one in three Sri Lankan adults is affected by mental health issues, with a large proportion being those aged 60 and above, Consultant Psychiatrist Dr. Madhushani Dias revealed at a Colombo programme on the 26th. As Sri Lanka’s elderly population grows rapidly, mental health concerns such as depression, memory loss, and emotional withdrawal are often misunderstood and dismissed as “normal ageing,” leading to dangerous neglect. Dr. Dias warned that this lack of awareness has seriously reduced older adults’ quality of life and increased related physical health problems.
Highlighting progress, she noted that the National Institute of Mental Health has operated a dedicated elderly mental health unit since 1999, with separate male and female wards, and has recently launched “Dheergayu,” a day-care treatment centre offering psychiatric and behavioural therapy for senior citizens. However, she stressed that treatment alone is not enough.
Dr. Dias identified loneliness and social isolation now recognized by the World Health Organization as a global public health concern as major drivers of elderly mental health issues in Sri Lanka, worsened by the migration of younger generations abroad. She urged families to maintain regular contact with elderly parents and encouraged seniors to stay socially active through friendships and volunteer work. Concluding, she emphasized that despite the growing scale of the problem, Sri Lanka still lacks a strong protective and support framework, calling on the government to take greater responsibility in safeguarding the mental well-being of the nation’s ageing population.
Leave your comments
Login to post a comment
Post comment as a guest