ASEAN is rapidly becoming an aging society, and a recent analysis published in *The Lancet Public Health* points out that the region's senior population is facing a growing but long-underestimated mental health crisis. If governments and healthcare systems fail to address this issue, the next decade could bring even deeper social and economic shocks.
The review emphasizes that while healthcare systems in various countries are becoming increasingly sophisticated in chronic disease management, mental health, especially the mental health of seniors, generally suffers from a triple gap: insufficient recognition, insufficient treatment, and insufficient resources. With increased life expectancy, a rise in the number of people living alone, changes in family structure, and the prevalence of chronic diseases, emotional distress in the elderly is often seen as "part of natural aging" rather than a health issue requiring proactive intervention.
Mental health care is indispensable for healthy aging. Research shows that depression is one of the most common mental health problems among the elderly in ASEAN. Many seniors face not only low mood but also long-term distress intertwined with social isolation, declining physical function, pain, and coexisting chronic diseases. Anxiety symptoms are also very common, especially in countries with heavy long-term care burdens and underdeveloped social security systems. Coupled with cultural taboos, the stigma surrounding mental illness, and limited access to help, these problems are often underestimated, leading to a widening treatment gap.
This study reminds governments and public health agencies that if the burden of mental health on older adults is not addressed, ASEAN will face deeper social and economic shocks in the next decade. Mental illness not only affects the quality of life of older adults but also increases the pressure on care systems and families, creating a hidden but ever-expanding disease burden.
Experts call for mental health to be integrated into the core of older adult health policies, including: improving the capacity of primary healthcare systems to identify depression and anxiety; strengthening community social support networks; promoting age-appropriate mental health education; and destigmatizing mental illness. Simultaneously, it is essential to establish accessible, affordable, and culturally appropriate mental health services for older adults.
Further Reading
As countries in the region gradually move towards an aging society, this study undoubtedly serves as a wake-up call for ASEAN: healthy aging should not be limited to physical care; mental health also determines whether the elderly can spend their later years peacefully and with dignity.
