An international consensus statement on the benefits of reframing aging and mental health conditions in a culturally inclusive and respectful manner.

Combatting ageism and promoting the human rights of older persons, particularly those with mental health conditions, are urgent priorities for the International Psychogeriatric Association (IPA) and World Psychiatric Association - Section of Old Age Psychiatry (WPA - SOAP) (Rabheru and Gillis, [18]; Peisah I et al. i , [17]). The IPA and WPA-SOAP are sensitive to and fully acknowledge the long-recognized role that language plays in stoking both societal ageism and self-ageism (Nuessel, [14]), as well as its potentially powerful role in tackling ageism. With regard to terminology used to describe mental health conditions, the use of mental health terms as descriptors, e.g. "mentally ill older person", "senile older person", "demented older person", and "depressed older person" are best avoided because they are pejorative and exacerbate stigma, equating people and their identity with illness. [Extracted from the article]