Thursday, 3 April 2003

This presentation is part of : Poster Session 2

Organization of Mental Health Services for Elderly and Aged Population in Armenia

Arpine Kirakisyan, “STRESS” MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITAL, Yerevan, Armenia, Hasmik Kirakosyan, University of Practical Psychology and Sociaology, Yerevan, Armenia, Anna Sanoyan, Yerevan State Medical University,, Yerevan, Armenia, Vardan Karamyan, Yerevan State Medical University, Yerevan, Armenia, Gayane Harutjunyan, "Stress" Mental Health Center, Yerevan, Armenia, and Arshak Hovhannisyan, Erebouni University, Yerevan, Armenia.

Social and political radical changes in Armenia during the past years has also created an economy which made the socially not provided for cluster of population more vulnerable, and touched all aspects of life. This is proved by the result and data of multiple polls and surveys. This explains the increased rate of the population’s appealing to mental health services. In such situation, the elderly population is in a more difficult situation, as they compose the majority of population. Indeed, nowadays, a lot of countries in the world (and Armenia isn’t an exception) are experiencing the aging of the population, which is a serious factor increasing the burden of mental health services. Old people are sicker and the services they need are more numerous and expensive. They become more dependent on society and this is another reason for their vulnerability. It becomes real for the mental health planners and providers to face the problem of how to organize and provide this service. It is important to mention that this service is in a very low level in Armenia. There are services occupied by social-psychological problems of invalid old population and for lonely ones. But there is no single establishment which is absolutely occupied by the elderly and old population and is specialized in providing medical, rehabilitation and prevention services. For the reason this target population suffering from psychological problems applies to general M.H. services, where there are not specially designed approaches for meeting community - perceived needs. This is also a stress factor and complicates already existing problems. The organization and establishment of such narrow specialized services are of utmost importance despite the requirement of enormous efforts and inputs. But as it was mentioned above, the population has great tendency for aging and the problem becomes more and more real day by day and requires immediate resolution.

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