Li Juan: A New Life for the Elderly

Researcher Li Juan, Director of the Psychogeriatric Research Center of the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, was invited to participate in the Focus Interview to explain to the audience the psychological problems that older people may encounter and strategies to solve them. During the program, Li Juan conveyed to the audience an overview of the mental health of the elderly in China, highlighting that the prevalence of geriatric depression is about 7.3% in the elderly population over 65 years old, and that for the sake of mental health, the elderly are encouraged to get out of their homes, participate in recreational activities and enrich their spiritual lives. She also pointed out that the elderly left behind in rural areas are a group that deserves extra attention, with weaker social networks and worse mental health, calling for the common concern of the whole society. In addition, Li Juan mentioned that learning about new knowledge can promote the brain to slow down aging, and suggested that seniors who are in a position to do so should participate in activities such as senior colleges to enrich their social life, engage in lifelong learning, and find a sense of self-worth and meaning from it.