year will focus on the mental health of older adults.MWI chief operating officer Patrice Dill said the world’s growing ageing population will see mounting challenges.“Globally, the number of people over the age of 60 is more than 800 million and this figure will increase to over two billion by 2050,” said Ms Dill.“While most seniors continue to lead active, vital and productive lives, some older adults are at increased risk of mental disorders.“We want older adults and their family members to know that help is available. If you or your loved one is experiencing a mental health concern, we urge you to contact us for assistance.”Ms Gordon-Pamplin noted that people over the age of 60 can now expect to survive for an additional 18 to 21 years.“Soon, there will be more older adults in the world than children,” she said.“It is important, therefore, that we recognise that our seniors face special health challenges.”She continued: “A condition like dementia can make an existing mental health issue more challenging.“Although as a community we may be aware of disorders like Alzheimer’s, a senior who already suffers with a mental health concern, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disease, will present unique challenges to families and caregivers.”A US survey found that about 20 percent of adults aged 55 and over deal with some form of mental health challenge, she said.“We believe that the situation in Bermuda is similar. Unfortunately, global research indicates that mental disorders in older adults are often under-identified by healthcare professionals and older people themselves may be reluctant to seek help.“Perhaps they think it is just a normal part of getting older, or they are scared about what they are experiencing or they are impacted by stigma about mental illness and don’t speak up.“The good news is that there are many ways for our seniors to work on improving their mental health but we also need to ensure that primary healthcare providers and caregivers can identify mental health issues in the seniors for whom they care. Help is available, whatever your age.”MWI’s deputy chief of psychiatry Anna Neilson-Williams said about one in five seniors will experience a mental health problem.“When mental health concerns are not addressed, there is ample evidence they can negatively impact one’s physical health,” she said.“In fact, we know that a diagnosis of depression, left untreated, can be as likely a cause of death as a history of heart disease. In addition, untreated mental illnesses incur both emotional and financial costs to families and to our community.“Unfortunately, there is a common misconception that depression is an inevitable part of the ageing process. In fact, this is far from the case.”Both depression and anxiety in older adults are “very treatable”, Dr Neilson-Williams said.“With an appropriate care plan, most seniors will return to their previous level of functioning,” she said.“Dementia will affect about five percent of those over 65 and results in a serious loss of global cognitive ability, impacting memory, attention, language and problem solving.“Dementia can be a devastating diagnosis, which affects the individual, along with his or her family members, as well as caregivers and our community as a whole.“Sadly, people with dementia may also face social stigma, furthering their sense of isolation, reducing their participation in normal activities with family and friends and leaving them more susceptible to discrimination.”Hospital team members work closely with David Harries and Shawnee Basden of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital’s Mood and Memory Clinic to aid older adults suffering with dementia, she added.“People who are currently over 65 years of age come from an era where misconceptions about mental illness and treatment were even more prevalent than they are today.“We understand current economic times may exacerbate illness and indeed lead to it. We are also aware of the challenges seniors may face with isolation and a loss of independence,” Dr Neilson-Williams said.“The key to maintaining mental and physical well-being as we grow older is preventing illness and intervening early when problems do occur.”She encouraged older adults to remain active, spend time with family and friends and “seek care if they have physical or mental health concerns”.She added: “You do not need to suffer alone or in silence.”