‘Awareness key to mental health’

AHMEDABAD: A

state-level conference

was organized at

Government Mental Health Hospital

on Friday where nearly 100

medical practitioners

discussed geriatric mental health issues.

Professor Nimesh Desai, director Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, said that due to increased longevity, the definition of old age is going beyond 60+ years. “We need to create awareness about dementia, depression and disability coming with old age and how it affects mental health,” he said.

The experts also stressed on need to create a cadre of mental health experts and caretakers in both government and private set-ups with an eye on future. The mental health hospital in Ahmedabad alone reaches out to about 5,000 patients of dementia annually.