May 7, 2026

Older adults are among the most underserved populations in mental health care. May 7 is a moment to change that.

Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day (OAMHAD) is observed each year to spotlight the mental health needs of adults age 50 and older – a population that faces a distinct set of challenges including physical health decline, loss of loved ones, social isolation, and significant barriers to accessing behavioral health care.

Yet despite these vulnerabilities, older adults remain consistently underrepresented in mental health clinical research. If your site works with this population, or wants to, this is a meaningful moment to examine whether your outreach, materials, and participant experience are actually reaching them.

Why This Matters for Clinical Research Sites

Consider: Are your recruitment materials accessible to older adults? Are they written at an appropriate reading level, available in large print, or offered in formats that don’t require digital literacy? Does your site have processes in place to support participants who may have mobility limitations, transportation barriers, or caregiving responsibilities?

Building trust with older adult participants takes intentionality, and it starts well before enrollment. OAMHAD is a good time to evaluate where the gaps are and take at least one concrete step toward closing them.

2026 NCOA Symposium — Free & Virtual

This year, the National Council on Aging is hosting its ninth annual Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day Symposium on May 7, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM ET. The event is free, fully virtual, and open to all. Sessions cover suicide prevention, workforce strategies, evidence-based programs, and community-based mental health approaches. Continuing education credits are available for live attendance.

This is a worthwhile event for site staff, coordinators, and anyone working with older adult participants or communities.

Resources & Links