Key facts
- By 2030, one in six people in the world will be aged 60 years or over.
- Loneliness and social isolation are key risk factors for mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety disorders. Many may also experience reduced mobility, chronic pain, frailty, dementia or other health problems for which they require some form of long-term care. As people age, they are more likely to experience several conditions at the same time.
Prevalence
In 2023, an estimated 14.75% of adults aged 70 and over lived with a mental disorder; most commonly anxiety or depression (2). Mental disorders account for 6.8% of the total years lived with disability among older adults aged 70 years or more (3). Globally, around a sixth of deaths from suicide (16.6%) are among people aged 70 or over (3).
