Ageing and mental health in Australia

The health care system in Australia attempts to attend to both physical and mental illnesses. Similar to many developed countries, Australia is increasingly an ageing society, with those over the age of 65 constituting a larger proportion of the population in the past decade than ever before. As a result of this, there is greater pressure on the health care system and on relevant policy to understand and respond to the needs of the elderly. Mental illness is prominent among the older population as the prevalence of mental health issues, such as dementia and suicide, increase with age. The Australian Government manages most of its age related policy under the Aged Care Act 1997, and the National Mental Health Strategy Plan. These initiatives stimulate provisions such as Extended at Home Dementia Packages, the National Respite for Carers Program, and the Disability Pension. The present chapter discusses the cultural context of ageing in Australia; the prevalence of mental illness among the aged population in Australia; services and policies employed to attend to elderly mental health; and the practice of caregiving