2024 mental health guidelines

Why so few older Americans get counseling – and how it could help

<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/758592/original/file-20260908-50-3b2xnw.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1&rect=0%2C1%2C7187%2C4791&q=45&auto=format&w=1050&h=700&fit=crop" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Changes that often accompany later life can raise questions and concerns that people may explore in counseling or therapy. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/unhappy-senior-couple-arguing-having-fight-royalty-free-image/1489984181">Space_Cat/iStock via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>People are living longer, reshaping what it means to grow old. </p> <p>By the late 2060s, an estimated <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-of-older-adults">2.5 billion people worldwide will be age 60</a> or older – more than the number of people under 18. The population age 80 and older is expected to grow even faster, more than tripling between 2023 an