Mental health care for our ageing Australian population.
OBJECTIVE
In the context of the National Strategy for an Ageing Australia, the aim of this paper was to highlight some of the challenges for aged mental health services as our population ages.


CONCLUSIONS
The demand for greater consumer participation in treatment planning and provision, and the increasing complexity of managing medical and psychiatric comorbidity in our 'old-old' population will be major drivers for improving our models of clinical practice and forging stronger partnerships between the public and private sectors.
Hassett
Anne
A
University of Melbourne North West Aged Persons Mental Health Program, Sunshine, Vic., Australia. annemh@unimelb.edu.au
Fortune
Tracy
T
Smith
Brad
B
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003256:Community Participation; D005260:Female; D005852:Geriatric Psychiatry / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017149:Private Sector; D017150:Public Sector