Geriatric psychiatry deals with the problems of mental and emotional disorders and diseases in the elderly. A geriatric psychiatrist has expertise in the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of mental and emotional disorders of older people. The psychiatrist’s extensive medical training allows him or her to understand the relationship between emotional illness and medical illnesses. The psychiatrist is the physician best qualified to determine the physical and/or psychological causes of both mental and physical disorders.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Iowa has 29 practicing geriatric psychiatrists. Broken out by city, geriatric psychiatry doctor density in Ames is 2, in Ankeny is 1, in Atlantic is 1, in Carroll is 2, in Cedar Rapids is 2, in Clinton is 1, in Council Bluffs is 3, in Davenport is 2, in De Witt is 1, in Des Moines is 4, in Dubuque is 1, in Indianola is 3, in Iowa City is 9, in Lone Tree is 1, in Mason City is 1, in Muscatine is 2, in North Liberty is 2, in Ottumwa is 2, in Pella is 1, in Pleasant Hill is 1, in Sioux City is 2, in Vinton is 2, in Washington is 1, in Waterloo is 1, and in West Des Moines is 1.

Iowa’s capital is Des Moines, home to Drake University. Iowa achieved Statehood 1846, and the state’s population is now 2,996,334. The Mississippi river borders the state on the east, and a majority of the state’s economic output is agricultural. Many cultural and entertainment opportunities exist for visitors to the “quad cities” of Davenport and Bettendorf, IA, and Rock Island and Moline, IL. Numerous museums, arts, music and sports events are available in Iowa, including the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, the Amana Colonies, and the Buffalo Bill Cody Homestead. Famous people born in Iowa: Buffalo Bill, entertainers Johnny Carson and John Wayne, and former president Herbert Hoover.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Iowa has a population of 2,966,334. Of this population, 656,031 are under the age of 18 and 434,196 are at or above the age of 65.