A study published today in the Medical Journal of Australia shows a link between physical and mental decline in older adults.
The study found that rates of depression in older Australian adults are not as high as previous research studies have indicated.
"Depression amongst older adults is the exception not the rule in older adults," said Dr Jon Pfaff, the study's lead author, based at the Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing.
Professor Osvaldo Almeida, Director of Research at the Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing, said the results were very exciting for two reasons.
"We were able to confirm that poor physical health has a significant impact on mental wellbeing and, more importantly, we showed that older people are mentally very resilient, as only significant physical disability seems to undermine good mental health," Professor Almeida said.
"It is as if the mind does not suffer the effects of ageing in the same way that the body does; our minds remain young until very late in life."
Previous studies have shown that this age group responds well to treatment.
So yet again more evidence of the importance of staying physically fit. As we are keep reporting you are never too old to start a fitness programme.
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