This Research Topic is the second volume of the Research Topic "Alternative and Complementary Therapies to Promote Mental Health and Wellbeing for Older Adults". You can see the first volume
here.Age-related changes in physical and cognitive abilities can raise mental health challenges for older adults. There is increasing popularity and acceptance of alternative and complementary therapies to manage mood and mental disorders (e.g., anxiety disorders, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease) in older adults. Alternative and complementary therapies encompass a wide array of interventions, including mind-body therapies, biologically based practices, manipulative and body-based practices, energy healing as well as culturally specific health beliefs and systems. To date, there is a growing body of research evidence supporting the use of alternative and complementary therapies as minimally invasive, cost-effective approaches for the management of late-life mood and mental health. Research in the adoption and implementation of alternative and complementary therapies with older adults as preventive measures and wellbeing-oriented interventions for mental health disorders remains limited with minimally available scientifically robust trials.
Most studies to date have focused on the effectiveness of alternative and complementary therapies in the health promotion of older adults, but the mechanisms by which alternative and complementary therapies improve mood, mental health, and wellbeing in the geriatric population is less well understood. This special issue is focused on informing health care professionals on alternative and complementary therapies for mental health promotion of older adults, with information and research on their effectiveness in treating specific mental disorders. The editors encourage the integration of evidence-based alternative and complementary therapies in the health care system for the promotion of mental health and wellbeing of older adults as well as the prevention and treatment of mental health disorders. This special issue is also interested in how alternative and complementary therapies can alleviate issues relating to the care of older adults with mental disorders to enhance the quality of life, care provisions, and care outcomes.
We are interested in papers that present authoritative information and important new and innovative ideas/concepts regarding the use of alternative and complementary therapies in promoting the mental health of older adults, with a particular focus on treating older adults with mental health disorders. This Research Topic includes topics but is not limited to Chinese Traditional Medicine, Mind-body Therapies, Meditation, Massage/Acupuncture Therapies, Body-based Exercise/Therapies, Creative Therapies, and Therapeutic Robot Therapies. We welcome the following types of submission: Case Report, Clinical Trial, Community Case Study, Hypothesis and Theory, Methods, Mini Review, Opinion, Original Research, Perspective, Registered Report, Systematic Review, and Conceptual Analysis.