While the detrimental ramifications of the COVID-19 outbreak on the mental wellbeing of the general public continue to unravel, older adults seem to be at high risk. As the geriatric population continues to grow in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, it is essential to explore the influence of this outbreak on geriatric mental health, a topic often neglected. In this review, we depict the status of geriatric psychiatry in the Arab countries of the MENA region, exploring the variations from one nation to another. While some have a null exposure to the field, resources and expertise in other countries range from very limited to extensive. Furthermore, we highlight the measures implemented in the Arab region to address mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak; these tend to be insufficient when targeting the geriatric population. Finally, we provide short- and long-term recommendations to stakeholders that aim at enhancing the mental healthcare of older adults in the Arab countries of the MENA region, particularly during this pandemic.

尽管COVID-19疫情对公众心理健康的不利影响继续消除，但老年人似乎处于高风险中。随着中东和北非（MENA）地区老年人口的持续增长，必须探索这种疾病爆发对老年人心理健康的影响，这一话题经常被忽略。在这篇综述中，我们描述了中东和北非地区阿拉伯国家中老年精神病学的现状，探讨了一个国家到另一个国家的变化。尽管有些人没有涉足该领域，但其他国家的资源和专业知识则从非常有限到广泛。此外，我们重点介绍了在阿拉伯地区为应对COVID-19爆发期间的心理健康而采取的措施；当瞄准老年人群时，这些往往不足。