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Clinical Insights and Challenges into Cognitive and Mental Health in Older Adults

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 23 June 2026 | Viewed by 764

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Dariusz Krok

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Psychology, University of Opole, 45-040 Opole, Poland
Interests: clinical psychology; health psychology; quality of life

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to our Special Issue on “Clinical Insights and Challenges into Cognitive and Mental Health in Older Adults”. In this Special Issue, we explore innovative research and evidence-based practices situated at the intersection of medicine and psychology, emphasizing their integrative role in advancing the understanding, assessment, prevention, and treatment of cognitive and mental health conditions among older adults. Recent research has emphasized the importance of focusing on mental processes occurring in older adults, which, to a large extent, determine their physical and psychological functioning. Cognitive and mental health are crucial components of overall well-being (physical, psychological, and social) in older adulthood, profoundly influencing quality of life, independence, and longevity. As people age, they face unique psychological, biological, and social challenges—such as physical health decline, loss of loved ones, and transitions in social roles—that can significantly impact mental resilience and cognitive functioning. Examining cognitive and mental health among older adults is therefore essential for healthy aging.

The aim of this Special Issue is to examine clinical insights and challenges into cognitive and mental health in older adults in the context of theoretical foundations, empirical findings, and practical applications.

Potential research topics include:

  • Geriatric psychiatry;
  • Older adults psychology;
  • Cognitive and emotional processes in older adults;
  • Mental health in older adults;
  • Individual and social coping with stress;
  • Person-centered care;
  • Therapeutic approaches;
  • The effectiveness of cognitive-based interventions;
  • Psychosomatic approaches;
  • Personalized interventions in geriatrics;
  • Psychological needs and mental health preferences.

Dr. Dariusz Krok
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • clinical insights
  • cognitive and mental health
  • older adults
  • psychosomatic interventions
  • person-centered care

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 939 KB  
Article
Reducing Loneliness and Social Isolation Through the HELPeN Telephone-Call Program: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Older Adults Living in the Community
by María Jesús Hernández-López, Jessica García-González, César Leal-Costa, Antonio Jesús Ramos-Morcillo, Isidora Díaz-García, María Verónica López-Pérez, Solanger Hernández-Méndez and María Ruzafa-Martínez
J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(1), 93; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15010093 - 23 Dec 2025
Viewed by 612
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Loneliness is a significant public health issue among older adults, especially in rural and socioeconomically vulnerable groups. Telephone-based interventions have become a scalable, cost-effective way to reduce social isolation, although evidence of their long-term effects on various health outcomes remains limited. This [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Loneliness is a significant public health issue among older adults, especially in rural and socioeconomically vulnerable groups. Telephone-based interventions have become a scalable, cost-effective way to reduce social isolation, although evidence of their long-term effects on various health outcomes remains limited. This study aimed to assess how effective HELPeN, a structured telephone program delivered by trained nursing students, is in decreasing loneliness and enhancing psychosocial and cognitive health in community-living older adults. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 119 older adults (≥65 years) residing in the community. Participants were allocated to either an intervention group (n = 65), which received weekly structured telephone calls over 9 months, or a control group (n = 54), which received standard care. Outcomes were evaluated at baseline (M0), mid-intervention (M1–M3), and 3 months after the intervention (M4). The primary outcomes measured included loneliness and perceived social support. Secondary outcomes comprised functional status, comorbidities, depressive symptoms, quality of life, sleep quality, and cognitive function. The data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA with Greenhouse–Geisser correction. Results: Significant group interactions over time were identified for loneliness (F = 5.92, p = 0.001, η2 = 0.067), social support (F = 3.39, p = 0.023, η2 = 0.043), depressive symptoms (F = 3.87, p = 0.019, η2 = 0.046), and cognitive status (F = 5.35, p = 0.002, η2 = 0.063). No significant differences were found for functional status, comorbidity, sleep quality, or quality of life. Conclusions: The HELPeN program demonstrated significant effectiveness in reducing loneliness and social isolation, and in improving emotional, cognitive, and sleep-related outcomes in older adults. As a low-cost and scalable model, this intervention strengthens the role of nursing students in addressing social determinants of health and may be integrated into community and public health strategies targeting vulnerable aging populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Insights and Challenges into Cognitive and Mental Health in Older Adults)
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