Preventive mental health work with the elderly: With special reference to Asian/Pacific populations.

With the emergence of primary prevention as a major concern in health and mental health it becomes important to assess the possibilities for application of knowledge from this field to improve the quality of life for vulnerable populations such as elderly Asian/Pacific Islanders. It is necessary to address such aspects of special need as language, life styles, cultural practices, and poverty, among others, if preventive measures are to be of value. Recent legislation offers some prospect (if not vitiated by reductionist national policy) for expanding preventive services to older people who are most in need of community services oriented to their special needs.