Key Takeaways

  • Depression and anxiety are not normal parts of aging and can hurt older adults' physical health and overall quality of life.

  • Download and share our tips and tools for developing strategies to serve older adults in your community who have depression and anxiety. 

  • This series was commissioned by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Administration on Aging (AoA).

Depression is not a normal part of aging. Neither is anxiety that causes distress or interferes with a person's daily activities. 

Both of these mental health concerns, if left untreated, can harm an older adult's physical health and significantly decrease quality of life.

How can depression and anxiety be screened for and treated in older adults?

Download and share our issue brief developed with the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA) and the Older Americans Behaviorial Health Technical Assistance Center to learn more about:

  • risk factors for depression and anxiety in older adults
  • effective screening tools
  • examples of effective, evidence-based treatment
  • lessons learned from the field
  • key actions to take
  • links to additional helpful resources