People continue to have issues that they need to work through regardless of their age. There is therefore still a need to assist older individuals who are struggling with issues related to aging, losing loved ones, loss of independence, etc.

Geriatric psychiatry helps by evaluating patients for mental illness such as depression, but also addresses if conditions related to aging such as cognitive impairment or dementia play a role in a patients behavior. Furthermore, the way medications affect the geriatric population can often be complicated, so it's important to have a physician who is knowledgeable in this area to provide the best care.